Wayne?
I imagine those the words Fabio Capello used to comfort poor inconsolable Wayne Bridge as the England manager patted him on the head and confirmed the Citeh fullback will not only be in his squad for next week’s friendly against Egypt but will also be on the flight to South Africa in the summer.
When Capello was introduced as the England manager he trotted out the same old line we’d heard before. There’d be no favourites and players would have to be fit, on form and playing for their country. We soon found out this was this same old line was the same old pony.
This week he said…
Wayne Bridge will be at the World Cup – yes, why not? Cole and Bridge are the best left-backs that we have, so why not? Fabio Capello
Now Bridge has just returned to the Citeh first team, in the games he has played this season he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. In fact the exact opposite as week in week out sofa pundits have picked his performances to bits. Not so much a “Left-back for Dummies” instruction manual but a “Left-back by Dummies” how not to guide.
This looks like that clause you hear about at American colleges – don’t know if it’s a Hollywood myth thing – where if your room mate commits suicide you get a free pass for the year and straight As at the end.
John Terry shags your EX-missus and you get a free trip to the World Cup.
Bridge is not the best left-back available. The best players of that position currently in the Premier League, both fit and on form, are Gareth Bale and Leighton Baines. Only one of them is available, sadly Bale is ineligible, the one that was teaching ManUre a lesson at the weekend. Baines is technically both attacking and defending the best left-back in the country, far ahead of Cole and Bridge.
But we’re in an age where people keep saying Cole is the best left-back in the World. Yeah, best at being a scummy tit. Pace is very important in the modern game, especially at international level but it shouldn’t overshadow deficiencies in defending and attacking abilities, yes it can cover up some of those deficiencies but sooner or later you are caught out and pay the price.
Cole has used it to cover for defending abilities for years, as for attacking, one goal this season has blinded them to the fact he’s woeful going forward. His crossing is 99 times out of 100 atrocious, most of the time you can forget the use of pace as he cuts inside and we have that little stutter step as he panics and passes back to someone in trouble.
If, as no doubt he will, Cole goes to South Africa this summer, unfit, we’ll have one crock and one dolt for that position. Now if neither is able to go what will we have, a position filled by someone out of position or by someone that hasn’t been involved much previously. Surely next week is the ideal time to give Baines that first senior cap, see if he’s got it in him to take the place.
But of course doing so would give Fabio a headache, should he pick someone who played well or one of his favourites?
The question now is would Posh being willing to sacrifice herself to make sure David is on the flight?