Barclays Premier League 2009/2010 Preview

Birmingham City

Having signed a whole host of players in the close-season, Birmingham are something of an unknown entity. Their previous campaigns in the top-flight have invariably ended in relegation but Alex McLeish will be hoping to buck that trend this season.

The squad looks to have been strengthened no end with some good quality players coming in. Joe Hart has joined on loan and should take the number one shirt because he’s an excellent young player, he may be busier than he would like though this year.

That is mainly because the defence still doesn’t look up-to-scratch. Roger Johnson and Scott Dann have come in but both are inexperienced in the Premier League having both moved from Championship clubs this summer. Giovanny Espinoza may prove to be a shrewd signing, but the truth of the matter is... we just don’t know!

The midfield is shaping up well though, and making Lee Bowyer’s loan move permanent was a good step. Barry Ferguson is a good player also and provides a bit more Premier League experience but it is upfront where Birmingham are strongest.

Record signing Christian Benitez is an excellent player who should get a fair few goals in his first season, while he is competing with the likes of Kevin Phillips, Cameron Jerome, Gary O’Connor, James McFadden and Marcus Bent. All of whom have played Premier League football before.

Prediction: 18th – If Birmingham stay up it will probably be Alex McLeish’s biggest achievement. On paper their squad doesn’t look strong enough to ensure survival though. With a weak backline, Birmingham will be exploited by teams with a good strikeforce, of which there are many this season. That is why I predict them to head straight back to the Championship. You can guarantee they’ll put up a fight though and if they can go on a good run of results at some point in the season, they’ll have every chance of staying up.

Key Man: Christian Benitez – The Ecuadorian is strong and quick and can score goals. If he can do that on a regular basis he’ll more than good value for Birmingham’s money.

Barclays Premier League 2009/2010 Preview

Aston Villa

In what was a highly impressive season under Martin O’Neill, Aston Villa surprised many with their brand of fast-paced, counter-attacking football. And even though they eventually missed out on Champions League football, the fans can look back on what was a highly successful season.

Things might not go so well this season though. The sale of Gareth Barry to Manchester City not only weakens Villa’s side but strengthens one of their serious rivals in the race to the Champions League. It could have a destabilising effect on the team, of which Barry has been a major part for many years. It is now essential that Ashley Young is kept. Losing the winger as well would be a disaster. Barry’s departure, coupled with Martin Laursen’s retirement due to injury, threatens to undo the good work Martin O’Neill has done over the past few years but there is still cause for optimism.

Stewart Downing is now on the books and the England winger, despite being out injured until at least December, not only provides competition for Young but offers Villa another dimension with his left-footed crossing. The likes of John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor should thrive on that service.

The somewhat over-priced, but nonetheless talented, Fabian Delph has also joined the ranks and whilst the youngster may not feature too heavily in the first-team this season, Villa fans can expect to see more of him in the coming years, and it is then that we will see his true value.

The lack of a direct replacement for Barry is a concern for Villa and if O’Neill can’t get somebody in before the window closes Villa will certainly be substantially weaker for it.

Prediction: 7th – If Villa can repeat the kind of football that saw them comfortably in fourth mid-way through last season then they may yet be capable of challenging the top four. But it is looking increasingly unlikely. Barry has to be replaced and Young must be kept. A new centre-back should also be a priority after Zat Knight was sold to Bolton. Habib Beye, whilst being a useful squad player, should not be in Villa’s starting line-up each week.

Key Man: Ashley Young. The England winger may have to occupy both wings at various times this season but you can guarantee he’ll be equally as effective on either flank. He is lightning quick and has scored his fair share of goals. Without him, Villa start to look like a very average side. Keeping him, despite the attentions of other clubs, is absolutely essential.

Barclays Premier League 2009/2010 Preview

Yes, it’s that time again. Football fans up and down the country are literally bursting with excitement at the prospect of seeing their side turning out once again in the best league in the world.But how might each side fare this campaign, in what is sure to be one of the toughest, most competitive seasons ever?

Arsenal


Arsene Wenger has yet to strengthen his side significantly, with the only notable signing coming in the form of Thomas Vermaelen, the £10 million defender joining from Ajax. He will have to act as a direct replacement for Kolo Toure however, as the Ivory Coast centre-back, and last remaining member of the famous ‘Invincibles’ squad, has moved onto big-spending Manchester City. And he’ll be in familiar company as he is joined at Eastlands by big striker Emmanuel Adebayor. The Tongolese international looked out of sorts at times last season but nobody can deny his goal threat. It is something that Arsenal will miss.

Despite the lack of signings, however, Arsenal fans can still look forward to the new season. The returns of Eduardo and Tomas Rosicky to full-time action are a major boost to Wenger and with Cesc Fabregas fully fit they should still be able to cement their top four status.

Whether simply ensuring Champions League qualification once again is enough for Arsenal fans remains to be seen, but a title challenge is simply beyond them unless Wenger strengthens the team in all areas before the window closes, something which looks increasingly unlikely.

Prediction: 4th – Arsenal simply do not have the squad to mount a serious title challenge this season. They will also have to contend with a string of improved sides below them all looking to take the Gunners’ Champions League spot. They should still manage it, but expect them to be pushed even harder than they were last year.

Key Man: Cesc Fabregas. The Spaniard holds the keys as far as Arsenal are concerned. With him on the sidelines last season, Wenger’s men lacked creativity going forward and thus scored less than expected. If Fabregas can stay injury-free he should combine well with the likes of Andrei Arshavin, Samir Nasri and Tomas Rosicky to provide plenty of scoring opportunities, as well as chipping in with a few goals himself.

Season Review- Blackburn Rovers

A season of stagnation for Rovers as Paul Ince’s disastrous reign came to an end almost before it started and Big Sam came in to save the club from relegation.

A surprising 3-2 away win over Everton on the opening day of the season saw Paul Ince’s reign as Blackburn manager start with real promise. The former MK Dons boss moved to Ewood Park weeks before the season start after Mark Hughes moved to Man City but had yet to capture the fans’ imaginations with any notable signings, further to that, star player David Bentley had been sold to Tottenham for a over £15 million and the money had barely been spent, only Paul Robinson had been snapped up as a replacement for the departed veteran Brad Freidel.

One positive the fans could take was the club’s ability to keep striker Roque Santa Cruz on the books despite the attentions of the newly-rich Manchester City.

Two heavy defeats at the hands of West Ham and Arsenal showed the faithful that there was plenty of work still to do. Some inconsistent results saw the team lingering in the lower regions of the table but things soon took a turn for the worse as six straight defeats, including ones against fellow strugglers Tottenham, Portsmouth and Sunderland, forced the team into the relegation zone.

Ince was relieved of his duties on December 19th following a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of Wigan and Sam Allardyce, formerly of Lancashire rivals Bolton of course, was sworn in the very next day.

The switch seemed to have worked. A comprehensive 3-0 win over Stoke was the start of a 9-match unbeaten run which was enough to virtually ensure the club’s safety. There was still work to do though and a last-gasp win over Spurs at Ewood Park was probably the highlight of Allardyce’s reign in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the former Premier League champions.

Going into the summer, Blackburn will need to strengthen in key areas. Roque Santa Cruz will leave the club to join Manchester City so Allardyce’s main concern will revolve around replacing the big Paraguayan. Matt Derbyshire looks set to make his loan move in Turkey permanent so Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts will need competition. Darren Bent’s Tottenham career seems to be coming to an end so perhaps a bid for the out-of-favour striker is on the cards. It is unclear, however, how much spending money the boss has been given and Bent would come with a hefty price tag.

In defence, Andre Ooijer could be sorely missed, if not for his versatility more than any other outstanding attribute. Aaron Mokoena has also left the club on a free. Allardyce will have to search the globe to find suitable replacements but don’t bet on Rovers troubling the big boys or challenging for Europe next season unless he finds some real gems.

Final standings:
Premier League: 15th
FA Cup: 5th round
Carling Cup: Quarter-final

Season Review - Aston Villa

Aston Villa, for the most part, flourished under Martin O’Neill this season with a sixth place finish. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.

Some shrewd signings during the summer transfer window made Villa an exciting prospect for the season to follow, but few could have predicted the excellent start to the season they were about to have.

After Thomas Sorensen’s departure the goalkeeping options were reinforced significantly with the purchase of Blackburn’s veteran American keeper Brad Freidel and compatriot Brad Guzan. Promising centre-back Curtis Davies was taken from local rivals West Brom before Steve Sidwell joined after a disappointing spell at Stamford Bridge.

A serious injury to Wilfred Bouma meant that the full-back areas would need to be strengthened so O’Neill brought in two England internationals in the shape of Luke Young and Nicky Shorey. Carlos Cuellar boosted the defensive options after joining from Rangers whilst James Milner moved from Newcastle for a lofty £12 million. But perhaps Villa’s biggest bit of transfer activity was keeping Gareth Barry despite a long, drawn-out saga which almost saw the midfielder move to Liverpool.

The season started with an entertaining 4-2 win against Manchester City, which saw Gabriel Agbonlahor score a hat-trick, and was a sign of things to come as the Villains cemented their place firmly towards the top end of the table.

Impressive wins over Tottenham, West Brom and Sunderland countered defeats against Chelsea and new-boys Stoke and Wigan were thrashed 4-0 at the JJB with the likes of Ashley Young, John Carew and Agbonlahor causing defences problems with their pace and power.

It soon became clear that Villa were a force to be reckoned with and were sat comfortably in fourth place at the mid-way point of the season. Perhaps their biggest result was a 2-0 victory over fourth-place contenders Arsenal at the Emirates in November and with progress through to the knock-out stage of the UEFA Cup secured everything looked very rosy indeed for O’Neill and his team.

But things gradually took a turn for the worse after the turn of the new year. Knocked out of the FA Cup with a 3-1 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park, Villa then went on a poor run of results, including a defeat over two legs to CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Cup. And it was this result which proved pivotal in their season.

With Villa sitting in fourth and having drawn 1-1 with CSKA Moscow at home, O’Neill opted to chase qualification for the Champions League rather than progression through to the next round of the UEFA Cup by sending an inexperienced side to Russia, returning with a 2-0 defeat. It was here that the wheels began to fall off.

A dramatic last minute equaliser from Ryan Shawcross at Villa Park gave Stoke a 2-2 draw before Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United all inflicted defeats on the Villains. Four draws from their last seven games was not enough to secure fourth place and Arsenal and Everton’s excellent late form meant the club finished the season in 6^th place.

While such a finish may have disappointed some fans given their team’s position throughout the majority of season, it can still be viewed as a progressive campaign. The team consistently beat those below them, which is a sign of a quality side, but fell away at the end of the season. This perhaps signals the need for a deeper squad, to cope with more games.

Villa are not short of money and should enter the transfer market looking to add real quality to their team. The void left by the retirement of Martin Laursen will need to be filled but in general they have a quality squad. There just needs to be some reinforcement in some areas and O’Neill can look forward to another successful campaign.

Final standings:

Premier League: 6^th

UEFA Cup: First Knockout Round

FA Cup: Fifth Round

Carling Cup: Third Round

Season Review - Arsenal

A look back at the season all 20 clubs had in 2008-09, analysing the highs and lows of each team throughout the campaign, starting with Arsene Wenger's Arsenal.


2008-09 was a bit of a mixed bag for the Gunners as their early promise faltered earlier than usual only to see an upturn in results at the end of the season, albeit much too late to mount a serious title challenge.

Having finished fourth in 2007-08 Arsenal fans were looking for their team to, once again, establish themselves as serious title challengers at the start of the season, they would have to do this though without important first-teamers such as Mathieu Flamini and Aliaksandr Hleb who joined AC Milan and Barcelona respectively. Ageing squad members Jens Lehmann and Gilberto Silva left also, leaving Wenger with plenty of gaps to fill.

The striking options were boosted by the granting of a work permit to Carlos Vela whilst Aaron Ramsey became the club's first transfer of the summer. He was soon followed by Samir Nasri before Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre arrived late in August.

By that time the league campaign had already started but a narrow 1-0 home win over newly-promoted West Brom did little to instill confidence. Things got worse still the following week as they were defeated by Roy Hodgson's Fulham at Craven Cottage with the only goal of the game coming from defender Brede Hangeland.

Things began to pick up soon after though, as advancement to the group stage of the Champions League was secured with victory over FC Twente and Newcastle, Blackburn and Bolton were defeated comfortably. But there was to be drama at the Emirates in late September as Premier League new-boys Hull City, inspired by Geovanni, upset the Gunners with a 2-1 win.

Although concerning, the result certainly seemed to have little impact on the team initially, however, a home fixture against bottom of the league and fierce rivals Spurs did some damage. After having gone behind thanks to David Bentley's goal of the season contender early in the match, Arsenal stormed back to take a 3-1 lead mid-way through the second half. Darren Bent pulled one back for Spurs but Robin Van Persie added a fourth to seemingly secure the game for the Gunners with just ten minutes left on the clock.

But Tottenham, lead by new manager Harry Redknapp, had other ideas. Jermaine Jeans scored a marvellous individual effort to turn the pressure up slightly before Aaron Lennon scored an injury time equaliser to leave the Arsenal faithful with faces as red as their shirts.

As though that wasn't enough, a 2-1 defeat away to Stoke followed and Arsenal's title aspirations soon evaporated. A victory over Manchester United was the reaction but the inconsistency continued the following week when Aston Villa, competing with Arsenal for fourth place at this stage, came to the Emirates and left with a 2-0 victory.

With the team sitting in fifth place for most of the first half of the season Arsene Wenger knew something had to change. His reliance on buying youth and breeding them was failing him and fans had begun to question his methods. His response was the purchase of Russian star Andrei Arshavin.

But the playmaker joined during a concerning period of results for the team with four consecutive 0-0 draws highlighting the attacking problems at the club. Things began to change, however, when Arshavin started to feature after regaining full match fitness. Wins over West Brom, Blackburn, Newcastle and Wigan showed the team had turned a corner before another 4-4 draw came at Anfield, with Arshavin having his biggest impact to date with four goals.

Despite matching Liverpool in that game, the same could not be done recently against Chelsea, who proceeded to inflict Arsenal's heaviest defeat of the season, with a 4-1 win at the Emirates. Manchester United clinched the league having drawn 0-0 with Arsenal at Old Trafford before Stoke were soundly defeated on the final day of the season. But in truth, Arsenal's campaign was over much earlier than that.

Arsene Wenger can perhaps take solace in the decent cup runs of his team, reaching the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League, but there are serious problems at the club, and not just on the pitch.

William Gallas was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy in November after a verbal attack on his teammates and his discontent seems to have spread. Striker Emmanuel Adebayor, so deadly in front of goal the season before, looked out of sorts for most of the campaign and seems unwilling to remain at the club over the summer. Whilst fans have raised questions about Wenger's transfer policy after waiting all season for him to fill the void left by Flamini, it appears neither Alex Song or Denilson are the answer.

For Arsenal to move forward they need to change. Wenger will, reportedly, be given more money to spend this summer and he should try his hardest to bring in some of the world's best talent, regardless of age. Another centre-back is required urgently, Toure and Gallas have looked poor at times whilst Silvestre has proved a poor purchase. Should Emmanuel Adebayor leave then a suitable replacement must be found because without the Tongolese forward, the team will struggle to score goals. David Villa will almost certainly leave Valencia this summer and Arsenal fans would see him as big name who would bang in the goals. Perhaps the most pressing issue for Wenger to address though, is the central midfield position. Alex Song has played their recently and has done well, but Arsenal fans want more, a permanent partner to Cesc Fabregas is needed and Wenger will need to draw on all his expertise to find one. Yaya Toure has been touted as a possible candidate and that is certainly the standard of player that a club like Arsenal should be chasing.


Final standings:
League position: 4th
Champions League: Semi Final
FA Cup: Semi Final
Carling Cup: Quarter Final

England vs Ukraine: Who should start?

Ahead of tonight's World Cup Qualifier against Ukraine, I take a look at the attacking options available to Fabio Capello.

Wayne Rooney

Club: Manchester United
Caps: 49
Goals: 21

Considered by many to be the country's most naturally talented player since Paul Gascoigne, Wayne Rooney combines deadly finishing with a real desire to win. His passion has often been to his downfall, however, with disciplinary problems a black mark on an otherwise remarkable start to his international career. After bursting onto the Premier League scene for Everton, Wayne made his first England appearance during a defeat to Australia in 2003. He became England's youngest ever goalscorer that same year when he scored against Macedonia in a Euro 2004 qualifier. He was selected in the squad for that tournament and scored four goals. He suffered a foot injury ahead of the 2006 World Cup and was rushed back into action too soon. He struggled to make any real impact during the tournament and was sent-off against Portugal as England crashed out on penalties. He has since go on to score 10 more goals for his country, featuring consistently under McClaren and now Capello. His performance against Slovakia at the weekend deservedly earned him plaudits and his two goals mark a return to goalscoring form despite playing in a slightly more withdrawn role.


Peter Crouch

Club: Portsmouth
Caps: 32
Caps: 14

The beanpole striker has a good goalscoring record for England, though it has been well-documented that most of these have come against lesser teams. He made his England debut during the tour of the United States in 2005 and scored his first goal against Uruguay prior to the World Cup 2006 for which he was selected. He was in excellent form for England in the build-up to the tournament and netted a hat-trick during a 6-0 win over Jamaica. He was the focal point for England's attacks during their games against Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago in the absence of the injured Wayne Rooney and scored during England's second game. He went on to feature in the rest of England's World Cup games. He started Steve McClaren's first game in charge against Greece and scored two goals in a 4-0 win. Two more goals followed against Andorra and he became the first ever player to reach 10 England goals in a single calendar year. He added goals against Macedonia and Estonia to his tally to top England's goalscoring chart for Euro 2008 qualifying with five goals. He has featured regularly under Fabio Capello but has not scored for England since the Italian's appointment.


Gabriel Agbonlahor

Club: Aston Villa
Caps: 2
Goals: 0

The Aston Villa striker is a late call-up to the England squad after the withdrawals of Emile Heskey, Carlton Cole and Darren Bent through injury. His electrifying pace causes problems for defenders and has had a decent couple of seasons in the Premier League. He was included in Fabio Capello's 23-man squad for the Italian's first game against Switzerland but injury forced him to withdraw. He was then an unused substitute for the 3-0 victories over USA and Trinidad and Tobago last year. He made his England debut in November, starting the 2-1 victory over Germany and putting in a good performance. He added to his first cap by playing 75 minutes against Spain in February before making way for Carlton Cole.


Who should start?

England's striking options have been significantly with the withdrawals of Emile Heskey, Carlton Cole and Darren Bent. With Michael Owen not match fit and Jermain Defoe out with a foot injury, England will do well to escape tonight's game with a fully fit strikeforce. Gabriel Agbonlahor has been called into the squad despite being in the middle of a very poor run of form that has seen him jeered by Aston Villa fans. Wayne Rooney is a certain starter because he links the midfield and attack brilliantly as well as scoring his own fair share of goals. Peter Crouch should partner him because of his own impressive scoring record for England.


My final starting line-up would be:

James

Johnson Terry Ferdinand A. Cole

Lennon Lampard Gerrard Barry

Crouch Rooney

This line-up balances the attacking and defensive duties well with Barry providing cover for Cole on the left and Lennon providing the width and pace down the right. Lampard and Gerrard should be able to play together against a team like Ukraine whilst Rooney and Crouch have worked well in the past and both have good goalscoring records. The back four is settled now and there doesn't appear to be a definite challenge to David James in goal at this moment in time. The likes of David Beckham, Michael Carrick, Matthew Upson and Gabriel Agbonlahor, among others, are adequate subs but I would like to see the inclusion of few more experienced, quality players in the future. The likes of Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate, Gary Neville, Joe Cole and Michael Owen will all be hoping to attract the attention of the England boss in the near future.

England vs Ukraine: Who should start?

With tonight's crucial World Cup Qualifier looming, I take a look at the midfield options available to Fabio Capello.

Steven Gerrard

Club: Liverpool
Caps: 71
Goals: 14

Considered by many to be perhaps the world's best all-round player, Steven Gerrard wears his heart on his sleeve for both club and country. He broke through into the Liverpool first team in 1998 and went on to represent England for the first time two years later, going to Euro 2000, though making just one substitute appearnce. His first goal came in the memorable 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich in 2001 but was injured for the 2002 World Cup and was not selected. He started to hold down a starting place in central midfield alongside Frank Lampard and featured in Euro 2004. He was established as one of the world's best midifelders by the 2006 World Cup and scored two goals at the tournament itself. Steve McClaren appointed Gerrard vice-captain but losses to Croatia and Russia, and the subsequent failure to qualify for Euro 2008, questions were raised as to how England could accomodate both Gerrard and Lampard in the same team. Gerrard has since occupued many positions in the midfield, including playing on the left and right wings or just behind a lone striker. Capello holds Gerrard in high regard but he lost out in the race to be captain to John Terry. He remains perhaps England's most important player.


Frank Lampard

Club: Chelsea
Caps: 68
Goals: 15

A remarkable goalscoring record for Chelsea marks Frank Lampard out as one of the best central midfielders in the world. He is a box-to-box midfielder known for scoring both spectacular and important goals. Lampard played regularly for the under 21s while at West Ham and made his senior debut in 1999 in a friendly against Belgium. He featured sporadically for his country though and was overlooked for both Euro 2000 and the World Cup in 2002. He impressed in the Premier League after his move to Chelsea and cemented his place in the Euro 2004 squad. During which he scored three goals in England's four games and was named in the Team of the Tournament. He was a regular starter up until a poor World Cup 2006 and Steve McClaren began to look at other options when he took over. Gareth Barry has since pushed Lampard for a starting role under Capello but Lampard remains a pivotal figure in England's midfield and has scored more than his fair share of important goals.


Gareth Barry

Club: Aston Villa
Caps: 28
Goals: 1

Gareth Barry's versatility has been extremely useful to Aston Villa for many years but he has only recently begun to shine on the international stage. Starting his career as a centre-back in 1998, Barry then moved to left-back and made his debut for England in 2000 before travelling with the squad to Euro 2000, though he didn't feature. He was overlooked frequently by Sven-Goran Eriksson but managed further caps against France, South Africa, Serbia and Montenegro and Slovakia in 2003. Barry then went four years without a look-in for the national side but was recalled to the squad in 2007 to face Spain by Steve McClaren. He featured on the left wing in that game but has since established himself in the central midfield position, keeping Frank Lampard out of the team on many occasions. Barry started the victory over Slovakia in midfield and is likely to continue tonight.


Michael Carrick

Club: Manchester United
Caps: 17
Goals: 0

Predominatly a defensive midfielder, Michael Carrick has begun to show the sort of goalscoring form for Manchester United which is expected from a modern-day midfielder. Starting his career alongside a talented bunch of youngsters at West Ham, Carrick moved to Spurs in 2004 after the Hammers were relegated. He made two substitute appearances for England in 2001 but had to wait four years before his next cap in 2005, playing during England's tour of the United States. He was named in the 2006 World Cup squad and featured in the 1-0 win over Ecuador. He has been overlooked somewhat by both Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren but Fabio Capello has kept faith with him. Carrick started the 2-1 win over Germany and put in what many sources thought was a man of the match performance.


David Beckham

Club: Los Angeles Galaxy/AC Milan
Caps: 109
Goals: 17

The most famous footballer on the planet, there isn't much that hasn't been said or written about the man who holds the record for most England caps for an outfield player. He has been a fantastic servant for his country, captaining the side from 2000 to 2006. Beckham's international career started in 1996 under Glenn Hoddle against Moldova and he impressed so much that he featured in all of England's 1998 World Cup Qualifying matches. He was dropped controversially from the first two games of the tournament but was recalled for the third against Colombia. His long-range free-kick during that game was his first for England but his joy turned to despair in the next round when he was red-carded for a kick on Diego Simeone against Argentina and England were knocked out. Beckham was public enemy number one after the incident and fan abuse escalated during a 3-2 defeat against Portugal when Beckham, having set-up both of England's goals, responded to taunts from his own fans with a one-fingered gesture. But all was forgotten soon after when he was named England captain under Sven-Goran Eriksson and scored THAT last minute free-kick against Greece which secured England's qualification for the 2002 World Cup. He featured in every game at the tournament despite being only partially fit but had a disappointing Euro 2004 campaign. He was again only partially fit for the 2006 World Cup but still played every game becoming the first England player to score in three World Cups with a free-kick against Ecuador. Since stepping down as England captain after the tournament Beckham has been in and out of the team. His move to America has not spelled the end of his career, as many thought it would, however. Fabio Capello has selected him for his squads on many ocassions and his loan move to AC Milan recently has seen him performing consistently well on a big stage once again. He offers England some real quality from set-pieces but is battling with Aaron Lennon for a place in the starting eleven.


Aaron Lennon

Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Caps: 10
Goals: 0

Perhaps the fastest player in the Premier League, Aaron Lennon burst onto the scene after his move from Leeds to Tottenham Hotspur in 2005. His pace and dribbling skills brought him to the attention of Sven-Goran Eriksson, who was so impressed that he selected him for the 2006 World Cup despite him being uncapped. He made his England debut in the 6-0 win over Jamaica prior to the World Cup. He played twice during the tournament and featured fairly regularly in the Euro 2008 qualifiers. He was dropped after a dip in form, however, under McClaren and did not feature for England again for two years, starting the victory over Slovakia before being replaced by David Beckham. There have been calls for him to replace Beckham on a regular basis on the right of midfield, but his final delivery has been criticised, something which Beckham specialises in.


Shaun Wright-Phillips

Club: Manchester City
Caps: 23
Goals: 4

A real bundle of energy, Wright-Phillips made his England debut as a substitute against Ukraine on 18 August 2004 and scored an impressive goal late in the second half. He was frequently called upon throughout England's World Cup qualifying campaign. However, after a decline in form, especially a poor performance away to Northern Ireland, and a lack of games following his move to Chelsea he missed out on a place in the 2006 World Cup squad. He played on the right wing during England's two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Macedonia and Croatia. After a good start to the 2007–08 campaign, Wright-Phillips received an England recall to play against Germany in a friendly match at the new Wembley Stadium. He was brought on as a substitute in the second half during the match in which England lost 1–2 to Germany and he was named the England sponsor's Man of the Match after an impressive performance. Selected to start against Israel on 8 September, he scored the first goal in the 3–0 victory and won the England Man of the Match award with his performance once more. He was once again selected to start for England against Estonia and scored his third goal for England and the opener in a third consecutive 3–0 win at Wembley. He was selected in England's critical Euro 2008 qualifying game against Croatia, substituted at half time in favour of David Beckham with England trailing 2-0. His pace and trickery gives England another option on both wings.


Stewart Downing

Club: Middlesbrough
Caps: 23
Goals: 0

The only natural left-winger in the squad, Stewart Downing provides real width to the team and has been regularly included in England squads under the last three managers. He made his England debut in 2005 in a friendly against the Netherlands and was selected for the World Cup in 2006. He featured in the victories over Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago and made his first start for England in a 4-0 win over Greece, his former Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren's first game in charge of the team. He started three more Euro 2008 qualifiers under McClaren before he drew criticism for his average performances, with many claiming that he was being selected simply because of his relationship with McClaren. However, Fabio Capello has included him regularly also and his performance against Germany in November drew praise from those who had criticised him so readily.


Who should start?

The midfield has been a problematic area for England for some time now, which is crazy when you look at the quality available. The problem lies in accomodating all the players. It has been well-documented that Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard don't function particularly well together, but they have contributed to England at least qualifying for major tournaments. It was only when the partnership was broken up under McClaren that the team really begin to struggle. Lampard and Gerrard are two of the best midfielders in the world so it is a given that they should both start.


On the wings, Aaron Lennon has had a fantastic season for Spurs and started against Slovakia, looking dangerous in thre process. His half-time replacement, David Beckham, also did well and it is perhaps the biggest selection headache for Fabio Capello. Beckham's form has also been good, but I expect Aaron Lennon to be picked ahead of him and Shaun Wright-Phillips for tonight's game.

Gareth Barry has performed well in central midifeld but can fill the left wing role admirably. Stewart Downing is England's only natural left winger though and he provides real width. For me, Gareth Barry offers more protection to Ashley Cole on the left and the full-back's willingness to get forward should combat Downing's absence.


My midfield for tonight would be:

Lennon Lampard Gerrard Barry

Aaron Lennon offers the pace and skill on the right to unlock defences and Lampard and Gerrard can surely work the offensive and defensive roles between them against a team like Ukraine. Barry offers more defensive protection for Ashley Cole than Stewart Downing and that is why I feel he warrants selection. Whilst David Beckham misses out, I fully expect him to feature at some point should England be struggling to score.

England vs Ukraine: Who should start?

With tomorrow's World Cup Qualifier fast approaching, I take a look at the defensive options available to Fabio Capello ahed of Ukraine's visit to Wembley.


John Terry


Club: Chelsea
Caps: 50
Goals: 5

England and Chelsea captain, John Terry is the epitome of the old-fashioned English centre-back. He first rose to prominence in the 2001-2002 season for Chelsea and quickly formed a solid partnership with both Marcel Desailly and William Gallas (following Desailly's retirement). His England debut came in 2003 against Serbia and Montenegro under Sven-Göran Eriksson and he eventually ousted Sol Campbell as first choice England centre-back. He played every game at Euro 2004 before captaining the side for the first time in a World Cup Qualifier against Poland following the substitution of Michael Owen. His first goal came in that qualifying campaign against Hungary and he went on to play in all of England's World Cup 2006 matches, being named as the only English player in the tournament's All-Star squad. After Steve McClaren's appointment John Terry was named as permanent England captain as David Beckham had stepped down. He scored the first goal under McClaren against Greece before scoring the first England goal at the new Wembley against Brazil. Despite England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008 under Terry's leadership, he was recalled as captain when Fabio Capello took over and will captain the side throughout the World Cup 2010 Qualifiers.


Rio Ferdinand


Club: Manchester United
Caps: 72
Goals: 3

A classy centre-back who never looks hurried and is known for his physical presence and composure on the ball. Rio first established himself at West Ham and made his professional debut in 1996. The following year he set the record for the youngest defender to play for England when he featured in a friendly against Colombia. He was selected as back-up for the World Cup in 1998 but was excluded by Glenn Hoddle after being charged with drink driving. He moved to Leeds United in a record-breaking £18 million deal in 2000 and established himself as part of England's preferred centre-back pairing, along with Sol Campbell in time for the 2002 World Cup. He scored his first England goal during the tournament against Denmark (although many sources claim it as a Thomas Sorensen own-goal). He missed England's Euro 2004 tournament after failing to attend a drugs test and was replaced by John Terry. Upon his return Ferdinand went on to form a solid partnership with the Chelsea man and the two have been seen as England's first choice centre-backs ever since. He captained the team for the first time in March last year but lost out to John Terry in the race to be permanemt team captain. He was, however, named as vice-captain. He missed the 4-0 victory against Slovakia due to injury but should be fit to start tomorrow.


Matthew Upson


Club: West Ham
Caps: 14
Goals: 1

Matthew Upson has only recently established himself as one of England's best centre-backs under Fabio Capello. After moving to Arsenal from Luton for £2 million, big things were expected from the young centre-back. But serious injuries and the form of Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure kept him from really breaking into the first team. His move to Birmingham proved successful as he broke into the England team for the friendly against South Africa in May 2003, making a further six England appearances during his time at St. Andrews. He moved to West Ham in 2007 and was named in Fabio Capello's first squad for a friendly against Switzerland. He was named in the starting line-up for the victory over Kazakhstan and then scored his first international goal against Germany during a 2-1 victory in November. He started the Slovakia match at the weekend but may find himself on the bench should Ferdinand be fit.


Joleon Lescott


Club: Everton
Caps: 6
Goals: 0

The versatile Everton defender started his career at Wolves before moving to Merseyside in 2006. His consistent performances over the past three years, and exceptional goal scoring record for a defender, have lead to England call-ups in recent times. His preferred position is Centre-back, but the form of Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo at Everton have seen him fill the left-back position admirably. He made his senior England debut in 2007 against Estonia and made his first start in the Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia. He started against Austria once more and has been consistently selected by Capello but may struggle to find his best position for England.


Phil Jagielka

Club: Everton
Caps: 2
Goals: 0

Another versatile Everton defender, Jagielka's fine club form has been recognised by Fabio Capello in recent months. He made his international debut against Trinidad and Tobago in June 2008 and started the defeat to Spain in February. His international career is just starting and his club form has been keeping fellow England squad member Joleon Lescott from the centre-back position at Goodison Park. He may prove to be useful for England in a number of positions having played many games all along the back four as well as in midfield and even in goal.


Ashley Cole

Club: Chelsea
Caps: 70
Goals: 0

Under all the media controversy surrounding his off-the field antics lies the general consensus that Ashley Cole is one of the finest left-backs in the world. The man who Thierry Henry claimed was even quicker than himself while at Arsenal, Cole has dealt with some of the world's best right wingers with relative ease and his pace is a major asset down England's left. His form at Arsenal brought him an England call-up in 2001 against Albania and he went on to feature consistently for the national side, playing in both the World Cup 2002 and Euro 2004. He was one of four England players selected in the Team of the Tournament for Euro 2004 and then was ever-present during the World Cup in 2006. He signed for Chelsea following the tournament in controversial circumstances but injuries have blighted his time there. Nevertheless, Cole remains one of the most important and consistent figures in England's backline and doesn't look like relinquishing his place any time soon.


Glen Johnson

Club: Portsmouth
Caps: 12
Goals: 0

Perhaps England's natural successor to Gary Neville at this moment in time, Johnson combines his defensive skills with a willingness to get forward and help the right winger. In recent times he has caught the eye scoring some spectacular goals for Portsmouth. Johnson started his professional career at West Ham and made his Premiership debut in 2003. Her made his full England debut during his time at West Ham, replacing Gary Neville at right-back but did not feature again under Sven-Goran Erikkson or Steve McClaren. At the end of that season, after West Ham were relegated, he became the first purchase of the Roman Abramovich era at Chelsea, moving for £6 million. He featured fairly regularly for Chelsea under Claudio Ranieri but not so for Jose Mourinho. He was loaned out to Portsmouth in 2006 where he began to flourish under Harry Redknapp. He was eventually sold to Portsmouth permanently and has since made the right-back position his own. His form on the south coast earned him a call-up from Fabio Capello in January 2008 and he has featured regularly in England squads ever since.


Leighton Baines

Club: Everton
Caps: 0
Goals: 0

Yet to make his England debut, Baines has impressed for both Wigan and Everton at left-back. Known for his accuracy from free-kicks, Baines has been a regular starter for the under-21s for many years and now his talent has been recognised by Fabio Capello too. He may struggle to force Ashley Cole from the starting team but he is an adequate replacement and still has his best years ahead of him.



Who should start?

England's back four is fairly settled these days, with the possible exception of the right-back spot. As captain and vice-captain John Terry and Rio Ferdinand must play. They are England's best centre-backs and very rarely put in a poor performance for club or country. Matthew Upson, Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott are all adequate substitutes but perhaps lack the necessary experience. The likes of Micah Richards, Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King and perhaps even Hull City's Michael Turner also deserve some international game time. Ashley Cole has made the left-back spot his own and I can not see Leighton Baines challenging his supremacy any time soon. Should Wayne Bridge regain his form at Manchester City then I can see him, not Baines, being Cole's understudy for the time being. Ther right-back spot is up for debate. Glen Johnson has done well there recently and I see no reason why he should not be allowed to continue. However, with Gary Neville coming back to fitness, Micah Richards looking solid again and Wes Brown an excellent replacement, it may be tough should he find himself playing poorly.

My back four would be:

Johnson Terry Ferdinand A. Cole

These four offer England defensive stability from the centre-backs as well as an attacking force down the flanks. Glen Johnson is effective when teamed with Aaron Lennon down the right but also adds an attacking dimension to England's game when David Beckham is playing. Ashley Cole has blistering pace and good defensive awareness so his inclusion was never in question. England should be able to ask the Ukranians plenty of questions playing with this back four, as well as being able to deal with most of what the forwards will throw at them.

England vs Ukraine: Who should start?

As England prepare for the visit of the Ukraine on Wednesday, I take a look at the goalkeeping options available to Fabio Capello for the crucial World Cup Qualifier.

David James


Club: Portsmouth
England Caps: 47

David James has firmly established himself as England's number one goalkeeper in the twilight of his career. He was seen as the natural successor to David Seaman after his retirement but his reputation for being error prone often counted against him when England goalkeepers were selected. He was handed his first start in 1997 under Glenn Hoddle but played understudy to Seaman for many years. After Seaman was dropped following an error against Macedonia, James was given the shirt, which he kept until 2004. A few high profile errors, namely against Austria in the Ernst Happel Stadium, cost James his place and the younger Paul Robinson kept the Portsmouth stopper out of the team for the best part of four years. But some even higher profile errors from Robinson (the miskick against Croatia, being caught out against Germany) meant that the number one shirt was again up for grabs. Steve McClaren, however, opted for Scott Carson, believing that youth was the best policy. Yet again, a howler against Croatia cost Carson his place after just one game. Fabio Capello's appointment as England manager has coincided with James' excellent form for Portsmouth over the last 3 years and this has seen him hold down the starting place in every game under the Italian.



Ben Foster


Club: Manchester United
Caps: 2

The Manchester United goalkeeper, now 25, has only made two appearances for England, his latest coming in Saturday's win over Slovakia. Touted as a future England number one from a young age, Foster has not made the progress that he had been expected to. He started his professional career at Stoke City but was loaned out to host of clubs to gain first-team experience. He left Stoke for Manchester United in 2005 without playing a game for the Potters. Since then he has been plagued by injuries and has failed to oust Edwin Van Der Sar as the number one at Old Trafford. His Man of the Match performance in the 2009 Carling Cup Final win over Spurs earned him his most recent call-up to the England squad and he will be hoping to add to his two caps in the near future.



Robert Green


Club: West Ham
Caps: 2

Often overlooked when England squads are announced the West Ham keeper has made just two substitute appearances for England. Having impressed at Norwich City, Green earned his first call-up in 2005 against Colombia. He remained in the England squad for some time after and was named in the World Cup 2006 squad, only to suffer a ruptured groin during an England 'B' international before the tournament. After a prolonged absence from the international scene Green was called up by Capello to replace the injured Chris Kirkland against France in 2008 and then came on as a second-half substitute during England's recent defeat to Spain.



Who should start against the Ukraine?

For me Capello has to go with David James. His experience is vital and he has shown over the past few years that the errors have been more or less erased from his game. Foster and Green are inexperienced goalkeepers at international level but could well be the forerunners to replace James once the 38 year-old hangs up his gloves. Until then I fully expect James to continue in goal until after the 2010 World Cup, should England qualify.

Is Michael Owen's England career over?

As the dust settled on Saturday's emphatic 4-0 win over Slovakia England boss Fabio Capello quashed the merest suggestion that Newcastle striker Michael Owen would be included in his squad to face Ukraine on Wednesday after injuries to strikers Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole.

"I have to choose the players to play against Ukraine not against history," said Capello in a remark not exactly designed to talk up Owen's England future.

Instead, Tottenham striker Darren Bent has been called up to the squad for the World Cup Qualifier in place of a man who has 40 goals in 89 England games.

So has the striker, who stormed onto the international scene in 1998 with his goal against Argentina, seen the credits roll on his England career?

The short answer is no. Capello has always promised to pick his squads on merit, as his earlier statement suggests, and Owen has only featured sporadically for Newcastle this season due to his recurring injuries. The Italian certainly has a case at this time.

However, he has dropped Owen in the past for World Cup Qualifiers despite him playing regularly for Newcastle (and scoring) and is using Newcastle's decision to drop him for a recent defeat to Arsenal as his justification for his exclusion.

But that was surely a case of an error from a club who are, not surprisingly fighting relegation this season.

Capello, though has justified his decisions so far with results. Undefeated in World Cup Qualifiers so far, England sit top of their group, and all without Owen, ditched in favour of a more powerful centre-forward who can bring others like Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney into play.

It worked against Croatia in Zagreb and has worked in many of England's other victories and some have suggested that the inclusions of Heskey and Bent is Capello's way of letting Owen know his time is up.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid man has received words of support from both Frank Lampard and Stuart Pearce today though and the general consensus from both is that Michael is a fantastic player with a proven track record who would be welcomed into the England squad with open arms should he get back into his best form.

So for Capello to completely write-off Owen's international career would be foolish and that is something he certainly is not.

At this moment in time Owen is not fit enough to play for England in an important World Cup Qualifier, but hopefully he will be soon. And it would not surprise me to see Owen playing well towards the end of this season, scoring goals and being involved in the England squad once again.

Here is a reminder of what Owen is capable of: