Start with your stars and rest them when tired

Posted by me on September 25, 2007 4:59 PM

I CAN fully understand Rafael Benitez’s intentions to keep his squad fresh for a long campaign by rotating his team selections.

But I find it hard to fathom why he does not start each game with as many of his match-winners on the pitch as possible.

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Steven Gerrard can provide creative spark needed against Russia

Posted by me on September 11, 2007 4:51 PM

ENGLAND’S hopes of making the finals of Euro 2008 hinge on the next two games against Russia.

Steve McClaren’s side need to take four points from the home and away fixtures – with a win at Wembley tomorrow providing the perfect send-off before the tricky trip to the plastic pitch in Moscow.

If England were to lose this week then I don’t think it would mean the manager was immediately jettisoned, but it would leave the team under enormous pressure to win in Russia.

They did well against Israel, but the result has to be tempered against the frailty of the opposition.

They showed no great adventure or willingness to attack, even when they were 2-0 down. I had seen them fight back from two down to level the match in a game against the Republic of Ireland and they never left the referee alone. But it served to stop-start the game and they looked like they were trying to disrupt the flow in similar fashion at Wembley – but it just didn’t wash with the referee.

However, given the pressure England were under going into the match, they turned in a decent enough performance.

Owen Hargreaves would probably have returned for the Russian game had he been fit – even though Gareth Barry did well against Israel – but having picked Emile Heskey the manager may as well stick with him now.

You can expect a tight game at Wembley and Guus Hiddink has, throughout his career, picked sides that mirror the opposition formation, particularly for away games, so that he can cancel out the other team. Russia will certainly provide tougher quality opposition with more of a goal threat than Israel and had Hargreaves been able to play in more of the holding midfield role it would have allowed Steve Gerrard more chance to roam forward. That would have given England more chance of unlocking a stubborn defence.

A pet hobby horse of mine has always been that Gerrard and Lampard cannot play together in the same midfield and Saturday’s display was another piece of evidence to support that.

There is absolutely no argument about the quality of player that Lampard is, but Gerrard is the sort of player who drives a team forward. As Liverpool fans know only too well.

Lampard makes breaks to get on the end of moves which makes him a goal threat, but is not the man pushing the team forward. It might be unlucky for Lampard, but Gerrard is the man to provide the creative spark for England.

It seems Rafael Benitez has also concluded that his best position is in the middle of the park, where he can be such a huge influence.

Heskey had a good game on his international recall, but one of the question marks over the former Liverpool man is his consistency.

One good game can quickly be followed by one ordinary one.

He may be limited in some ways, but he is certainly a handful and if he played like he did on Saturday on a more regular basis he would have added to his tally of caps. Michael Owen looks comfortable alongside him – and scored a great goal on Saturday.

I think Heskey will keep Peter Crouch out of the side tomorrow, with the Liverpool man’s lack of match fitness counting against him.

But he remains a useful weapon to have on the bench, giving England the option of going more direct if necessary.

It can be argued that McClaren has got lucky at last – with the successful formation on Saturday being forced upon him by injuries and suspensions. But that sort of thing happens in football – as Bobby Robson found in Mexico when Ray Wilkins got sent off and Bryan Robson injured.

It is going to be a tense occasion on Wednesday, but I can see England edging it 1-0.

FA can’t afford to dictate to Wembley’s corporate fans

PLENTY OF supporters, who were at Wembley on Saturday at some considerable expense, missed Michael Owen’s goal.

The empty seats at the start of the second half were picked up by the TV cameras.

But we are not talking about fans who have made the journey down from, say, Wigan to support England but the thousands of corporate seats at the FA’s new home.

It should come as no surprise that the seats are empty at the start of the second half as the corporate contingent enjoy their glass of chardonnay, even though the FA have tried things like a five-minute bell to warn of the impending re-start. Corporate entertainment is part and parcel of the modern game.

The problem for football is that given the high level of costs associated with the game today, the powers that be don’t want to be seen to be biting the hand that feeds them.

Home quality will out in the end

THE high number of foreign players in the Premier League has been cited as holding back the emergence of the next generation of English stars.

But it is all a question of balance. I don’t think anyone can argue against the benefits players like Thierry Henry have brought to the English game.

Young players can always learn from the great players and in different ways like technique, diet, training regime and how they conduct their lives away from the pitch.

But there is a danger that the Premier League could end up with too many ordinary players from overseas who simply fill up the bench or sit in the stands. And when you consider the wages they are on, that must be a real headache for the owners and chief executives around the country.

English football has not helped itself with the spiralling transfer market and figures of £6million being quoted for players like Michael Chopra illustrate the rate of inflation.

At a time when managers are more likely to be given six days rather than six months to get the right results, it is no wonder they look for quick fixes and cheaper options abroad.

Everton manager David Moyes pointed out the way prices were rising to worrying levels, but given his need to keep Everton competitive both in the league and in Europe he, too, had to break the club transfer record in signing Yakubu for £11.25m.

But at the end of the day, there is no holding back quality. If a young homegrown player is good enough, they will get the chance to prove themselves – as 20-year-old English defender David Wheater is showing at Middlesbrough.

* Mark Lawrenson was speaking to Richard Williamson

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Babel's turn has a touch of the Barnes

Posted by me on September 7, 2007 3:16 PM

I’M not really into comparing modern day players with heroes of the past.

For example, Fernando Torres is just Fernando Torres. He looks good enough without being called the new Kenny Dalglish.

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Gravesen's return could be a bargain

Posted by me on September 6, 2007 3:12 PM

THOMAS GRAVESEN could turn out to be a great bit of business for Everton – especially when you consider the amount they were going to spend on Manuel Fernandes.

Bringing the Dane back will prove far less of a gamble for David Moyes because he knows exactly whet he is getting.

When Real Madrid were scouting for Gravesen they must have got him mixed up with Lee Carsley because they wanted a holding midfielder – but he’s much more than that.

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Gerrard fit and playing vital for Liverpool and England

Posted by me on September 5, 2007 3:05 PM

IT’S not often I’ve backed Steve McClaren’s judgement since he became England manager.

But in saying he expects Steven Gerrard to feature in both of the vital forthcoming qualifiers at
Wembley against Israel and Russia is a good call.

Not just for England – but for Liverpool as well.

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And while I'm agreeing with McClaren

Posted by me on September 5, 2007 2:10 PM

TALKING of agreeing with McClaren’s judgement, he got it right again yesterday by calling up Joleon Lescott.

Since moving to Everton he has had little trouble making the step up to the top flight – and you can see him making a similarly effortless move to international level as well.

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