Bentley? At this rate, he'll never play for England again. He is, at best, fourth-choice right-winger behind Walcott, Beckham and the rejuvenated Wright-Phillips - he's even got Aaron Lennon to contend with in his own, awful, Spurs team.
Seriously though yo, even though Spurs woes will obviously keep him away from English selection on form he is still a better pick than SWP & Lennon who although are faster than him, SWP especially internationally seems to always run into defenders, Bentley overall package is more sound.
But then again it still all comes down to form come 2010.
I guess you can also throw Young as an option on the right, given that i doubt Capello views him as a natural LW option given his right footedness. Technically outside the international regulars of Cole, Becks he is has been the most consistent English "winger" for the past season & an half now, better than even Theo
Also, if you're only going to be "coming on for five minutes just to whip in a cross", then what difference does age make? Said it before, I'll say it again - Beckham never had pace to lose, and he's one of the fittest players around. Wouldn't be remotely surprised to see him in the 2010 squad. Heck of a lot more likely than David "I'm too tired" Bentley, anyway, who as far as I'm concerned can rot in the Championship with Spurs until he's decided England are worth his time.
, good rant indeed Barnes. Again though no doubt i can see Beckham being apart of the 2010 sqaud, once he does what i've been calling for him to do in this latter part of his career in becoming more of deep-lying playmaker (which Ancelotti seems to believe he'll play him as in Milan), i don't want him to be considered as an option on the right-wing anymore.
You could say the same thing about Barry TBH, he could play down the left but i wouldn't want to see him there internationally. Even as a sub for 5 minutes. It just affects the whole balance of the squad
If a possible 23 looks come 2010 looks this this:
GK: James, Foster, Kirkland/Green
DEF: Rio, JT, Woodgate, Richards, Cole, Bridge, Brown
MID: Stevie G, Lamps, Hargreaves, Barry, Carrick/Beckham, Cole, Walcott, SWP/Young/Bentley, Taylor
STR: Rooney, Heskey, Owen, Ashton/Crouch/Gabby.
Even if Capello's structure is different to this, point is if 4 wingers are picked picking a potentially 35 year old Becks as a Right-wing option for me is wrong.
I always used to say post Croatia that the MAIN reason Beckham should be around the international side is well, ENG had NO fluency in the middle of the park & well Becks dead ball expertise was pretty much the only way we seemed as if we are going to score & throughout the EURO 08 qualifiers that really was the case.
Capello to date has found that fluency, so i don't think even though his dead ball skill are still very useful, on the field of play if you only think he is useful for a 5 minute run where hopefully you get a dead-ball situation for him to exploit. Isn't right for me especially when you got guys like Bentley, Young, SWP, Bentley who can offer pace, scare defenses & cross well (Bentley of course), which ATM with England's fluid mid-field play i'd rather have in my squad.
But as i'm saying he could & should be used in a more central role, since if he gets a good go in Italy, his passing game all-round IMHO is better than Carrick or Barry & he should be challenging for a place there not on the wing.
