England: Where are our national side heading?

 As I'm sure you're all waited with baited breath, the days have finally ran down to our national sides all important European Championship qualifier in Podgorica on Friday. Where England only need a point to qualify for next years Championships in Ukraine and Poland


So? What can we expect? Really expect, will it be same old England, just scraping through the qualifying job and letting us all down at the big time? Or do we have genuine reasoning nowadays to get excited over the prospect of our side. Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Scott Parker was quoted yesterday; "Judge the new England side after Euros", is this a fair statement?


Here, i'll have an in-depth look at the youthful side of England's current selection. Can we hold our hopes up high? Or will we just be let down again?


Following is the squad manager Fabio Capello selected for the vital game. Reasons to smile? Or more of a reason to drag some of our kids through the regime quicker (without doing a Theo Walcott in 2006) next year!


England squad: Scott Carson (Bursaspor), Joe Hart (Man City), David Stockdale (Ipswich); Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Bolton), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Man Utd), Micah Richards (Man City), John Terry (captain, Chelsea), Kyle Walker (Tottenham); Gareth Barry (Man City), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Man City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Man City), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Ashley Young (Man Utd); Darren Bent (Aston Villa), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd), Danny Welbeck (Man Utd), Bobby Zamora (Fulham)

Future England captain? Phil Jones

Right, first thoughts? Who sticks out? - 

"That's the way forward!" Welbeck scoring for United.

Well, surely a huge positive, in my book anyway is the inclusion of so many youthful names, it adds such refreshing feel to the squad and i'm sure has the same effects on the players. Surely gone are the days of the solid Feridnand, Terry, Lampard, Gerrard and Beckham, with no dis-respect to any of these players, some of which still have a vital role within the squad, it was just hard to see where the team was heading. To see the likes of Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Adam Johnson and Danny Welbeck is nothing but positive. in that list of 5 players alone there is so much potential in a vast spread of positions.
Good start then? Possibly...


Problem we used to face?
Goalkeeping!! What a relief! The emergence of Joe Hart has been tremendous, the lad has quickly risen to the very top of goalkeeping standards in not only Europe but the world. The times of picking and choosing between David James, Rob Green and Scott Carson to name but a few are delightfully a thing of the past. Cool, calm on the ball, full of flair and creativity for a stopper the lad adds character to the dressing room. With such a young age attached, he really could go all the way for England.

Joe Hart - very much a first name on the teamsheet now.

Older lads that have finally made it -
Scott Parker, Phil Jagielka and Bobby Zamora, 3 names that would always strike confusion into any England fans brain. HUGE potential, everyone recognised Scotty Parkers ability to hold together a shocking West Ham side for seasons, and has apsolutely shined since he finally got his move to Spurs. Never really happened for him at the higher level though? About to change, shone against Wales on his return to the fold, and it is hard to see him out of the starting midfield, terrific at breaking up play but adds that bit more than Gareth Barry, notably on the distribution side of things after breaking up the play. The same could be said for Jagielka, consistently brilliant at the heart of Everton's central defence for a fair few years now, along with Sheffield United before that, why hasn't he had his chance? Was it because of the Ferdinand - Terry stalwart that was not allowed to be broken? In my humble opinion yes, nonetheless as we'll discuss later, with the shock exclusion of Rio, things will be changing and Capello will be looking towards the long term. Finally, Bobby Zamora, such a raw English talent, on his day, i'd go so far as saying unplayable, an 'English Didier Drogba', and it is so hard to believe talent like that does not get used to it's full potential, who knows where they could be? Unfortunately for Fulham's Zamora, a certain Wayne Rooney is in the form of his life, and depending on how the Italian coach plays his wide men, Big Bobby may get overlooked again...

Bobby Zamora will hope to prove to Capello he
can finally hack it on the International stage

Not bad, who's missing then?
We've mentioned Rio Ferdinand, big big shock to everyone. The Manchester United defender hasn't been the fittest of late, yet always walks into the United XI, United's defence hasn't exactly been watertight of late though, and with the emergence of a few youngsters mentioned. Perhaps we shouldn't be as surprised as we are on his omission. Steven Gerrard? The man is well and truly back, after six months out for Liverpool, the Reds skipper returned in the recent league meeting with Wolves and is expected to start against United at Anfield after the break. Capello has said "If Steven is fit, he will come" so is still a very big part of the Italians plans, and who should blame him? Ignoring the whole 'Lampard-Gerrard' debate they have been two of the best midfielders in Europe of the 21st century, and will be hard to leave out. One final suprise omission was Jermaine Defoe, a couple of decent outings for Spurs this year mixed with goals, one would of thought the diminutive striker had done enough for a call-up, but will be disappointed at missing out to the likes of Villa's Bent and Liverpool's Carroll to name a couple.

Rio will be disappointed at missing out on the squad, times-a-changing?

Steven Gerrard on his way back to full fitness,
 not risked for Montenegro Friday

My personal first XI from Capello's selected squad:
                                               


                                                       Hart


Richards               Cahill                              Terry                Cole.A






Downing              Parker                     Lampard               Young




                             Rooney
                                                                Carroll


Of course, me selecting this side and this side stepping out tomorrow night against Montenegro are two very different cases, nevertheless, i firmly believe the Rooney, Carroll partnership could blossom, especially with Lampard tucked in behind them, Parker doing the dirty work effectively as he does. Young and Downing have been on fire for United and Liverpool respectively, so are almost automatic choices down the wings for me now. My worry would be right-back, looking a bit short with Glen Johnson out, Micah Richards at times can show what he can really do, but a risk? Possibly, Montenegro could look to exploit. Cahill or Jagielka? Was a tricky one, the Bolton centre half seems to have had the nod from Capello recently, and despite a shocking start domestically, i expect the high profile sort after defender to hold his spot.


Verdict:
A draw is all that's needed, several players have been quoted in the press promising that "playing for a draw will be the last thing we intend", a positive sign. One more plus is that the venue is not Wembley, much has been made of the added pressure of England's infamous home, and how the current crop of players just don't seem to perform, across the continent though the performances seem to pick up, players play with far more flow and freedom, a lot easier on the eye.
So what of Montenegro? Can't see them threatening to much, they've already been out to say second place in the group is their goal, so maybe they'll set out to shut up shop,a decent side they must be to get where they are though, new Blackburn addition Simon Vukcevic is a notably talented player, who can hurt and punish defences. They will though, undoubtedly look to Juventus forward and skipper Mirko Vicinic for goals, they have a real player there, who will look to continue Gary Cahill's torrid time of late. Looking through squads though this one is England's to loose, and Fabio Capello has every reason to be devastated if England complete Friday 7th October 2011 without qualification sealed to Euro2012.

Danger man, Juventus's Vucinic needs to be
kept on guard by Englands back 4.