For years on end managers across the country have sent their players away  to represent their country and spent the whole time of their absence praying they all return fit and well.  But after a week that saw several big name players pick up injuries while playing for their country, the pressure from managers for a change in the scheduling of international games will be higher than ever.

You can see where the likes of Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp are coming from. Take the Arsenal manger, Theo Walcott went away to play for England in arguably the best form of his club career but after suffering an ankle injury against Swtizerland, he now faces weeks on the sideline.

Wenger also lost Robin van Persie to injury where as Redknapp will see Jermain Defoe and Michael Dawson both missing for Spurs for some considerable time. Elsewhere Roy Hodgson will be without Dirk Kuyt for some time as well.

While I can understand all their frustrations, I can’t see a way to resolve the problem. You can’t arrange them all in a block because this simply wouldn’t work, it would lead to a lack of development and a lack of opportunity for players at international level.

I also don’t see that scrapping international friendlies is the answer.  This will only again create a lack of opportunities to progress. Although they are often described as pointless, they are a vital for a player’s transition in to international football.

The only option as I can see would be to schedule international games around transfer windows, thus allowing for sides to replace a player should they get injured.  For example a friendly game in January not February as well as arranging the first qualifying games for late August and not early September.

I’d be interested to hear your suggestions in to how to minimise the impact of players getting injured on international duty?

 While the injury to Theo Walcott would have slightly marred England’s excellent 3-1 win in Basel, it did give Manchester City winger Adam Johnson a chance to enhance his ever growing reputation. The former Middlesbrough man did just that with an confident display that saw him get his second England goal in as many games. 

The performance of Johnson summed up a year in which his only disappointment was failing to earn a surprise call-up in to the England World Cup squad. Capello’s decision to opt against taking Johnson to South Africa was another one  grave mistakes from the Italian that lead to the oh so disappointing tournament in South Africa.

Ever since Johnson’s move to Eastlands in January, the 23-year-old’s progress has been remarkable and he is now arguably the brightest young prospect for both club and country. His rise to prominence has been nothing short of spectacular. For years he played second fiddle to Stewart Downing at the Riverside but ever since Downing’s move to Aston Villa, Johnson hasn’t looked back.

In the Championship he showed his potential and class and Roberto Mancini soon took the plunge on the highly rated winger. In an era of big money transfers at Eastlands, it made a refreshing change to see them not only snap up an English prospect, but throw him straight in to the first-team.

It begs the question why nobody else took a punt with Johnson?  Compared to some young prospects he was relatively cheap, and although he achieved most of the success for Middlesbrough in the Championship he did have Premier League experience. I’d certainly rather have Johnson in my side then most, if not all of the young Premier League wingers.

But it was City that did and the result has been nothing sort of extraordinary as Johnson brushed aside the likes of Shaun Wright Phillips and Stephen Ireland to earn a regular starting place. Mancini opted to deploy Johnson on the right, which compensates for his lack of genuine pace allowing him to cut inside on to his deadly left foot.

The question is how good could Johnson be?  If he continues his rapid progression then his potential is endless and I bet the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are looking back with regret that they never took a chance on the future England star.

It’s almost two years since Theo Walcott’s finest hour in an England shirt. The Arsenal’s man smashed his way in to Fabio Capello’s thoughts with a sublime hat-trick in England’s 4-1 demolition of Croatia. After slowly falling from grace since that day, the former Southampton man has started this season with a bang, scoring four times in his last two games. Now we will finally see Walcott reach the level he did back in Zagreb?

Walcott’s performance that night showed the World just what he could do. But unfortunately he was never able to build on his display that night and stuttered over the following months and ultimately seasons.

He came under lots of criticism with people saying he lacked any end product and didn’t have a footballing brain. Walcott found himself frequently left out of the Arsenal side and he was never able to replicate something anywhere close to that performance against Croatia for England.

It was almost as if Walcott had found himself haunted by the ghost of Zagreb. Instead of using that performance to take his career to the next level, the performance held him back with fans expecting him to constantly reproduce displays like that.

But it wasn’t just fans that were disappointed by Walcott as Capello eventually lost patience with the man who had set his tenure off to a flying start. Walcott was the surprise name that was left out of this summer’s World Cup and it seemed as if he would find it hard to work his way back in to Capello’s plans.

But since then Walcott has said and done all the right things. He has admitted he didn’t deserve to go to South Africa and claimed that he has to work hard to make Capello pick him again. On the pitch he did exactly this and his hat-trick against Blackpool coupled with a very well taken goal against Blackburn has shown that Walcott is still an incredible prospect.

Whether Walcott is ready to perform to his potential on a regular basis is another question. We must remember that he is only 21. At 21 inconsistency is something that we should expect of him. He is still learning this game and can only gain consistency with age.

We are not going to see the sort of performances that we saw in Zagreb every week, but we might see them more often and hopefully for Walcott the ghost of Zagreb may be slowly starting to disappear.

Gameweek three of the Barclays Premier League had that business as usual feel to it as it marked the first time in the young season where one or two of those marquee matches weren’t on offer. Approaching the weekend, the Aston Villa v Everton clash intrigued me the most, while Manchester City v Sunderland and Liverpool v WBA also proved interesting litmus test matches for traditionally bigger clubs to gauge where they stand against teams they “should” beat. If their pursuits of Champions League football or league titles are an achievable truth, the big boys need three points from the smaller boys, it really is that simple.

My pre-weekend thoughts served me well as Villa v Everton proved to be as exciting and enthralling of a 1-0 match as that deceptively low scoreline would allow it to be. Everton played some fantastic football through Gareth Bale-esq left back Leighton Baines, who in the first half constantly pushed forward and provided decent enough service to create a few chances early on. His pace and footwork were tricky and sharp enough to embarrass Villa’s Marc Albrighton on more than one occasion. Yet as good as Everton were in attack, they could not and would not find that killer instinct in front of goal. An exciting and involved match ended 1-0 to Villa.

Wigan produced the shock result of the weekend with a grind-it-out 1-0 win at White Hart Lane v Spurs. Tottenham looked a shell of their former selves as they called it quits on any cohesive defending in the final 15-20 minutes of the match. That final quarter or so saw Wigan create multiple chances on goal through Hugo Rodallega down Wigan’s right flank. It was then Rodallega himself who eventually found the net with the winner in the 80th minute when he struck a low, hard shot that found the far corner of the net a la Theo Walcott v Blackburn. Wigan deserved the three points as Spurs looked to be nursing a hangover stemming from their midweek Champions League exploits.

The silly moment of the weekend came from Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen who was sent off for nothing short of handbags when he attempted to play Pat-a-cake with Birmingham City defender Roger Johnson’s face. It was an odd moment that saw Jaaskelainen sent off for the infraction and allowed City to eventually take a not-so-commanding 2-0 lead. Bolton deserve credit, they fought back to level the score 2-2 at home through a Kevin Davies penalty and a stunning Robbie Blake free kick – Owen Coyle pulling the strings in an impressive fight back to earn a point.

Other notable matches saw Chelsea maintain their 100% record by dispatching of yet-to-gain-a-point Stoke City where Florent Malouda had another fine game, Fulham’s earning of a point away to Blackpool, and Manchester City’s shock late defeat away to Sunderland.

Honorable Mentions -

Nani, Manchester United- During United’s 3-0 home win v West Ham I yelled a four letter word, one in which I won’t repeat on this site or even tell you which letter it started with as thankfully now, my discretion’s win out. Directed solely at Nani, my verbal tirade eventually fell on deaf ears as the Portuguese winger redeemed himself somewhat. My outburst got me thinking a little about my love/hate relationship with Nani which realistically sums up my feelings on him – equal parts frustrating and at times brilliant.

Nani, now in his fourth season at Old Trafford, seems to improve aspects of his game each year. His one downfall is that he’s still relatively wasteful with the ball as his excitement seems to overtake his footballing brain. Nani is the type of player that will continually frustrate supporters of United only to produce a moment of brilliance in the second half to redeem his inadequacies in the first. He did so yet again on Saturday when a brilliant 1-2 was flawlessly consummated with Wayne Rooney that resulted in Nani ducking and darting the West Ham defense and scoring emphatically. Nani is always involved for Manchester United, he’s just yet to displace his boyhood dreams of heroism at every touch of the ball. His progress thus far has been thanks to Sir Alex Ferguson and his man management tactics. United fans will hope he continues to calm down and use his head more, because when he does, he’s a valuable asset to Wayne Rooney in attack as he proved on Saturday.

Note: I also want to recognize Dimitar Berbatov for Manchester United. He seems to be working harder for United and when he does, he creates more chances for himself and for those around him. His skill has never been in question (see under his brilliant volley in the 68th), it’s his often times lax work rate. He’s now scored three in four matches for United and as I predicated earlier in the season, seems poised to have a break through season.

Moussa Dembele, Fulham- The impressive performance on Saturday from Fulham new boy Dembele could end up proving a great purchase by Fulham and Mark Hughes. The Belgium international linked up well with strike partner Bobby Zamaora and was key in both of Fulham’s goals on the day. His 87th minute ball from midfield was a brilliantly weighted pass that released Dickson Etuhu in on goal for the equalizer. Earlier in the 35th, Dembele was able to shed his marker to provide a good cross that Zamora was able to head home to open up the scoring.

Dembele scored in Fulham’s midweek Carling Cup 6-0 thrashing of Port Vale. He’s already stated his love for playing in strike partnerships and has expressed his healthy communication with Bobby Zamora as being essential in helping Zamora score more goals. Zamora limped off injured early in the match, but Dembele seems ready to do the work needed to create goals for Fulham.

Ashley Young, Aston Villa- Young set up Villa’s only goal, the winner, in a match where Villa were often times outplayed by Everton. Young started out on the left for Villa and often times drifted towards the center in a more forward attacking or roaming midfield role. His quickness allowed him to pose the biggest threat against Everton’s defense while late on he became the focal point of Aston Villa’s counter attack.

Young’s pace, like fellow wingers Theo Walcott and Marc Albrighton, is often times his best asset. When he’s at his precise best, he’s a great crosser of the ball and possesses a striker’s instinct when finishing. Young was included in the most recent England squad for their Euro 2012 qualifiers.

Premier League Footballer of the Week -

Theo Walcott, Arsenal- Last week’s honorable mention continued his current form to impress again as Arsenal, level with Manchester United on points, keep close tabs on league leaders Chelsea. Now joint top scorer in the Premier League with three others, Walcott did again what he does best on Saturday away to Blackburn. As valuable as Walcott is blitzing down the right side of midfield and scoring every so often, he’s equally as brilliant in creating space for others with his well timed runs to draw defenders away. These stretching diagonal runs from out wide to center, or switching to opposite flanks from Walcott do wonders in pulling defenders with him and creating space for others to run into or pass into.

He did both on Saturday scoring Arsenal’s first and made multiple runs without the ball to create space for his teammates. In watching the highlights of Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Blackburn again late Sunday night, I realized yet again just how powerful Walcott’s burst of pace is when he’s attempting to pull away from his marker. He so nearly was responsible for Arsenal’s third goal, but couldn’t finish from a tight angle. Walcott and Arsenal on form early on.

• 6-0, the new 1-0.
• Parity, maybe? Well, not really.

Three Barclays Premier League matches ended 6-0 this weekend with one still left to come Monday night. As the parity debate rages on concerning the overall quality of Premier League teams 1-20, gameweek 2 went a long way in proving just how unequal the league currently is, or did it?

Usual suspects Chelsea repeated their opening weekend thrashing of Nobody United while beautiful passing home boys Arsenal properly welcomed Tangerine Ltd. to the Premier League by the same score.

A plethora of goals were seen Saturday and Sunday would be no different. Sunday would also host the weekend’s best match that saw Fulham fail to capitulate after conceding a late OG and earn a well deserved draw against Manchester United.

After Aston Villa’s gameweek 1 victory over West Ham (who are having a horrid start), one could have been granted the freedom to assume they’d do something similar to the back-in-the-big-time-boys Newcastle United. This time, parity won. Newcastle were brilliant in all things football related on the day as Villa played as if they’d been out on a serious bender the night before. Surely not many Newcastle supporters or Premier League fans would have guessed the Toon could have pulled a Chelsea or Arsenal and post 6 against the boys from Birmingham. Welcome back Newcastle.

So, was parity the winner or is gameweek 2 still too early to tell how equal this league is from top to bottom? Flukes? Defenses still finding their cohesion? Or, the most uneven league in Europe?

Honorable Mentions -

Andy Carroll, Newcastle United – There was something rewarding and maybe even a little charming in watching Newcastle thump Villa at home on Sunday in front of their supporters. I guess I have a soft spot for the Northern club who’ve had a tumultuous time in the Premier League in recent years. When Steve Harper was adjudged to have brought down Ashley Young for a penalty, I suddenly got the feeling that this match was going to mirror one from the 2008-09 season which saw Newcastle relegated. Cue John Carew to the penalty spot and one match-changing blast off later and Newcastle had new life and a renewed sense of purpose.

Joey Barton, Jonas Gutierrez and Jose Enrique all had great performances for Newcastle, but it was Carroll’s hat-trick, striker’s instinct, link play and ability in the air that led Newcastle to the home win. Carroll is a massive target man who can win most balls in the air and flick on to other players. Similar to Emile Heskey at his best for England, could Carroll be the #9 that England so desperately need? Newcastle fans won’t be bothered by a potential call up to the England senior squad as long as Carroll can keep his goal scoring form for the Toon and keep them in the Premier League where they belong.

Gareth Bale, Tottenham – No longer the best new player or most improved player in the Premier League but now simply one of the best players in the league, Bale continually finds ways to impress in attack. I briefly touched on his brace for Spurs in an earlier article, but if you’ve yet to see his second, it’s definitely worth a look.

Harry Redknapp set up Spurs in a 4-5-1 formation with Bale out wide on the left. He’s best in this role because of his goal scoring, dribbling and crossing abilities as opposed to his earlier role for Spurs at left back. Spurs got their first win of the season largely because ref Chris Foy failed to award Stoke City what looked to be the equalizer late on. Bale was brilliant though and continues to shine.

Theo Walcott, Arsenal- Often times described as the type of player who can do so much but lacks that final killer ball, Walcott seems to be finding it, if somewhat slowly. During Saturday’s thrashing of Blackpool, I lost count of how many times Walcott blew past Blackpool left back Stephen Crainey. It was as if Walcott had two or three gears he could easily use to accelerate past anyone Blackpool threw at him on his way forward and into the box.

Oddly enough though, while Walcott bagged his hat-trick, his best moves and best service into the box didn’t see an Arsenal player latch onto the end of his crosses. When an Arsenal player was forward in support was when Theo failed to provide that meaningful service his opponents have criticized him for in the past. A good display with some fine finishing, but Walcott still not that complete player many still think he can become. Blackpool however defended poorly and Arsenal, like Chelsea, will always be a good enough side to exploit the weaknesses of a poor opponent.

I believe Walcott can start for England and regularly for Arsenal in the near future because of his pace and ability to change a game in a second when he’s at his best. Even when he’s only playing decent, he can still be dangerous. Oppositely though, Walcott seems to have these little breakout games once or twice a year only to succumb to injury or loose form in the proceeding weeks. On Saturday, Arsenal supporters will have hoped Walcott marked a line in the sand for future performances and will expect more of the quick wing play and finishing from their young Englishman.

Note: I want to recognize Chelsea Football Club for another incredible performance against Wigan on Saturday. The Champions blitzed another poor side and played well together as a team without necessarily having one player dominate the headlines. Drogba was brilliant in his passing and unselfish play, as was Lampard while Anelka proved he’s a fine finisher. Ashley Cole did what Ashley Cole does best while a team of classy and experienced players took their chances well. Chelsea aren’t the Champions for nothing and they showed just why they’re the league’s best team over the past two weeks, I’m just waiting for them to play a side that won’t eventually be relegated this season.

Premier League Footballer of the Week -

Paul Scholes, Manchester United- The influential midfielder scored one for United on Sunday and was man of the match in his club’s opening season win last Monday v Newcastle. Scholes has been at his best for last season’s runners up and when sharp can control the pace and flow of a game better than most. He seems to be getting better with age and so far this season has been one of the leagues best midfielders. His poise on the ball when looking for an open man is unmatched. He never gets flustured and rarely misses finding his man.

Scholes scored his 150th goal for United on Sunday, a low, hard drive from just outside the box, not unlike one you’ve seen from Scholes in seasons past and continued to spray passes in his quintessentially cool manner as United dominated the majority of the first half. Everything starts through Scholes when United are at their best. Even when Darren Fletcher receives the ball from a defender, it seems as if his first task is to then find Scholes to start the attack.

Ferguson will rue his decision in allowing Nani the responsibility to take United’s penalties. Surely Sunday marks the last time he’ll ever be granted the opportunity as United drop early season points because of Nani’s attempt to the dismay of Ferguson. Nani struck his penalty well, but it was his placement that allowed Fulham keeper David Stockdale to make the save. If Scholes can maintain his brilliant early season form and Wayne Rooney can regain match sharpness with the help of his supporting cast, I believe United can and will challenge Chelsea for the title this year. Chelsea and Manchester United to battle it out again for the title - a fine example of parity if you ask me.

In one of the all time moments of counting chickens before they’ve hatched, Nike, in all their brilliant ad campaign glory have erected a giant rock billboard emulating Mount Rushmore in London featuring the faces of some of the key England players heading to South Africa. Only problem is that one of those key faces happens to be Theo Walcott, who obviously isn’t headed to the World Cup. The massive billboard also features the faces of Wayne Rooney, James Milner and Rio Ferdinand.

Nike have recently impressed with their “Write the Future” advert, which oddly enough features Theo for a brief second and former Brazilian World Cup star Ronaldinho as a key participant in the video. Ronaldinho like Walcott also won’t compete in the World Cup this summer having failed to earn a spot in the Brazil squad. With all the planning and preparation that goes into a successful ad campaign, one can ironically understand that Nike has no control over which players are picked for final squads. Many will remember back to 2006 when a similar TV spot for Adidas featured England striker Jermain Defoe who also failed to make the final cut.

The billboard, which is the biggest in the UK, will been seen an estimated 6 million times in the final few days before the opening round match against the US and will be available to view until June 20th. The rock sculpture idea began months ago when each player’s face was electronically scanned in order to produce the most life-like image. The images were used by expert sculptors to then craft at a secret location.

In another moment of irony, the words, “PLAY TO BE REMEMBERED”, were etched into the rock formation in hopes the players featured would produce stunning World Cup performances and Nike would come out looking genius in the end. Maybe not this time Nike, but nice try.

Perhaps this is a frivolous post, but with Theo Walcott shockingly omitted from Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad, the England national team are left with ZERO players from Arsenal traveling to South Africa.

Sure, Arsenal FC will be well-represented in this year’s tournament: William Gallas (France), Robin van Persie (Holland), Niklas Bendtner (Denmark), Cesc Fabregas (Spain) to name a few. But I find it not only disheartening that none of the English squad are Gunners, but an indictment on Arsene Wenger’s questionable personnel decisions.

Let me point out that I am American, and perhaps it is not my place to speculate on the feelings of the average English football fan, but on those Champions League nights where the Gunners take to the pitch and there is zero English representation, it just doesn’t sit right with me. It is just as Internazionale’s European title with zero Italian representation seemed ridiculous (although Internazionale’s name and identity stem from seceding from AC Milan and being one of football’s first clubs to target international players, but I digress).

Admittedly, we live in a different football world than even just 15 years ago. It is a global transfer market, a business based not on national identity but on money and winning trophies. So I am under no delusion that Wenger’s seeming refusal to play English players is tantamount to blasphemy. The game, and Premier League in particular, is littered with international players playing on foreign clubs. Chelsea have just four English regulars, Man United four or five, and Liverpool just three.

But I believe in ‘home-grown’ quotas and domestic player requirements, because without imposing such rules, domestic leagues will lose any semblance of identity. It is borderline absurd that one could conceivably watch an Arsenal – Inter European Cup tie and see zero English players and zero Italian players. A club in a UEFA competition should be representing a certain country, not just the league in which that club plays. Call me old-fashioned or naive, or both, but I want to see English players playing for their English clubs on European nights.

Certainly making the big leagues more cosmopolitan has incredible positives, like making the game and clubs more ‘accessible’ to different nationalities across the globe, helping Americans to Ghanaians identify with a team because one of their own plays for that club. This helps grow the game worldwide.

But limits have to be established. Domestic fans need players to identify with, and like it or not, an English fan will identify with a Frank Lampard or a Steven Gerrard more than an Emmanuel Adebayor or a Tomas Rosicky.

The reason I single out Arsenal is because I feel it is inexcusable for a club of Arsenal’s enormous stature to field no English players, and to send zero to the World Cup. It is disheartening and discouraging.

Arsenal are a proud club, a good club that handles their business in a good manner. But Wenger should be called out on his reluctance to field English players, because he manages in the English Premier League and should understand that English players must be involved in his vision for the club. When he came to North London, the likes of David Seaman, Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon, David Platt, Ian Wright and Ray Parlour were in the side that won the Premier League in 1998.

That English spine has been steadily chipped away to near nonexistence. Besides, it is not as if Arsenal have been successful in recent years. Perhaps a rethink is due.

Hopefully the likes of Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Theo Walcott can actually get a fair shake from their French manager in the near future, because an Arsenal team with no English representation and an England national team with no Arsenal representation is good for no one.

How do Arsenal fans feel about having no players in the England team? Is it a non-issue, or does it rub you the wrong way?

Leave your comments below.

It was often said through out much of the last ten years that England’s midfield was its strongest point. With Beckham in his pomp and Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard ably assisted by a constant rotation of players wedged in to the left midfield position, it often felt a little hollow. In the big games, they disappeared too easily. Until Capello arrived, it was constantly suggested that Gerrard and Lampard couldn’t play together and to some degree it was correct. Yet, great players should be able to fit in to any system, regardless of their natural instincts.

For South Africa 2010, things are very different. Of course, Beckham has no chance to play in the World Cup, which is unfortunate. Gerrard has had his worst season since becoming a first team regular at Liverpool as Liverpool huffed and puffed their way through dull performance after dull performance. Even the ever consistent Lampard had his struggles at the beginning of the season as he tried to familiarise himself with Ancellotti’s diamond formation but has been rampant over the last few weeks.

Add to that the major worries that Capello has on England’s right side. Walcott out of form and in and out of the side, Shaun Wright-Phillips struggling and Aaron Lennon just returning to the Spurs squad. Of course, James Milner could easily slip into that position, but he’s been excellent playing through the middle for Villa this season and the managers quandary becomes apparent. The left side also is far from decided, with Joe Cole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and Ashley Young all having a claim on the position too.

Choices, choices choices but who to take. In 2006, Eriksson chose 9 midfielders in his squad of 23 and in 2002 took 7 midfielders. I’ve already picked 12 out of 23, which means I may have reflectively bump someone from the back line, but I’m going for 7 midfielders to join the squad.Gerrard, Lampard and Barry are all shoe-ins for me, no question. The question is who to add to that trio.

Crucially, James Milner has to be in, simply because he has been consistently outstanding this season. His ability to play on either wing, through the middle and even at right back cannot be overlooked. Sometimes a player who is so adaptable can sometimes be overlooked, but Milner’s case for inclusion is too strong. England’s record cap holder at Under 21 level has now progressed to becoming a valuable member of the squad. He has to be on the plane to South Africa.

That leaves several players scrapping for just 3 places, so best to rule a few out immediately. Adam Johnson, despite some rather unusual clamour for him to be included may find this is a tournament too early for him. He’s not really settled in to the Manchester City side, but is playing regularly but it would be a massive risk to take him as an international novice. Look at Theo Walcott in 2006, he never got a sniff of the first team and it probably cost England that they didn’t take Defoe or Bent instead. A bold move that backfired spectacularly.

Ashley Young is another one who is simply too widely inconsistent to be chosen along with Stewart Downing. Both Villa wing men can be devastating on their day but I don’t feel either can match the 3 wide players that I’ve chosen. Young is also easily got at, defenders can easily wind him up and he retreats into his shell too easily when things go against him. His distribution is so inconsistent as to be astounding, yes he may have pace by the bucket-load but invariably wastes great opportunities.

Downing, for all the clamour for a natural left footer, also flatters to deceive. I have constantly been amazed at the amount of hype this lad has had burdening him for so long because I can’t see what all the fuss is about. I’m assured by Middlesbrough fans he is a fantastic player, but I’ve never seen him have a great game, unlike some of his England rivals. So sorry, no place for him either.

The three I’ve plumped for may be classed as risks, but in the circumstances, all 3 can give us something the other contenders can’t. First up, Theo Walcott. The night he scored a hat trick against Croatia saw him jump in estimation, both in England and abroad. He has certainly continued to improve but still can’t force himself to become a regular at Arsenal. That’s no disrespect towards the lad, but he has been in devastating form for Arsenal when in form this year.

The other two may be the biggest risks of the lot, Joe Cole and Aaron Lennon. Both players have at times shown ability and skill that set them apart and both have benefited from the tutelage of Harry Redknapp. Lennon was highly regarded when he joined Spurs but he would be the first to admit that he’d slightly lost his way a little before Redknapp became manager. Until his injury, Lennon was playing the best football of his career and gave Spurs a thrust down the right flank that they’ve missed since December.

With him only just returning to fitness, Lennon could be a major risk but it could also be a bonus to take such devastating pace that has effectively had a four month break. Cole meanwhile has had similar struggles with injury and has the additional stress of his contract expiring in the summer. He is certain to be sure of plenty of suitors regardless of whether he stays at Chelsea or not. Cole has had a tough season but his grit is extremely underrated. Cole is a fighter, he digs in and he gives 100%, England can ask for nothing less.

So that’s my 7 midfielders for South Africa. Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Milner, Walcott, Lennon and Cole. With my choice of Ledley King too, it gives us cover in midfield if really required, but I feel those 7 can cover all eventualities. It’s got experience, pace, adaptability and skill. What do you think? Please let me know below:

It’s now April, 2010 – the World Cup and business end of the Premier League season both approach like a swarm of angry bees looking to sting before they’re stung. Injuries are piling up in England to key members of the national team as well as key components of the three headed monster that is the title race – race for fourth not excluded.

Wayne Rooney, Aaron Lennon, Ashley Cole, David Beckham, and Wayne Bridge are all currently sidelined, while Jermaine Defoe, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and others have either just returned to action or are just recently finding their best form.

Fabio Capello will lament the insanity of the Premier League schedule especially when the majority of his first team have also been involved in the Champions League or the race for next years competition. Fixtures, more specifically, the intensity of fixtures will pile up like your end of the week laundry while a nation holds their collective breath for June to arrive before anymore players succumb to injury.

In all of Capello’s worry and dread, which, let’s face it, is probably reserved for one player, he is in his own right a master tactician. Capello has been able to get the best out of a current crop of England players who failed to even qualify for the last major tournament, Euro 2008. Capello has turned McClaren’s abject failure into a potential World Cup semi final team, and if a little luck goes England’s way, maybe even the World Cup trophy itself.

Rooney, baring any additional unforeseen events, will lead England this summer. Capello never would have admitted to relying on one single player because he’s better than that. Realistically, it must be said that Wayne Rooney is seemingly irreplaceable in his own unique way. However, I believe there’s a player that can and will make a difference for the three lions if given the chance.

In his own right, one Theo James Walcott seems to be hitting the right form at the right time for his club which could give him the chance to prove his worth for country. His display against Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League quarter final last Wednesday was an inspired reminder of what a dangerous player he can be when fit and at his best.

Just as Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard did in the Champions League final in 2005, Walcott placed Arsenal upon his shoulders and led them bravely mid way through the second half of the Champions League tie when he scored Arsenal’s first goal en route to a famous draw. His blistering runs down the right side of midfield will give Barcelona’s Maxwell something to think about in the likely event they meet again in the return leg.

As Walcott proved last week, his pace and direct running with the ball can easily change a game in England’s or Arsenal’s favor. He’s proved he needs to be on that plane to South Africa with his performance on Wednesday and (although many have forgotten) his brilliant hat trick in Croatia last year.

On the other hand, Walcott has yet to prove whether or not he can be as effective for a full 90 minutes or for an entire season. A two month sprint til the end of the season or a month long tournament this summer may just be what Walcott needs to prove wrong his detractors.

With injuries piling up at the North London club as well as for England, Arsene Wenger will smile favorably upon Walcott’s recent form and fitness which has plagued him so much in his young career. The major question for young Theo really has always been fitness and whether or not he can avoid injury. In his time at Arsenal, Walcott has dealt with numerous injuries including a hamstring problem, knee knock and shoulder surgery.

As fantastic as Walcott was against Barcelona, so too has his season also been a slight disappointment. Walcott has only started back to back games for Arsenal once this season as he’s struggled with injury on and off all year. His appearances, which have produced 3 total goals for Arsenal, have been followed with mixed results from journalists and critics in the English media who so desperately want Walcott to perform at the best of his ability. One harsh critic of Walcott even went so far as to say “he lacks a football brain”.

First things first, Walcott will need to continue his effectiveness in attack for his club while maintaining his match fitness. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, he’ll look to use his pace, dribbling skills and crossing abilities to good effect in order to ensure he’ll play for England at the World Cup.

Whether or not he can do enough to warrant a spot in Capello’s starting eleven is yet to be seen. Out on the right, with David Beckham officially out of the picture, Walcott will face competition from Aaron Lennon (if fit), Shaun Wright-Phillips (goal scorer in England’s last match v Egypt), James Milner (probably preferred on the left), and possibly even the in-form Adam Johnson. If Walcott can build upon the performance he displayed in the Barcelona match, Capello will have no choice but to include him in his first choice team sheet.

As far as Arsenal is concerned, Wenger, unlike Capello, will have no choice but to immediately call upon the services of the pacy winger as a major injury crisis has struck the London side. Cesc Fabregas, William Gallas and Andrei Arshavin are all long term absentees. As they’ve lost some key players at the wrong time of the season, equally, Arsenal seem to have grown up this year. They’ve displayed a “fight-back”, gritty quality over the past few months that’s ultimately been an important characteristic they’ve lacked in years past.

In Saturday’s 1-0 home clash with Wolves, Walcott was the epitome of hot and cold. Arsenal used the right side of midfield to stretch Wolves defensive back line more times than I could count. On the day, Waloctt provided a handful of good crosses into the box, but for every relevant chance he produced, he was equally as wasteful.

Is Theo Walcott the answer for Arsenal and England? Time will tell, but ultimately, the answer to that question may not be as cut and dry as a simple yes or no. One thing’s for certain, if Theo can reproduce the form he’s displayed recently, his involvement for club and country will be cherished and England fans will be seeing Mr. Walcott for years to come.

Chelsea is a machine. Indestructible. Precise. Physical. Flawless. Arsenal is the total opposite. They’re more fluid, and play a beautiful brand of football that is easy on the eye. When the two opposing forces came together on Sunday afternoon, few would have predicted how Chelsea completely tore the Gunners apart, leaving behind an Arsenal side that looked lifeless on the green, wet pitch at Emirates Stadium.

If this wasn’t proof that Chelsea is going to run away with the Premier League title, I don’t know what is. In fact, I’ll go on record as saying that there’s no other team in Europe right now that can stop them from winning the Champions League trophy. Yes, they’re that good.

The most impressive aspect of Chelsea’s performance today was not up front where they scored three goals, but in defense. Chelsea’s defending was spectacular. But it wasn’t just the marking or the way their players came back to crowd the penalty box that impressed me the most, it was the pure physicality of Chelsea’s defense. And not physical in a negative way. Chelsea were physically bigger and stronger than Arsenal’s players who looked like pipsqueaks and were easily knocked off the ball (Nasri, Fabregas, Vela, Arshavin, Walcott, Denilson, Eduardo, and so on).

To be fair to Arsenal, the goal that the Gunners scored that was disallowed should have been ruled a goal. But as is often the case, annoyingly so, the referee gave an unfair advantage to Petr Cech despite Eduardo’s fair challenge for the ball. Despite that unfortunate decision by the ref, Arsenal will not be looking forward to the potential enquiry from the Football Association after one of their spectators threw a hand-held camera on to the pitch. Plus after Drogba scored Chelsea’s first goal, a rain of objects were thrown on the pitch including plastic bottles.

Calling Chelsea a machine is not meant to take anything away from how skillful Ancelotti’s side is. It’s just how perfect they seem to play their football in an almost machine-like manner where it seems impossible to beat them. Manchester United looks human next to Chelsea, capable of making basic errors and full of weaknesses, while Chelsea cruise forward seemingly with ease.

For Arsenal, it was another oh-so familiar game of football. Despite maintaining a lionshare of possession throughout the game, the side looks wimpy, was guilty of not taking shots when they had opportunities, took too many touches of the ball and appeared too predictable when moving forward. In comparison to Chelsea, the Blues were more direct with their football, more spontaneous and looked far more threatening when they had the ball in the final third.

Even with the addition of Theo Walcott, Arsenal lacked an explosive spark. The young Englishman who played down the right wing was far too reminiscent of a meandering Shaun Wright-Phillips as Walcott cruised down the wing but couldn’t do anything with the ball, often losing it underfoot or failing to get in a decisive cross.

Simply put, Arsenal was outplayed by a brilliant Chelsea side that achieved a massive psychological advantage of destroying the Gunners on their own turf. If Arsenal looked this bad at the Emirates, imagine how good Chelsea will look when they play the return match at Stamford Bridge.

So while Chelsea supporters, players and personnel will not admit it, the Premier League title is definitely in Chelsea’s bag and it’s not even the beginning of December yet. Chelsea is five points ahead of United, but in all reality Chelsea is miles in front of Manchester United in terms of confidence and performances. After all, Chelsea have now beaten Arsenal 3-0, Liverpool 2-0 and Manchester United 1-0. I don’t see anyone stopping them now.

Photo credit: Soccergoalx1.