England
I suppose recovery from fractured metatarsals gets easier with practise. After just one month out, Wayne Rooney is back and raring to go, although manager Alex Ferguson admits it’s far from certain he’ll start again former club Everton:
Rooney has trained very well and will travel. But whether I start him, put him on the bench or leave him out until Wednesday night, that’s something I have to decide.
It’s a pretty rapid recovery, even for a player once dubbed a “quick healer” by Ferguson. However, with turn-coat Rooney now somewhat of a hate figure at Goodison Park, Fergie might be best advised to keep the 21-year old out of the fire until the Champions League tie with Sporting Lisbon.
Gareth Barry will continue in central midfield after the double blow of losing both Frank Lampard and Owen Hargreaves struck England. Lampard returned to Chelsea’s Cobham training ground over the weekend, whilst it was only today that a fitness test ruled Canadian-born Hargreaves out of tomorrow’s tie with Russia.
It’s a massive bonus for Barry, whose close friendship with Steven Gerrard enabled him to form an effective partnership with the Liverpool midfielder on Saturday.
The big doubt remains over who will partner Michael Owen upfront. Emile Heskey impressed against Israel, but with classier opposition less likely to be intimidated by the Wigan man’s awesome physical power, McClaren may opt for the superior guile of the wonderfully ironically-named Crouch.
Either way, it remains a must-win game for England. No amount of injuries will excuse failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
Steven Gerrard has been passed fit ahead of England’s crucial tie with Israel at Wembley this weekend. His potential midfield partner, however, Owen Hargreaves, remains a doubt. Steve McClaren said:
It will be a big boost for everyone but most of all it will be a boost for Stevie Gerrard because he wants to play in this game. Owen Hargreaves also wants to play every game and we’re giving him every opportunity, but we’ll leave it up to the player and the medics.
Despite sitting the session out, Hargreaves is still being including in McClaren’s tactical plans. Skipper John Terry explains:
He was on the sidelines watching what we were doing formation-wise and for set-plays. It was an idea to make sure he was fully OK and to give him another day’s rest. It’s touch and go whether he is going to be OK for the game.
One player who will start the game is Paul Robinson, who has survived the challenges of David James and Scott Carson somehow unscathed.
Ahead of this week’s game with Germany, here is the team England won’t be fielding.
In a 5-3-2 formation:
Ben Foster
Gary Neville
Sol Campbell
Michael Dawson
Johnathan Woodgate
Wayne Bridge
Aaron Lennon
Owen Hargreaves
Steven Gerrard
Wayne Rooney
Darren Bent
After the return of David Beckham, rumours are rife that Steve McClaren could recall the thirty-something pair of David James and Sol Campbell.
England, it seems, are becoming a venerable Dad’s Army. With the youthful David Bentley missing the call for the right-wing position, I can only assume that McClaren is digging up Stanley Matthews’ grave as we speak.
Peter Shilton could be the next number one, with Geoff Hurst recalled upfront - why not? He’s got a decent record against Germany. And he’s probably fitter than Michael Owen.
Two England Captains could take to the field of LA Galaxy’s Home Depot centre on Saturday, each suffering with their own injury problems.
John Terry broke a toe in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over the Suwon Bluewings. However, scans have since shown that it was merely a hairline fracture. He took a full part in training yesterday and is almost certain to face the Americans.
David Beckham’s battle with his ever-expanding ankle is well documented. Galaxy General Manager and former professional scarecrow impersonator Alexei Lalas attempts to bring us the latest:
There is a possibility that he is going to play and if there was no possibility that he wasn’t then we would just tell you that. I think it’s pretty clear.
It might be just me, but I think there are so many ifs and buts and double negatives in there that I think it is fairly conclusively not “pretty clear”.
Good old Alexei. Always keeps us guessing.
Since his move to LA Galaxy, David Beckham has claimed that the long-distance flights involved will not have an adverse effect on his career. Yesterday, his manager Frank Yallop disagreed:
It was a long flight and it swelled up pretty bad and today he was not as comfortable as he should have been.
This puts his expected debut against Chelsea on Saturday in jeopardy. Of course, seeing as it’s just a friendly, any other player would be rested. However, the financial investment that the Galaxy have placed in him sugests that Beckham will be playing with crutches if need be.
