Welcome to my World Cup Blog. I had to find a way to justify to my wife why I should watch every game in the coming weeks and this seemed like the best idea. I plan daily updates, once the tournament starts, and loads of stuff by way of a preview.
Just a quick introduction, I am a 35 year old class one referee, and a Spurs season ticket holder.
As I write, news has broken of Fabio Capello’s selection, so there seems an ideal place to start.
The seven players who have been omitted are Leighton Baines, Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone, Scott Parker, Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott and Darren Bent.
The omission of Walcott, I suspect, is the biggest surprise. For me, he has done no worse that Shaun Wright-Phillips this season. SWP has managed 19 starts and 11 appearances from the bench for Man City where as Walcott started 7 less games and came on as often but Walcott’s pace and potential to play through the middle, if needed, would have seen him make the flight had it been my choice. It seems his hat-trick in
Warnock and Baines are much of a muchness and let’s be honest, if Ashley Cole is struggling, so are
Michael Dawson can rightly be disappointed at his exclusion after an excellent season where as Matthew Upson can be thankful for his place, both are old fashioned English centre backs, best suited to standing there heading balls away and blocking shots, but one has had a significantly better season. Did Capello not say months ago form would play a part in selection?
Huddlestone and Parker were only ever 3rd and 4th choice for this role and had Hargreaves been fit they wouldn’t have made the 30 man squad. Carrick has had a poor season, by his own standards, but it should be noted that this was the first season Manchester United have failed to win the Premier League since he joined, which says to me, how important he is.
This tournament comes 12 months too soon for Adam Johnson, he has done well at Eastlands since signing in the New Year but needed more time to show his worth.
Darren Bent may have the sympathy of many fans, out scoring Heskey in the premier league by 73 goals to 25 in the last 5 years, but they offer entirely different attributes. Rooney has scored 9 goals in the last 10 games alongside Heskey, but only 2 in 10 without him. Bent is suited to playing up top on his own in a counter attacking side, which
There you are, the first of many Blogs over the coming weeks.
Statto74
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