For the first time in over twenty years, England fans can approach the topic with genuine optimism after a superb qualifying campaign in which the team only lost once, against the Ukraine, in a game which was merely an afterthought as they had already secured qualification to the tournament. World Cup Betting has them down as one of the favourites, that’s for sure.
The team is also packed with quality all over the pitch with the likes or Rooney, Lampard and Gerrard. The problem is this quality is not always reflected all over the pitch and there are still a few positions in the first XI up for grabs.
The question still remains over who partners Rooney up front? Do you go for the teamwork of Heskey or the goals of Defoe? Who plays on the right hand side of the midfield?
However the biggest decision Capello has to make is over who will play in goal during England’s first game against the U.S.A. in Rustenburg on June 12th. At the moment there are five men in contention, each with a claim to wear the number one shirt in South Africa.
The current goalkeeper is West Ham’s Robert Green who has started England’s last three games and has produced a string of assured performances. Green is an excellent shot stopper and distributor and could be the answer if the team find themselves in a penalty shoot-out.
However, Green does have weaknesses, specifically on crosses where he could be targeted and he also suffers from lapses in concentration, making the occasional massive blunder. Another problem Green could face is his impending suspension for being sent off in Ukraine after bringing down Artem Milevski and could miss England’s first two games unless they arrange a number of friendly’s before the competition.
The man who has held the shirt for the majority of the last four years is Portsmouth’s David James who has shown over the last few years that despite being close to his fifth decade, he still has what it takes.
James is an intelligent player who seems to have eliminated the mistakes which plagued him during his early years to mature into a truly world-class keeper. However James’ age seems to be finally catching up with him and injuries have forced him out of much of the season so far and he may not get the opportunity to prove his fitness, especially behind a leaky Pompy defence.
Another possibility is Ben Foster who is currently the second choice at Manchster United. Foster is has proved in his limited opportunities that he is a brilliant shot stopper. However he is also showed in his recent games that he does make big mistakes and has been culpable for a number of goals during high-profile encounters. Another problem Foster has is that he is unlikely to play regularly during United’s title run-in and this will definitely count against him during the final reckoning.
Blackburn’s Paul Robinson was recently recalled by Capello after two years in the international wilderness. Robinson was first choice for the last World Cup and looked set to cement his place in the side for the next few years. However a number of high profile errors led to a crisis of confidence and he ended up losing his place for both club and country. However Robinson has a new lease of life after his 2008 move to Blackburn and now looks close to the ‘keeper he was four years ago, arguably better in some people’s eyes.
The final contender is Birmingham’s Joe Hart. Hart is currently on-loan from big-spending Manchester City and has been one of the key men in Birmingham’s impressive return to the Premiership. Hart possess all the qualities required of a top goalie and is definitely one for the future. The Shrewsbury born stopper has cut out the mistakes and is now the complete keeper at only 22. However, Hart’s age could count against him and he is still down the pecking order but with a strong end of season will definitely be Capello’s plans.
Overall you have to think that the World Cup Odds will favour the fact that Robert Green will go and probably start if his suspension is sorted out. This leaves two spots left and it would be good to see Robinson selected. He is a superb keeper who is solid in all areas and was the victim of an unfortunate witch-hunt against him and it’s great to see him back to the top of his form.
Ben Foster’s lack of game time will count against him and Pompey’s poor form will be the main factor in James not making the cut. This leaves Joe Hart who has arguably been the best Goalkeeper in the Premiership this season and Capello is likely to take him for the experience as he plans for the campaigns ahead.
Verdict: Capello will take Green as first choice and Robinson and Hart as back-ups.
Thomas Rooney
Guest Columnist, PlainSoccer.com
