Capello will do the only sensible thing and this is to use the same system which served us so well in getting to the World Cup. If he didn't try Rooney infornt of Gerrard in friendlies (instead using Joe Cole) he's not going to try it in the World Cup. The line up will probably be:

 

Green

 

Johnson Ferdinand Terry Cole

 

Lennon Lampard Barry Gerrard

 

Rooney Heskey

 

And rightly so, it works so he'll use it.

Heskey shouldn't even be in the squad let alone in the starting XI. 3 goals all season with 8 shots on target is a record you'd think came from a defender.

It's really annoying that Heskey gets picked, especially over Darren Bent who is one of England's great natural goalscorers. But it's all about who Rooney plays well with. I still think Bent should have gone ahead of Defoe though.

The team play much better when he's there. Rooney plays much better when he's there. Of course he should go. He's proven, if he was a bad player he wouldn't have won 57 caps and wouldn't continually have been picked by three seperate managers. After Euro 2004 I think he was probably deservingly the laughing stock of English football, but since he was recalled for two consecutive wins by McClaren in 2007 he's more than proven himself to be worthy of a place. When I watched England against Slovakia last year he played 20 minutes before having to go off injured. I was sat behind the goal he was attacking and he was incredible making Martin Skrtel look like a League 2 defender. He won everything in the air and to feet, he brought people into play, he made Gerrard and Rooney look like the great players they can be. Carlton Cole replaced him and we lost any fluidity we had, Rooney and Gerrard were out of the game and Cole did nothing. When Heskey is on form there is no better English player to bring out the best in the rest of our attacking players.

 

Capello is not picking the best individuals, he's picking players that make the best team, which is what all managers should do. An England team with Heskey is a better team that one with Bent. Or Defoe. Or Crouch, Cole, Agbonlahor....

An England team with Heskey is a better team that one with Bent. Or Defoe. Or Crouch, Cole, Agbonlahor....

 

I agree with that. I'm not a fan of Heskey as a player overall but I do think he works hard for the team.

Heskey is worth taking and even worth starting with, but if the team isn't working in the latter stages he's the first one who will need to be substituted. Crouch has the potential to be lethal against top teams, many of whom actually have a defence that's a relative weak point. I also think it may be sensible if we end up playing Spain to load the midfield (with Barry keeping tabs on Xavi, although Parker would have been ideal for that) and play Rooney up with two wingers.

Ferdinand out of World Cup.

 

Our centre backs are all crooked.

Ferdinand out of World Cup.

 

Our centre backs are all crooked.

 

... All Thanks to Emilie "can't hit a barn door with a banjo" Heskey: :angry:

 

Friday, 4 June 2010 17:03 UK

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World Cup 2010: Rio Ferdinand 'out of England squad'

 

England captain Rio Ferdinand looks likely to be ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a knee injury in training.

 

The 31-year-old centre-back had a scan after hurting his left knee in a challenge with striker Emile Heskey during Friday's first training session.

 

Ferdinand is seeking a second opinion, but a Football Association source has told the BBC "it's not looking good".

The FA is due to confirm the seriousness of Ferdinand's injury later in a statement.

Ferdinand emerged from hospital on crutches and Tottenham's Michael Dawson, who has been put on standby, could fly to South Africa in the next 12 hours if the Manchester United defender is definitely ruled out.

If Ferdinand is out, Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard will step into the captain's role to lead the side at the World Cup.

 

The news could be a devastating end to an already disappointing season for Ferdinand, who, because of a back injury, had been restricted to only 13 Premier League starts for Manchester United and 21 appearances overall.

He had appeared to have overcome his injury problems as he trained with no setbacks at England's two-week World Cup training camp in Austria and came through the recent friendly victories over Mexico and Japan.

But Ferdinand sustained yet another injury at the end of England's first training session since arriving in South Africa, leaving manager Fabio Capello to break the news in a press conference.

 

"The bad news is in the last moment of the training, Rio suffered a problem with the knee," said Capello.

"It was a normal tackle. He turned and then he had a problem. He has gone to hospital and we will have to wait for the scan."

 

Should a player be ruled out of the World Cup more than 24 hours before the kick-off of their first match, a replacement can be drafted into the 23-man squad.

This happened in 2002 when England midfielder Danny Murphy broke a bone in his foot and Trevor Sinclair was called up.

However, if a player is injured during the course of the tournament, a replacement cannot be brought in.

 

England begin their World Cup campaign with their game against the United States on 12 June.

Dawson was the only centre-back dropped by Capello when he trimmed his 30-man training squad to the 23 for the tournament.

 

Friday had started on a more positive note for England, with the news that midfielder Gareth Barry - who had been a major doubt after suffering an ankle injury towards the end of Manchester City's season - trained with the squad.

"Gareth Barry is improving every day," said the England boss.

"In the afternoon he is training in the gym with the physio and in the morning always with the team.

"He is not completely training with the team as we have to be very careful."

 

Meanwhile, goalkeeper David James sat out the training session after suffering a slight knee problem.

His injury is not thought to be too severe and is related to the 11-hour overnight flight from London to South Africa on Thursday.

I don't think Heskey can be blamed. These things happen and maybe it's a good thing? The Ferdinand and Terry partnership is not a very good one imo. Both are extremely good defenders, but they don't suit each other as a pairing. King, Dawson, Upson etc. are not as strong as Ferdinand, but they will suit Terry better in the centre of defence imo.

I don't think Heskey can be blamed. These things happen and maybe it's a good thing? The Ferdinand and Terry partnership is not a very good one imo. Both are extremely good defenders, but they don't suit each other as a pairing. King, Dawson, Upson etc. are not as strong as Ferdinand, but they will suit Terry better in the centre of defence imo.

I would rather Terry would be ruled out tbh though.

 

Also I can't believe this means Steven Gerrard is going to be captain now, the most undeserving England captain I've ever seen! Then again maybe he hasn't bothered for Liverpool all season because he's saving it for the World Cup..

I would rather Terry would be ruled out tbh though.

 

Also I can't believe this means Steven Gerrard is going to be captain now, the most undeserving England captain I've ever seen! Then again maybe he hasn't bothered for Liverpool all season because he's saving it for the World Cup..

 

What a load of bollox.

 

Yeah of course he was fukkin $hit in Istanbul; and against West Ham in the FA Cup Final when he won MotM in both.

 

In my book it was a national disgrace he was not appointed captain as successor to David Beckham. But the Wally with a Brolly of course had other ideas didn't he.

What a load of bollox.

 

Yeah of course he was fukkin $hit in Istanbul; and against West Ham in the FA Cup Final when he won MotM in both.

 

In my book it was a national disgrace he was not appointed captain as successor to David Beckham. But the Wally with a Brolly of course had other ideas didn't he.

I was talking about THIS season where you have to admit he's done absolutely nothing! Yeah he's done a lot in the past and he sometimes does well for England but in recent times he hasn't for club or country.

I was talking about THIS season where you have to admit he's done absolutely nothing! Yeah he's done a lot in the past and he sometimes does well for England but in recent times he hasn't for club or country.

 

Oh I completely agree, as I've said before on form I would not pick him in the starting XI v the USA, but by that criteria Emilie Heskey should not even be allowed into South Africa in the first place!

 

As for this season: He was injured in pre-season July which badly impacted on his pre-season conditioning; got injured again in October; and has struggled with a niggly groin injury throughout the season which requires rest to fully recover.

 

However during the 2008-9 season: He won FWA Footballer of the Year: 2008–09; PFA Fans' Player of the Year: 2008–09; PFA Team of the Year: 2008–09; FA Premier League Player of the Month: March 2009; FIFA/FIFPro World XI: 2009; Ballon d'Or 10th; FIFA World Player of the Year 8th.

 

.... Oh and of course the fact Liberpool did not have an Alonso or Barry to supply through balls to him did not help. But I said all I had to say on that matter last August.......

.... Oh in case it gets missed in translation I'm absolutely gutted for Rio Ferdinand. Whom I think his presence being missed will be a far greater handicap than had it been John Terry.

 

The bookies are not stupid which is why England's odds have now drifted out to 4th favourite behind Argentina as a result of this injury.

I don't think Gerrard is a great captain, but he's definitely the right choice out of the starting XI for the England team. Rooney being captain would be awful. Terry's a no-go for obvious reasons, and the rest aren't really captain material aside from James who might not even be the #1!

Lampard for captain anyone? At least Capello's seen sense, he values him more than Gerrard by playing him in his preferred position at least xD

Lampard for captain anyone? At least Capello's seen sense, he values him more than Gerrard by playing him in his preferred position at least xD

 

Lampard would be an awful captain. Gerrard's much more versatile than Lampard which is why Capello played him on the left. I actually think his strongest position is on the right of midfield, but he's pretty competent anywhere across the midfield.