Can I get paid out on an England World Cup victory yet?

Oh, England. Why must you tease me so?

I know, I know, it’s all my own fault, I believed that things would be different. Forget looking through the squad list and seeing distinguished names like Robert Green, Jamie Carragher, Michael Carrick and Shawn Wright Phillips. This would be our year, an easy group to warm up for the real stuff. Four minutes into this easy group, Captain Fantastic ‘Self Defence’ Stevie has shrugged off his personal issues and fired us one up…

All must be rosy from here, we’ve got Capello instilling discipline, Rio’s out of the squad, ENGLAND’S NUMBER SIX is between the sticks, £30million man Milner is finally getting his chance to shine & Ledley is fit.

Ah, of course not. England’s number six has somehow found himself on the plane, and, bafflingly in the starting eleven. Letting in weaker shots than Flowers against Collymore, Milner’s hauled off before he’s sent off, as he can’t time a tackle or know how to just stand up and Ledley can only do half a match.

Hauling Milner off gave Capello a chance to go with the talented Joe Cole, but instead went with the speedy SWP, which I didn’t disagree with, as the US right back was attacking, and England were a goal up at the time. SWP is fitter and faster, good for tracking and hitting the counter. However, having two wingers who can’t cross a ball is probably an error of judegment,  the amount of times Lennon got down the right and knocked it back to no-one was brilliantly predictable. Despite him being the golden boy for the right midfield spot, he still can’t cross a ball.

The right midfield spot is a tough one, Walcott doesn’t deliver consistently enough (I’d start him though), Beckham is injured, SWP and Lennon can run, and that’s it. David Bentley has got a beautiful delivery but is too slow, there’s one player I always think of for the right midfield spot, and I don’t known why he’s not considered. Jermaine Pennant. I know, I know, Pennant is a dick, but, he can get past full backs, he’s fast and he’s got a great delivery. Why not?

Despite my obvious whinging, England weren’t that bad, they just weren’t very good, but could easily have won the match, if Heskey had the ability to score, or if Lennon could cross, or finish. At least Wazza didn’t get sent off.

Still, two winnable games left, top spot is still on!