England vs USA Rambling Preview

Good news: I bought tickets for England vs USA at Wembley tomorrow. First trip to New Wembley. Can’t wait to taste one of those £8 hamburgers. Mmmm, do you want ripoff sauce with that?

Bad news: John Terry is going to be captain (click here for an explanation of why this is bad news).

Still at least it’ll cheer him up. Good management from Mr. C.

On with the preview…

First of all, know your enemy: A lot of England fans will underestimate the US, but that would be a mistake. I know the team better than most English folk (used to write the USA blog on this very site, now excellently manned by Carter).

Premier League watchers will know Clint Dempsey and everyone knows Freddy Adu’s name (if not what he’s all about: info=sweet left foot). There’s probably an increasing familiarity with Landon Donovan ever since he and Becks started their BFF act.

But they’re probably not so familiar with the likes of young Michael Bradley (like a more threatening Michael Carrick) and defensive midfield destroyers Ricardo Clark (who’s not afraid to kick Carlos Ruiz, hard) and Maurice Edu. The US MNT won’t be taking this lightly either. They’ve got a great schedule lined up with games against Spain, Argentina and a proper World Cup qualifier (yeah, against Barbados, but they still have to take it seriously) all to follow.

As for England, this is the day I hope we see some youth. Joe Hart should get a game, and maybe even Joe Lewis, the surprise call up from Peterborough (League Two! bizarre, but why not?)* But whoever’s in goal, it’s just another lamb to the slaughter. One mistake, ever, and England keepers are buggered for eternity. I’d mortgage your house to play outfield for England, but you couldn’t pay me enough money to play in goal for England. It’s a curse.

Outfield, there’s a chance for guys like Ashley Young and Theo Walcott to prove that some England players can run above 2 m.p.h. Here’s how I’d like to see us start:

—————Hart———–
———————————-
Johnson–Ferdinand–Terry–Cole
———————————–
Young–Barry–Gerrard–Cole
——————————–
—-Ashton—Rooney—–

Then hopefully we’ll see Walcott off the bench and on the wing, and Defoe off the bench for a run up front. Why Ashton to start? England are always better with a big man. Will that happen? Probably not.

I’ll be back on Thursday with a report on 1) the game and 2) just how much those burgers are really worth.

*how must poor Paul Robinson feel? dear oh dear