After many hours of speculation on Tuesday afternoon, Fabio Capello puts us out of our misery, and named the twenty-three Three Lions he will take to South Africa, with one mission. To win the World Cup! One of the unlucky seven players to miss out though, is the powerful Arsenal winger Theo Walcott.
Whereas there were the expected cuts in the form of Scott Parker, Michael Dawson and Adam Johnson, Capello’s decision to leave Walcott behind could be seen as a very risky one, especially as Theo could have been used as an impact substitute, as he showed in Arsenal’s first-leg Champions League quarter-fight fightback against mighty Barcelona in late March. However, Capello knows what he is doing and I firmly back him on this decision.
When the decision came through at approximately 1pm on Sky Sports News, I was initially surprised, considering that Walcott had started England’s recent two unconvincing warm-up wins against Mexico and Japan. However, he has paid the price for a woeful season, punctured by injuries and a loss of form. Walcott was the talk of the squad four years ago, when Sven Goran-Eriksson showed he had really lost the plot, and picked him. Then, he had never even played a Premiership game for Arsenal, and he wasn’t even used in the tournament. This time, he has made the headlines, but for his absence rather than inclusion.
Apart from the Barcelona home game aside, everytime I’ve seen Walcott this season, he has looked out of his depth and lacking confidence. It isn’t totally his fault, with the injuries he has had, but it is no good having someone who looks like they can’t even play 45minutes in the squad. Against Mexico and Japan, he looked rigid, and although he could run with the ball and beat defenders, he quickly looked bereft of ideas and creation. Confidence in football is a big part in anyone’s game, and that is something that Walcott lacks at the moment. Arsene Wenger must also take some of the blame, for failing to allow Walcott the chance to develop as a football player. Theo will have other chances in the future, he’s only 21, but this is the right call. Hopefully for himself and Arsenal, it will spur him onto greater things. That hat-trick in Zagreb against Croatia, back in September 2008 must seem like a century ago.
So, Walcott joins the likes of Marcos Senna, Ronaldinho, Karim Benzema, Joao Moutinho and Esteban Cambiasso who have failed to make the final squad cut. Who else has Fabio left out? The decision to axe the likes of Parker, Dawson and Johnson is no surprise, as they had little or no chance to strut their stuff in the recent friendlies. Everton’s Leighton Baines has missed out, paying the price for a poor performance against Mexico. Stephen Warnock of Aston Villa will go instead, as cover for Ashley Cole. Despite a dreadful season for Manchester United and an insipid display against the Mexicans, Michael Carrick held on to his place, meaning there was no place for Tottenham hopeful Tom Huddlestone. Personally, I would have gambled on Huddlestone, largely because of his young, fresh impetus. However, Capello has gone for Carrick, probably as an insurance policy, in case Gareth Barry does not recover from his ankle injury, sustained last month.
The final name to miss out is Sunderland’s Darren Bent, who despite scoring twenty-five Premiership goals this season will not go to South Africa. The experience of the bumbling clown that is Emile Heskey has been chosen, despite only netting three goals for Aston Villa last campaign. Bent also missed out four years ago in Germany, so it’s a double blow for him to suffer. He didn’t play well against Japan in the first 45 minutes on Sunday, but then nobody did. If we needed goals, he would be a better bet, should Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch fail to perform when required.
The talking is almost over, the time has come for Fabio Capello and the Three Lions to end forty-four years of hurt. No excuses can be afforded now; it is time for these twenty-three to deliver on the big stage!
ENGLAND SQUAD FOR THE 2010 WORLD CUP FINALS
GK: Robert Green (West Ham United), David James (Portsmouth), Joe Hart (Manchester City)
DEF: Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham Hotspur), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Matthew Upson (West Ham United), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa)
MID: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Gareth Barry (Manchester City), James Milner (Aston Villa), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
ATT: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa)
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