Calamity James, Sol Campbell, Owen Hargreaves all mistakes in my view. Other than these I don't have too much of a problem with the defence and midfield though I think Jenas is overrated and I know little of Green.
I suppose he had to pick Owen and Rooney in case they become fit enough for the latter stages though Owen is supposedly going to feature in the 3 friendlies. I doubt we will make it beyond the group matches if we have to rely on a strike force Crouch and the unproven Walcott. I know we are short on home grown strikers from whom Sven could pick but what about Darren Bent who should surely have got the nod ahead of Defoe and Johnson.
I think we are paying the price of having an international Premiership with substantially foreign managers who have no regard for England and bringing on English players. Other countries must be laughing up their sleeves at the our paucity of strikers, which if the premiership continues in its present form of unrestricted foreign players will see our midfield and defence go the same way. In the meantime they of course have the choice of those playing in their home competitions and those playing abroad in the prestige leagues.
Will it be Sven's fault if we fall at the first fence? I think not.
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YOUTH are the future
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"The worst thing you can do is make a committment and not meet it and I understand that." Barrie Hobbins 14 August 2010
I see David Dien's hand in this. Campbell is not on form and hasn't been for some time. Walcott hasn't played one game in the premiership and gets in the squad. If he was that good, why hasn't Sven picked him before?
I agree about Darren Bent. He's been the best English striker this season. To have Andy Johnson and Jermaine Defoe in front of him is ludicrous. He'd be an ideal target man for the likes of Joe Cole and Lampard to feed off of. I don't see Crouch as a target man no matter how tall he is.
Jenas just doesn't do it for me and I'm a Spurs fan. He drifts out of the game for long periods. Plus he's injured. Sven says the only reason he's not taking Ledley King is because he's injured. What about Rooney, Owen, Jenas, Green and Ashley Cole then? They're all carrying injuries.
Hargrieves is just an average player and hasn't played that well for England. There are plenty just as good as him.
I'm glad Carrick was picked. He's been brilliant all season. Lennon too. He's so much better than Wright-Phillips.
Green is a good goalkeeper but he's been injured as well.
It'll be interesting to see what happens with Rooney. Especially if he plays and breaks down. Mr Fergie won't like that.
It's difficult to say who will win the competition. Obviously I hope it's England but I've got a suspicion it won't be any of the top names. Maybe a team who hasn't won it before.
