Another week off for the stars cast by Capello into outer darkness

[dww]

Regulars under the previous England regime are getting the cold shoulder

Kevin McCarra
The Guardian, Thursday October 9 2008

Michael Owen, Newcastle Utd

Age 28 Caps 89

Last cap v France, March 2008

Following the humiliation under Steve McClaren, there are many who craved a purge. Fabio Capello, however, is too much the pragmatist to be party to that, as he has shown with his continued inclusion of David Beckham in the squad. Michael Owen is five years younger than the former captain, but there is no place for him.

It seems unlikely that Capello will refuse ever to consider Owen again. Injury and a case of mumps in pre-season meant that the striker had scarcely any preparation for this campaign. While Owen has scored a commendable five goals in eight appearances for Newcastle United since then, the England manager wants him to be far more dynamic throughout a match. All the same, it remains debatable whether the preferred Jermain Defoe is actually superior even at the moment.

Micah Richards, Manchester City

Age 20 Caps 11

Last cap v Croatia, Nov 2007

The defender was the embodiment of precocity. On the night that Croatia won at Wembley in November 2007 the then 19-year-old was maintaining a perfect attendance record with his country that season. He had been at right-back in all seven of England's matches.

Fabio Capello took over from Steve McClaren and Richards has not been capped since. The more experienced Wes Brown was immediately preferred. That was a small surprise but Capello has since been proved to be wholly correct. Nowadays Richards is learning his trade the hard way. City are fielding him at centre-half. In a vulnerable side, with Richard Dunne in shaky form, Richards looks the novice he did not appear to be a year ago, although he continues to be a footballer of great potential.

Chris Kirkland, Wigan Athletic

Age 27 Caps 1

Last cap v Greece, Aug 2006

It would be fascinating to learn what the England goalkeeping coach, Franco Tancredi, considers to be amiss with Kirkland. To the untutored eye, the 27-year-old seems at his peak, now having the experience to go with the height and raw talent that made him worth £6m when Liverpool took him from Coventry in 2001.

If anything, he has the air of a challenger for a post in the England side, never mind the squad. Are David James, Rob Green, Scott Carson and the injured Paul Robinson genuinely superior? The old reservations about durability don't even apply. Kirkland appeared in all but one of Wigan's 38 Premier League fixtures last season.

It could be argued that he is not involved regularly enough in high-level contests, but none of his rivals this season will be hearing the Champions League music either when they come down the tunnel. Kirkland was written off when he left Liverpool and the re-evaluation he merits is yet to occur.

David Bentley, Tottenham Hotspur

Age 24 Caps 7

Last cap v Czech Rep, Aug 2008

The £15m move from Blackburn Rovers was meant to take the midfielder to a new level. No one supposed that this would be seated on the bench, as it was on Sunday, for a club at the bottom of the table. Everything could yet change for Bentley and for Tottenham Hotspur, but the re-emergence of Shaun Wright-Phillips made it likely that Capello would ditch him for this week.

In principle, England would be interested in Bentley if he could flight damaging balls from the right. Beckham, in his dotage, still does that better, but eventually the old stager must stand down. There will only be an opportunity for Bentley, all the same, should he improve as a footballer. It would be helpful, of course, if Tottenham were not in such disarray.

Jonathan Woodgate, Tottenham

Age 28 Caps 8

Last cap v Czech Rep, Aug 2008

At least there is a team-mate with whom Bentley can commiserate at White Hart Lane. Woodgate's fortunes have faltered, too. The centre-half played as a substitute in England's opening game of the season against the Czech Republic, but Capello has detected no further use for him since.

In truth, he never has been anything more than an intermittent internationalist. At 28, he has just eight caps. His career has been disrupted by injuries and other factors. When fit, Woodgate can look supreme at centre-half, but others are in better shape. Someone like Joleon Lescott does not have Woodgate's gifts, but, despite the knee surgery, he is durable and versatile.

The latter even started against Andorra this season because, presumably, Capello knew he would be a factor at set pieces, as he was with the lay-off for the first of Joe Cole's goals. In an area of the side where there are ample options, Woodgate is now at a disadvantage. As with Bentley, he would have a better case for inclusion if Tottenham as a whole were performing impressively.

Ashley Young, Aston Villa

Age 23 Caps 3

Last cap v T 'dad & Tobago, June 2008

When Stewart Downing toiled against Andorra this season, there seemed to be a fair chance that England might wish to have another look at Ashley Young. The Villa player does now have three caps, but the most recent was in that forgettable fixture with Trinidad & Tobago in June.

Calls for him to be tried again grew louder in Villa's sound opening to the season. Nonetheless, he made no impact during the comprehensive defeat by Chelsea on Sunday. It is in fixtures of that calibre that Young will now be judged and he is yet to convince.

Despite being able to use both feet, his preference is for his right and so he comes inside from the left flank for Villa. Against better opponents, he is yet to make much progress in that area or link with attackers. The presently injured Joe Cole is more inventive in the inside-forward channel. If genuine width is still needed, Downing at least presents himself as a natural winger who can go past the opposition's right-back and so turn a defence.

[dww]

I have to say I didn't realise Kirkland had improved his fitness that much.

[Kenneth]

Woodgate is probably the most over-rated defender in England. It's not long since a good dozen posters here declared he was the best natural English defender of his generation. Richards is probably the second most over-rated defender in England.

[tufty]

makes you wonder why Beckhams still considered worthy of a place in the squad ?

[Yozza]

makes you wonder why Beckhams still considered worthy of a place in the squad ?

Because he can still sell Eng-er-land shirts....

[Leyton388]

i hate international brakes they are ****. The only thing to look out for on an international break is to make sure none of our players pick up an injury. Wembley has the worst atmosphere i have ever seen in a stadium on international weekend.

[pondus]

Capello knows how to put together a TEAM, he will not listen to the media and pundits like previous england bosses have done. Smart move by the FA, about time they did something sensible. I wonder who told them

[Darth Marty]

Theres definitely a case for Owen, Young and Richards. All 3 would not only be in my squad but in my starting 11.

[dww]

Theres definitely a case for Owen, Young and Richards. All 3 would not only be in my squad but in my starting 11.

Richards has looked shaky this season in the extreme - admittedly at CB rather than right back though I suppose. I imagine it is also fair to say that he ha done as well as Lescott who got in and we have two good left backs in the squad already.

[Darth Marty]

Richards has everything necessary to become a real superstar, in my opinion the quicker he gets experience the better, and only competitive matches will do that. Young on left midfield could be a revelation although I admit Cole does a good job there. I just think the natural width of Young would be a better option. And Owen up front because love him or hate him he scores goals when it matters. Hes certainly as good as, in my opinion better, than defoe.

[dww]

Richards has everything necessary to become a real superstar, in my opinion the quicker he gets experience the better, and only competitive matches will do that. Young on left midfield could be a revelation although I admit Cole does a good job there. I just think the natural width of Young would be a better option. And Owen up front because love him or hate him he scores goals when it matters. Hes certainly as good as, in my opinion better, than defoe.

I don't think that Defoe is in there ahead of Owen for ability per se but because having someone with pace at the point of the attack can stretch teams leaving more room for the three players behind him, especially Rooney to operate.

Young should certainly be in the squad. Cole is a better player though and is rightfully in the team ahead of him. A choice of Young or Walcott to add pace in different areas would be a real boon though.

Richards can gain the experience in the PL. He is not consistently good enough for the England team yet IMO, he will be but only the fact we have so few even decent right backs gives him a chance to play. He has regressed this season but footballers rarely linearly improve and fighting back from poor form is key to developing as a player.

[Darth Marty]

Cant argue with that.

I just dont think Capello is using the best players to the best of their abilities, the so called Golden Generation has passed and now we are seemingly stuck with a squad of players who cant play that well together.

I have to say I see many similarities to Liverpool in so much as the players could and should be brilliant but for whatever reasons as a team they just dont gel.

Obviously thats Liverpool before this season as currently we are playing fantastic as a team! Do you see what I mean though?

[dww]

I definitely see what you mean but I think the Croatia game showed that Capello has a clear idea of how the players he has selected can play together. A lot of the current squad have improved in the last couple of seasons - Lampard this year is a much better player than he was two years ago IMO, Gerrard seems to finally have learned some tactical discipline and Ferdinand has been top class in the last few years and made far fewer mistakes. I find it surprising that Capello has dispensed with the use of Barry as a player to link the sometimes disparate parts of the team. Playing Lampard and Gerrard in the middle together seems a retrograde step but we shall see.

[Vermilion]

Cant argue with that.

I just dont think Capello is using the best players to the best of their abilities, the so called Golden Generation has passed and now we are seemingly stuck with a squad of players who cant play that well together.

I have to say I see many similarities to Liverpool in so much as the players could and should be brilliant but for whatever reasons as a team they just dont gel.

Obviously thats Liverpool before this season as currently we are playing fantastic as a team! Do you see what I mean though?

Was thinking about this a while back, that the pressure on Liverpool players has been over recent years inhibiting us as a team, similar to england.

Can't say i actually think it has, i'm undecided, but it's something i've wondered about, have we suffered in a similar way to the national side, due to our History, the length of time since we won a league Title, and our rivals successes?.