Football: England revival leaves Rooney battling for place in team
목요일 9월 13, 2007
by Steve Griffiths
LONDON (AFP) - John Terry believes England's impressive understudies have shown nobody can take their place in Steve McClaren's side for granted, not even Wayne Rooney.
With David Beckham, Rooney, Frank Lampard and Gary Neville sidelined through injury, McClaren turned to a group of players who might lack the star quality of those names, but more than made up for that with their desire to impress.
Gareth Barry, Emile Heskey, Micah Richards and Shaun Wright-Phillips all played key roles as England kick-started their spluttering Euro 2008 qualifying campaign with wins over Israel and Russia.
McClaren will be hard-pressed to find a place for any of his quartet of absent stars in next month's matches against Estonia and the Russians.
England captain Terry was stretching a point when he claimed even he can't afford to let his standards slip as competition for places hots up.
But the message was clear. McClaren has finally got his players battling to stay in the side and the result has been two much improved performances that took England into second in Group E.
"No-one's guaranteed a place now," Terry said. "Everybody feels it. I really feel I've got to go back to Chelsea now and perform at my highest because there's players like Wes Brown, Joleon Lescott and Michael Dawson in the squad.
"They're players wanting my place. We've got to maintain our level of performance week in, week out, when we're away with England, training every day and in the games.
"Everybody coming into the squad really wanted to fight for their place, especially Gareth Barry, Shaun Wright-Phillips. It's great to see and we've got that throughout the squad.
"Players who aren't on the bench are determined to work harder on the next trip and make the starting line-up. That's the determination we've got throughout the squad.
"We've done very well but we've got some key players coming back. That's a decision for the manager to make.
"We've got a lot of Premiership games coming up but hopefully everybody will stay fit and give the manager a difficult decision to make."
Such was the force of Heskey's impact alongside Owen that McClaren now faces an previously unthinkable dilemma. Could he leave out Manchester United star Rooney for Heskey?
If he does opt to keep faith with the muscular Wigan striker, few would complain.
Certainly not Terry, who appreciated how well the front two combined as Heskey's physical presence helped Owen score three times in the two qualifiers.
"Emile's been different class," he said. "You find yourself on the pitch when he holds the ball up saying 'fantastic Emile, fantastic'.
"All through the game and in the last game as well, he was different class, and the partnership he struck up with Michael has been fantastic.
"Michael's always showed he has that cutting edge. Whenever you get chances you can't wish them to fall to anyone else than Michael Owen. He's such a great finisher and works so hard."
While Owen and Heskey dominated at one end of the pitch, England goalkeeper Paul Robinson was enjoying his eighth cleansheet in nine Euro qualifiers at the other.
Robinson's place was in jeopardy after his mistake against Germany last month, but McClaren stuck by him and the Spurs star is repaying that faith.
"A week's a long time in football and to be stood here now with two clean sheets under my belt is pleasing," Robinson said.
"I feel slightly different from the way I did three weeks ago. But as quickly as it turns one way it can turn the other way. I'm not going to take anything for granted.
"The manager's been excellent. He's been very strong. He's got his ideas and he's picked a winning team that's played well as well. You've got to give him credit."
On a side note... If Hesky's ability is to hold up de ball and be a physical presence up front (like Stern John)then who is our Michael Owen.
Yuh cya play a hold up man unless yuh have a finisher alongside him or else you will have limited goals hence de T&T setup. So maybe Stern still has a place in de form of a (Emile Hesky) but we need a fella like Scotty now to finish dem off or we wasting time. Stern cya play no lone striker and by de way... Kenwayne hot on stern heels for dat Hesky role bringing a little more mobility as well. De forward line look in good shape if de right coach can use de right players de right way. (providing he have dem in de first place).
Imagine Shrek gettin bench alongside lampard... lard have his mercy. Dat is what we talkin bout. Obviously Shrek have more depth than Owen and all round is a better player but Owen is a scoring machine and when he gets in his element he go kill somebody.
Beenieman coulda well run Latas next to stern in de final quarter of any game and change de ting a little bit.
