Sturridge does show a lot of promise, I’m certainly not arguing with what he’s done for Bolton so far, but all this talk him being the “future of England” is premature. Three games does not a career make. His goal ratio is phenomenal, but not something he can keep up. His game is good, but there is certainly work to do. He needs to prove his ability for longer than two weeks to earn an England call up. For now, I just hope he keeps doing his thing for Bolton.

Joe Hart will obviously be in goal then, but good to see Fabio look to youth instead of just calling David James up again, though I do feel a wee bit for Rob Green.

There is talent in the squad. England should, of course, beat them, but there is potential in the side for an 1950 style upset. We know full well that players like Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan can play a bit (the latter had a great spell at Everton, and the former was doing it against good sides all year in Europe). We also know we rarely waltz through the group stage at big competitions, and America is the most likely place we’ll drop points.

We do know most of the team already, which of course is both a blessing and a curse. We know their strengths, and potentially, how to snuff them out. But then on the other hand, they’ll know ours.

USA Final 23:

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolves)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (unattached), Michael Bradley (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Jose Torres (Pachuca)

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla).

You can see all the Squad Lists as they come in right here.

Guys, guys, come on, there’s enough of me to go around!

Attempting a detailed analysis of England’s tactical approach before their first World Cup game is unlikely to draw out accurate results, not least because Fabio Capello himself may still have several key decisions to make about his team; injuries and performances in friendlies against Mexico and Japan will feature prominently in his thoughts. Nevertheless, the widely held assumption that Wayne Rooney will start in a 4-2-3-1 formation playing behind A Big Striker, prevails amongst most England fans.

It prevails as an assumption, but not as an aspiration. According to a poll by The Telegraph England fans favour a Steven Gerrard-Wayne Rooney partnership, with Gerrard presumably playing off Rooney in similar manner to his previously successful partnership with Fernando Torres. A 4-4-1-1, if you will. 

If they can’t have that then they want Jermain Defoe – 24 goals this season for Spurs – alongside the United man in a straightforward, safe, 4-4-2 formation. And, if there has to be A Big Striker, then they think the other Tottenham man Peter Crouch should be it – anyone but Emile Heskey, it seems.

England fans’ reluctance to play Heskey has sound enough reasoning to back it up: his form: Capello’s own marker for an England place (”A place in the national squad has to be deserved, and it will be based on behaviour, play on the field and attitude”). The Villa striker has been a benchwarmer for his club during most of the season and has a far less impressive goalscoring record than most of his direct competitors to start up front – just 3 in 2010.

But whilst Heskey’s lack of form legitimises a preference for the likes of Gerrard and Defoe, it doesn’t necessarily explain it. Heskey is an ancillary name who plays a subservient role: two attributes that fans rarely have time for. Capello’s judgement is more thorough: Heskey’s performances particularly early on in England’s qualifying campaign against the likes of Croatia have demonstrated his effectiveness as a foil for Rooney and any given winger, be it Walcott or Lennon, and the experienced England manager is unlikely to forget that quickly. Don’t bet against him being in the team that lines up against the U.S.A in three weeks’ time.

If this seems to dismiss the views of England fans as trivial, it is not the intention. The prospect of a playing Gerrard and Rooney in tandem appeals beyond the superficial notion of naming a team packed full of stars. Rooney’s season at Manchester United has seen him operate largely as a lone striker (albeit ably supported by a talented selection of wide-men) and perhaps Gerrard’s most impressive form ever was facilitated by a second-striker role behind Torres in the 2008-2009 season.

These facts alone may tempt Capello to rethink his intention to play a target man like Heskey or Crouch. Added to that though is the already well-recognised relationship between Gerrard and Rooney, the two men generally acknowledged as England’s most creative forces (as seen against Belarus in particular in the qualifiers). Few doubt that the two could, in the right circumstances, create a profitable partnership.

And it is at this point that the get-out clause is excercised: pragmatist that the England manager is he may well rotate his striking options depending on the approach of opponents and the immediate realities of a game over the course of the tournament. Emile Heskey (should he make the flight at all!) could find himself coming on late in a tight game against, for example, Algeria, who may (!) sit deep in order to neutralise the creative sparks of Rooney and Gerrard. Or, Defoe could come on for Heskey in a game where the target-man role adds little – perhaps against an Italy or a Germany where the likes of Chiellini and Mertesacker will in all likelihood dominate the aerial battle but look less assured one-on-one with an attacker.

Capello and England fans’ opinions have differed surprisingly little during his reign so far – winning, of course, makes this more likely – and whilst the appearance of disagreement is there when the discussion moves to strikers, only watching will reveal what Capello really thinks.

The gap between assumption and aspiration may not exist at all and if England keep winning we may not notice even if it does.

Interesting developments over the past two weeks regarding the fragile state of England’s full backs has led to speculation that Gary and Phil Neville could make surprising returns to the England squad for the World Cup in June. Both players are well into their 30’s and have been absent from the international scene for 3-4 years, but recent form for their club sides coupled with injuries and lack of form from the established full backs, suggests that Fabio Capello might surprise everyone when he picks his final squad.

Older brother Gary Neville has been an ever-present in Man Utd’s squad since 1992 and was a part of the famous “Dream Youth Team” that United produced in the early nineties containing Beckham, the Nevilles, Scholes, Butt, and Giggs to name a few. A wealth of experience at international level makes him a sensible choice as back-up provided age hasn’t slowed down his sharpness. Ronaldinho’s roasting of Rafael da Silva in the first leg of the Champions League clash between AC Milan and Man Utd led to Neville’s inclusion in the starting eleven at Old Trafford for the return leg. As a result, the Brazilian star was well shackled by the England international and drifted out of the game in the second half. It seems that Sir Alex Ferguson still sees the veteran defender as an important squad member in Man Utd’s run for the title, and with Glen Johnson’s lack of form and almost no cover at the right back position, it just might prove to be Neville’s dream season.

Phil Neville is in his 5th season for Everton since his move from Man United. He has been a valuable asset to David Moyes during the club’s injury crisis this season and has proved his value as a veteran utility player. Primarily a right back, he has played in midfield and at left-back and, like his brother, possesses a wealth of experience at international level. Everton’s meteoric rise up the table during 2010 has been due in no small part to Neville’s form and energy. England currently have a crisis at left back with Ashley Cole struggling to make the squad due to a serious ankle injury, and with his only back-ups being Leighton Baines and Stephen Warnock, both inexperienced and untested defenders at the top level, the Everton defender might be the solution.

Phil Neville

Personally, I think Gary Neville would be a smart move for Capello to make as I am uncomfortable about Glen Johnson’s defensive capabilities and Wes Brown just makes too many silly errors. I am more reserved about including Phil Neville in the squad as I still get cold sweats thinking about his famous tackle on Ray Parlour in that epic FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal and his horrendous performances against Rumania and Portugal at Euro 2000.

So for me, Gary yes, Phil nope…..

The focus is particularly on Theo Wallcott – who I am also a huge fan of – who due to not really having any form to speak of at all, is facing not going to the World Cup in South Africa, despite being a big part of us getting there, and of going to the last World Cup even though he’d not yet played for Arsenal.

Thing is, Beckham just offers more to the team than most of the alternatives. Even if you assume he can only play for half an hour – which in a big tournament is probably true, I still think he offers more than SWP, Stuart Downing and Aaron Lennon, all of which are listed in the alternatives in the article.

Certainly if we need to hold a lead, or need to change a game to get back into it, I hold that Beckham is a valuable player to have on the bench. Not only do you know he’s going to put in 1000% no matter what the odds against him are (see Greece in 2001, Croatia in the horrible Steve McLaren era), but he brings experience, belief and respect. And he stick a ball on Heskey or Crouch (or the way he’s playing, Rooney)’s head guarenteed. Which might be just the thing we need.

The other players listed, are similar to Wallcott in that they can run at defenders. But something different would what we would need to change a game, not something exactly the same.

For me Beckham has to go to South Africa if he’s fit. Even only to play a bit part – not for sentimental reasons – but for footballing ones.

We’ve discussed it again and again and again this season, will he regain form? We know the player he can be (obviously sans speed but still), but his form last season certainly wasn’t good enough. He’s been on again off again this season, sometimes impressing sometimes looking listless and useless, but I thought he could still be a great impact sub. He could still pull a goal from nothing.

Unfortunately now he certainly won’t be going to the South Africa. He’s had a bad hamstring injury, and will be having surgery on Monday, which means he’s out for the rest of the season. And it probably means the end of his international career. Sorry Mikey, it was definitely worth a shot.

Who’s gonna play left back? With dear Cashley out for quite a while, and Bridge counting himself out, England are left in a bit of a pickle. The next obvious option is Joleon Lescott, but ever since he made the move to City he hasn’t played well at all. Last season I was quite impressed with him, but he hasn’t impressed me once this season. It will be interesting to see what Capello does against Egypt.

Is Fabio as much in the know as we think he is? Bridge picked basically the worst time to break this news, as just yesterday Capello issued a don’t-worry-everything’s-ok statement. In fact the exact quote was: “No, he will be with us. No problems about the other things.” Just over 24 hours later Bridge says: “[A]fter careful thought I believe my position in the squad is now untenable and potentially divisive.” This means one of two situations: either Capello and Bridge were arguing over his position and Capello issued the statement yesterday to try and corner him, or they jsut weren’t communicating at all. Either scenario significantly undermines Capello and his power over his players.

Honestly I think Bridge should have attempted to put this aside. Playing for England, in my mind, is one of the highest honours one can attain, and it should be more important than your personal life. It puts Capello in a difficult positions for two reasons: he needs a new left back and needs to reassert his power. We’ll see how the World Cup goes, but I’m willing to bet it would have gone better if Bridge had been there.

I am a big Theo Walcott fan, he has blistering pace and makes killer runs, but come June he may not be match sharp. There are only 23 men going to the World Cup, which factoring in 3 keepers is basically 1 cover for each position. We can’t afford to bring anyone who isn’t at their best, who will fumble a ball because they’ve been out for the majority of the domestic season. We also can’t bring anyone who gets hurt every other game, meaning Walcott will have to prove he isn’t as delicate as this season indicates. So get that work in Theo, because I want to see you in South Africa.