Wimbledon Day 2 - Seeds on Song As Big Names Progress

Twelve months ago it felt strange watching the second week of Wimbledon without seeing the seven time champion Roger Federer.

When the Swiss lost to Sergiy Stakhovsky in the second round last year it brought an end his unprecedented run of 36 consecutive Grand Slam quarter finals and was his earliest defeat at the Championships since a first round defeat back in 2002.  



There was no repeat of Federer's shock exit last year

As refreshing and entertaining as it was to see Stakhovsky serve-volley and approach the net on every point, there was a sense of disappointment that Federer wouldn’t feature beyond the second round.

However a repeat of that this year looks extremely unlikely, especially if Federer’s first round demolition of Italian Paolo Lorenzi is anything to go by. Of course there will be tougher tasks ahead for the Swiss , but on this performance alone he looked back to his fluent best and dropped just five games on his way to a 6-1 6-1 6-3 in just I hour 33 minutes.

A lot has been made about Federer’s potential semi-final with Rafael Nadal which could see the pair face each other for the first time on grass since their memorable final at SW19 back in 2008.

But Nadal hasn’t been past the second round at the All England Club since he reached the final back in 2011. The Spaniard faced  much a tougher first round when he came up against Slovak Martin Klizan who managed to clinch the first set before Nadal finally prevailed 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-3.

Nadal will now face another dangerous opponent in the Czech Lukas Rosol, the man who knocked him out at the same stage two years ago.

Elsewhere Jo-Wilfred Tsonga finished off his five set marathon to beat Jurgen Melzer in a match which had been carried over from the previous day. There were also wins for Lleyton Hewitt, Richard Gasquet and Gaël Monfils.

John Isner made sure that Andy Murray was the only Brit left standing in the men’s draw after the American beat Dan Smethurst 7-5 6-3 6-4.

However it wasn’t all bad news for the Brits as Heather Watson joined compatriots  Murray and Naomi Broady in the second round with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Croatian Ajla Tomljanovic.Next up for Watson is a tricky task against the ninth seed German Angelique Kerber who was also a straight sets winner over Urszula Radwanska.

Last year’s runner up Sabine Lisicki, who often produces he best tennis at Wimbledon, began her campaign with a comfortable 6-2 6-1 win against Julia Glushko While former Champions Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams also powered their way through to the second round with minimum fuss.

 

 

Wimbledon Day 1 - Murray Begins Title Defence

We all remember that day last year when Andy Murray made history by lifting the Wimbledon trophy on Centre Court, ending Britain’s 78 year wait for a male singles Champion.

350 days later the Brit faces a different pressure from the sort he came up against 12 months ago or at any previous Wimbledon for that matter. Only Murray himself will know if the task of defending his title is more daunting than claiming it in the first place. 

Murray received a warm reception from the Centre Court crowd

But if any nerves were expected from last year’s Champion they certainly didn’t show. Murray was in the same bullish mood which saw him carve through last year’s draw, as he opened the 2014 Championships with a 6-1 6-4 7-5 over Belgium’s David Goffin in a time of 2 hours 2 minutes.

It was an ideal match up for Murray whose early exit at the Aegon Championships just under two weeks ago came as an unexpected blip. Goffin, aged 23, is a player who after a promising junior career and a ranking as high as 42 has slipped down to 105 in the world. At times he played better than that however he was still far from a match for Murray.

A year ago it was eight time Grand Slam Champion Ivan Lendl who was the main attraction in Murray’s entourage. Twelve months on the calm Czech has moved on and in his place steps another major winner in Amélie Mauresmo, the Frenchwoman won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006 while holding the world number one ranking.

If there were any early doubts about the Murray/ Mauresmo partnership they were soon evaporated in the first set. The Brit broke his opponent’s serve in the second game and never looked like surrendering it back.

Murray’s combination of power and craft from the back of the court was too much for Goffin who showed flashes of his talent but in comparison to Murray was unarmed and simply didn’t have the weapons to trouble the defending Champion. A second break soon followed as Murray stormed to the opening set for the loss of a single game in just twenty-nine minutes.

The second set appeared to be going the same way, as Murray comfortable on his own serve, broke again to lead 2-1. However Goffin wasn’t going lie down as easily and at least made the score line competitive by holding serve, nevertheless it was too late to save the set from Murray’s clutches.

The Brit said after the match that “it was a very high standard”. That was to Goffin’s credit, in the third set the Belgian produced his best tennis of the contest, a memorable backhand passing shot was comfortably the highlight of his afternoon.    

Goffin’s attack was gathering momentum and Murray, who had been immaculate on serve, was forced to save two break points mid-way through the set. But once they had slipped through Goffin’s grasp it was business as usual for the defending champion as he made his move at 5-5 breaking the Belgian once more before serving out the match and finishing with an ace.

The only other British success on day one came in the Women’s draw from Naomi Broady who won her first ever match at a Grand Slam to beat Hungary's Timea Babos 2-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-0.

Elsewhere Johanna Konta lost 6-4 3-6 6-4 to China's Peng Shuai. While in the men’s draw there were first round defeats for James Ward, Dan Evans, Dan Cox and Kyle Edmund.

Spain's Reign Ends

Spain     0        Chile     2    

                                                     Vargas  19      Aránguiz 43 

 

 

The Spanish sides of 2010 and 2014 were both history makers but for very different reasons.

Four years ago Spain didn’t just win the World Cup in South Africa they won it in a way which changed the complexion of football, rebuilding the game around possession and keeping the ball. ”Tiki taka” as it was known, was the new way to play.



Sergio Busquets rues his missed second half chance

Yet four years on it’s a completely different story. Spain’s defeat to Chile last night ended their eight year dominance in which they had claimed a World Cup and two European championships; it certainly felt like the end of an era for a team which many had labelled as the greatest team of all time.  

But it was the manner they went out which was must disappointing. After being crushed 5-1 by Holland in their opening group game this was a match Spain had to win and in truth that never looked like happening.

Chile were more than worthy of their 2-0 victory following goals from Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz. They were simply better in every department, playing with energy, passion and a policy to win the ball back quickly.

For 90 minutes Chile’s pressure was relentless, they rushed Spain into mistake after mistake, as their once winning tactics appeared outdated and ineffective. Could this be this be another sign that the game is moving on?

Following their defeat to the Dutch, Spain’s manager Vicente Del Bosque elected to drop the influential Xavi, the man who has been the backbone of the Spanish side during their success.

Nevertheless this was by no means a weak Spanish side, any team on the planet would crave to have a midfield containing Xavi Alonso, David Silva and Andres Iniesta. But on this occasion it wasn’t enough.

Over the course of the match Spain were in possession of the ball 63% of the time however they rarely threatened Chile keeper Claudio Bravo and were forever pinned back by a wave of white Chilean shirts

In comparison Chile were quick and sharp on the counter attack and took the lead on 19 minutes. Spain were caught in possession midway inside their own half and before they could recover Chile had broken away in force. Arturo Vidal played a neat through ball to Aranguiz in the Spain penalty area; he then had time to square the ball to Vargas whose calm touch took him away from Spanish keeper Iker Casillas allowing him to covert from close range.

Surely their would be a reaction from the defending champions, the side that had conquered Europe and the world in recent tournaments. But Spain never looked like coming up with an answer.

Their passing was off; even the usual reliable Alonso just wasn’t at the races. Upfront lone striker Diego Costa still appeared to be struggling with the same injury that forced him to be substituted in the early stages of the Champions League and looked well short of match fitness. The fluent elegant passing which has become the feature of the Spanish game was nowhere to be seen.

On the stroke of half time Spain’s situation went from bad to red alert. Alexis Sanchez went for goal from a promising Chile free kick which Casillas should have caught. Instead he elected to punch the ball away, a decision which proved costly as it dropped at the feet of Aranguiz who prodded the ball home to double Chile’s lead.

That proved to be the killer not only to the match but to Spain’s hopes of reaching the last sixteen. They desperately searched for a way back into the game but their chances were rare, Costa’s touch let him down when he was played through on goal, while Sergio Busquets squandered a golden chance when the goal appeared to be at his mercy.

However there was no bombardment at the Chile goal or a late onslaught to save the Spanish crown, as the Champions never looked like scoring and their immaculate run ended with a whimper rather than a fight until the end.

They become desperate only threatening Bravo in the Chile goal through long range shots from Iniesta and substitute Sani Carzorla, but both were a comfortable height for keeper.

Four years ago Spain made history in the way they won the World Cup, yesterday they made history as it was the first time the defending champions have been the first team sent packing. How times have changed and what will this unpredictable World Cup throw up next?

French Open Day 3 - Murray And Watson Back On Track

For Andy Murray and Heather Watson 2013 was a year full of ups and downs.

Murray’s back surgery in late September meant he missed the final months of tour last year, and despite his triumph at Wimbledon the British number one dropped out of the world’s top five for the first time since 2008.

Watson on the other hand started last year as one of the top 50 players in the Women’s game, but suffered a major setback after contracting glandular fever.  This left her unprepared at the big events last summer causing a subsequent slip back down the rankings.

However after a tough few months the British pair both appear well on course to steer their respective careers back on track as yesterday they progressed to the second round of this year’s French Open.

After missing Roland Garros last year Murray’s opening match against world number 53 Andrey Golubev had the potential to be tough encounter and the Brit didn’t have it all his own way before finally prevailing 6-1 6-4 3-6 6-3

For two sets at least Murray was in fine form, his superb returning and solid defence was simply too much for Golubev who was attempting winners from all areas of the court but failing to consistently hit his targets.

The one negative for Murray was that his serve was dwindling well below its usual level. At one stage in the third set the Brit’s first serve percentage was only fractionally above 30% and Golubev capitalised to convert three of his five break points.

Murray will be the first to know those stats will have to improve if he is to progress over the next fortnight, however his assured recovery in the fourth set was a sign that he is rediscovering his best form and as expected will challenge deep into the second week.

For Watson who is currently ranked 92^nd in the world her straight sets win over Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova was a major step forward in a bid to reinstate herself as a top 50 player.

In comparison Zahlavova Strycova has a ranking of 63 but came out second best to Watson who after qualifying for the main draw last week thoroughly deserved her 6-3 6-4 victory in this first round encounter earning a second round clash against Romanian 4^th seed Simona Halep.

The shock of the day came in the first match on the Philippe Chatrier where this year’s Australian Open winner and 2^nd seed Li Na was sent packing after losing 7-5 3-6 6-1 to France’s Kristina Mladenovic.

That result meant that for the first time in history the Australia Open Champion’s from in both the men’s and women’s draw had both lost in the first round in Paris following Stanislas Wawrinka dismissal the previous day.

In the men’s draw there was a surprise defeat for Grigor Dimitrov at the hands of big serving giant Ivo Karlovic, elsewhere David Ferrer and home favourites Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet all progressed.

French Open Day 2 - Iron Man Robredo Too Good For Ward

James Ward has the potential to be a top 60-80 player according to his Davis Cup team mate and Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray.

Ward may have lost his first round match against veteran Tommy Robredo in yesterday’s French Open first round; however the current British number 3 showed plenty of signs that at 27 he could still for fill Murray’s prediction.

 Next up for Ward are the grass courts at Queens and Wimbledon

For a set and a half Ward, ranked 167 in the world, was in control of proceedings against the 17^th seed Robredo, a man who in last year’s competition became the first man in Grand Slam history to come back from two sets down on three successive occasions.

That remarkable achievement earned the Spaniard the nickname “iron man” and he had to show plenty of toughness to overcome an inspired Ward eventually winning a rain interrupted match 4-6 6-4 6-2 6-4.

Despite going down an early break of serve in the third game Ward didn’t panic and managed flip the match in his favour as he claimed the majority of points from the back of the court.

However Robredo who is competing at his twelfth French Open, where he has made five quarter finals had been in many similar situations. Once the Spaniard had wrestled his way to a tight second set his higher pedigree was clear to see.

Ward who had won three close matches just to qualify in Paris didn’t go away and demonstrated the same determination and fighting spirit which has helped him overcome top 50 players Dmitry Tursonov and Sam Querry in the recent Davis Cup ties.

But on this occasion it wasn’t quite enough as Robredo’s vast experience helped him produce his best tennis in the key moments.  As expected he proved a tough nut to crack for Ward on his French Open debut.

Nevertheless the Brit should take great confidence away from this last week in Paris, not only to qualify for his first major on clay but to once again go toe to toe with a top 20 player in a best of five set match.

Next up for Ward are the grass courts at Queens Club before his chance at Wimbledon in four weeks’ time.  A good run there is not out of the question and could make the Brit more of a familiar face at Grand Slam level.

The biggest story of the day came in the men’s draw where 3^rd seed and Australian Open Champion Stanislas Wawrinka suffered a shock four sets defeat at the hands of the Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

There were no such problems for the two overwhelming favourites Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic who both progressed in less than two hours with minimum fuss. Elsewhere Grand Slam debutant Facundo Bagnis recorded a memorable victory beating Julien Benneteau 18-16 in an enduring fifth set.

On the women’s side Maria Sharapova and former runner up Sam Stosur were both comfortable winners, while 5^th seed Petra Kvitova and Australian Open runner up Dominika Cibulkova also progressed.

    

 

 

French Open Day 1 - Classy Federer Has His Mojo Back

When Roger Federer left Roland Garros twelve months ago, he left with doubts whether he would ever add to his prestigious seventeen Grand Slam titles.

The Swiss’ straight sets defeat to Jo Wilfred Tsonga in last year’s French Open quarter final was seen by many as the start of the great man’s fall from grace and was followed by unforeseeable defeats to Sergiy Stakhovsky at Federer’s beloved  Wimbledon and Tommy Robredo at the US Open.

Federer took little time to reach the second round

But one year on from his defeat to Tsonga, Federer is back in Paris and at 32 years of age appears to have his mojo back. His first round victory over Slovakian Lukas Lacko was as routine as they come. In 84 minutes Federer struck 40 winners, 7 seven aces and dropped only 5 points on serve to win a one sided encounter 6-2 6-4 6-2.

His draw doesn’t look too bad either, next he will face qualifier Diego Sebastian Schwartzman and despite a potential semi-final with Novak Djokovic his route there appears more than achievable.

So what are the differences from last year? For starters he has appointed 6 time major champion and boyhood hero Stefan Edberg as his coach and has recently took time off the tour due to the birth of his second set of twins.

Really this was an ideal opening match for Federer, Lacko is a solid tour player ranked 87 in the world but he doesn’t have the weapons to really challenge those at the top of the game.

Unlike that incredible upset against Stakhovsky, this never felt like a match that Federer could possibly lose and like so many times in the past the Phillipe Chartrier crowd were left to admire the shear brilliance and class only Federer can bring to a tennis court.

The Swiss’ artistic shot making and calm demeanour was too much for Lacko who buckled in the fifth game of the match to hand Federer an early break of serve. Even then it was hard to see a way back for the Slovak, like Edberg, Federer approached the net on every opportunity and abruptly sailed into the distance.

Lacko never saw a break point on the Federer serve and can consider himself a little unlucky after his first round draw against Djokovic at the Australian Open in January.

For Federer this was a perfect way to start the only Grand Slam he hasn’t won on more than one occasion, with the likes of Rafael Nadal and Djokovic around it would take some effort for him to win it again, but one thing is for sure- Federer is a threat once more and that can only be a good thing for the sport.

Earlier on Chatrier, 3^rd seed in the Women’s draw Agnieszka Radwanska beat Shuai Zhang for the loss of just three games before Serena Williams began her title defence with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Alize Lim. Elsewhere in the men’s draw home favourite Tsonga beat fellow Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-6(4) 7-5 6-2.

My England World Cup Selection

The countdown to the2014 World Cup has reached 32 days to go, but for Roy Hodgson the decisions have already begun. Tomorrow afternoon we’ll all know the ins, the outs, that player no one expected and the one that missed his chance as the England manager prepares to name his 23 man squad to take to Brazil.

Will he go for form, youth or experience? The wise choice would surely be a bit of each, but with many places still in doubt and opinions divided, there’s bound a talking point or two.

 

Here are the 23 players who I would take this Summer .

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart- Struggled for form mid-way through the season and lost his place in the Manchester City team, but since then England’s number one keeper has returned to the heights of two years ago and is Hodgson’s obvious first choice between the sticks.

Fraser Forster- At 6ft 7 Celtic’s keeper is an imposing figure to any striker. This season he set a new club record for the Scottish giants, keeping 11 clean sheets in a row and has played at the top level in the Champions League against the likes of Barcelona and AC Milan.

Ben Foster- After being a hot prospect at Manchester United, Foster’s chance to become one of the world’s best keepers appeared to peter out through a combination of injuries and mistakes. However after successful seasons at Watford, Birmingham and his current club West Brom, Foster is once again in contention for his country and could provide useful backup in Rio.

Defenders

Gary Cahill- Following the careers of Campbell, Ferdinand and Terry the current English centre backs have been left with big boots to fill, but if anyone looks like stepping up to the plate its Gary Cahill. Under new manager Jose Mourinho the Chelsea defender has had the season of his life and alongside Terry has been a major part of the Blues stern defence which has conceded less league goals than any other team this season.

Phil Jagielka- Everton’s captain has been in the core of the Toffee’s success ever since his move to Goodison Park in 2007. His 24 caps for the national team also show what a key part he has become in the England setup, where he has formed a decent partnership with Cahill, and the pair look set to be England’s first choice centre backs.

Glen Johnson- The Liverpool defender grabbed England’s vacant right back position with both hands following Gary Neville’s retirement. Now a regular for both club and country Johnson is relatively sound when dealing with his defensive duties but also carries a threat going forward. His 50 England caps accumulated under the management of both Hodgson and Fabio Capello show that he is a managers’ favourite and reliable choice.

Leighton Baines- His 22 appearances for England would have surely been more if it wasn’t for the consistency of Ashley Cole. However with Cole no longer a first team regular at Chelsea, Baines now looks ready to step up to the plate on the left side of England’s defence. This season has been another great campaign for Baines at Everton, where his crosses and set pieces have been a valuable asset to the Toffies 5^th place finish.

Phil Jones- United’s defender clearly has the attributes to be a top player one day, however at times Jones’ mistakes have suggested that he isn’t quite ready yet. It’s been a tough season all round for United but in Jones they have a defender whose strength, height and power mean he can play centre back, full back or even centre midfield. His versatility should also help England even if he only starts on the bench

Chris Smalling- Another United defender who has received some flack this season in the clubs fall from grace. However Smalling has been around the England setup for a while and has experience of playing for his country, he is strong, good in the air and would provide backup if Cahill or Jagielka became unavailable. Still only 24 he has time on his side and could still have a big part to play for England even if this season has been a minor blip.

Luke Shaw- England’s left back position has been a major talking point over recent months. With Baines almost certain to go as first choice, Hodgson must make the decision whether to take the experienced Ashley Cole or 18 year old Luke Shaw. Personally I would go for Shaw, while Cole has been sat on the Chelsea bench, Shaw’s performances for Southampton have been extraordinary. He defends well, picks his moments to get forward and could be the regular England left back in years to come.

Kyle Walker/ Micah Richards- If Kyle Walker recovers from injury and is fit enough to go he would be my back up for Johnson at right back. He’s been a regular at Tottenham all season and despite being a little suspect defensively he has bags of pace and gets forward with purpose. If Walker doesn’t recover I’d go with Micah Richards, who in my opinion is unfortunate not to be a regular Manchester City’s team. Despite only featuring twice this season he would be a solid replacement and can place centre or right back.  

Midfielders

Steven Gerrard- Captain for club and country, Gerrard’s ticket for Brazil must have been booked months ago. Despite his age this season at Liverpool has been one of his best where he has flourished in a deeper midfield role just in front of the back four. His range of passing is still as good as anyone on the planet and his passion and leadership will be crucial to help guide and motivate the rest of the squad. At 33 this could be Gerrard’s last chance of winning silverware with England and that should make him even more determined.

Adam Lallana- Southampton’s captain has simply gone from strength to strength this season bagging himself 9 league goals and contributing with 6 assists from midfield. His fluent passing and distribution of the ball has been a joy to watch and he thoroughly deserved his place in the PFA team of the year. In past tournaments it’s been well documented that England doesn’t retain the ball enough or for long periods, could Lallana be the player they have been crying out for?

Raheem Sterling- In the second half of this season Liverpool’s 19 year old wonder kid has took the Premier League by storm. His pace both with and without the ball has been a key part of Liverpool’s prolific attack which has blown many teams away this campaign. Under the management of Brendon Rodgers, Sterling’s confidence has reached an all-time high. His first goal against Norwich in April will be a contender for goal of the season, while his speed on counter attack can hurt any team.

Jack Wilshere- There are many who believe taking Wilshere is a gamble that’s not worth taking due to the question marks over his fitness.  After missing the back end of the Premier League season with Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has said that Wilshere will be ready for the World Cup, as far as I can see that’s a huge positive. Wilshere is another player who is good on the ball and can make decisive runs from midfield, Arsenal’s record with the 22 year old in the side is far better than when they are without him.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain- Another Arsenal youngster who has stacks of potential. Before this season Oxlade- Chamberlain was known for his pace and power on the wing, however this campaign “The Ox” , as he is known, has also become accustomed to playing a role in the centre of midfield where he has displayed some mature and assured performances. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s versatility could be big benefit for England and if his form continues the intelligent playmaker could become a regular for his country.

James Milner-The Manchester City midfielder has been the “safe option” for both Hodgson and Capello in recent tournament. He may not be a regular at City but Milner’s a solid midfielder who has experience, knowledge and can play anywhere in midfield. Milner is more defensive minded and different compared to England’s other option’s; he will provide a better balance to the team even if he doesn’t have the flair that some of his younger compatriots do.

Jordan Henderson- Like Sterling, Henderson has finally come of age in the red shirt of Liverpool this season. He’s been a regular at Anfield forming a strong midfield partnership with Gerrard, who’s been helped by Henderson’s extra energy and mobility in the middle of the park. His 34 league appearances alone show the big part he has played in Liverpool’s title bid, he’s also chipped in with 4 goals and 7 assists, so in my opinion he deserves his chance this summer.         

Ross Barkley- England’s promising youth doesn’t stop there and my final selection in midfield would be Ross Barkley. After loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds, the 20 year old play maker has now cemented his place in the Everton first team where he has thrived under new manager Roberto Martinez. His speed and power allow him to skip past defenders at will on the counter attack, he’s got the qualities to be match winner which could be crucial for England to progress

Strikers

Wayne Rooney- We’re still yet to see the best of Rooney in an England shirt, but this could be his year to step up to his best on the biggest stage. At times he has single-handily carried Manchester United through their toughest season for decades, scoring 17 league goals in 29 appearances. He’s undoubtedly a world class talent but the question is where his best position is? Personally I’d like to see him start in the number 10 position behind Daniel Sturridge where Rooney can create chances, link up play in midfield and ultimately score goals.

Daniel Sturridge- With 20 goals this season Sturridge currently sits second in the Premier League’s top scorers list, where he only trails his Liverpool team mate Luis Suarez. The question now is can Sturridge reproduce that form in the England jersey where he will more than likely receive less goal scoring opportunities than at Liverpool. In the past Sturridge has been played on the wing for England but this Summer I’d like to see him played through the middle as the main striker, the role he has more than succeeded in at Liverpool.

Danny Welbeck- It’s surprising Welbeck hasn’t been more of a regular at Old Trafford in Manchester United’s time of need. Many will argue that Welbeck doesn’t score enough goals or take his chances; however the 23 year old forward has shown what a threat he can be for both club and country. He can hold the ball up and bring team mates into play. He is powerful and can break away with purpose on the counter attack and can provide a useful outlet for England in Brazil.

Andy Carroll- There is always one player who sneaks into the squad at the last minute and this time I think it could be Carroll. Hodgson is likely to take either Carroll or Ricky Lambert for their height and aerial threat upfront, at 25 Carroll has time on his side over Lambert (32) and despite him not having too much game time at West Ham this season I would still take Carroll as England’s plan B to give them a different option.

And here’s why I wouldn’t take  

Michael Carrick- At the start of this season I would have said Carrick was almost certain to go, however this campaign he’s been a shadow of the player he was in Manchester United’s title winning side. He’s provided no assists from midfield and been caught out defensively on numerous occasions. At 32 his England days could be behind him.      

Frank Lampard- Now 35 Lampard is still going strong and has shown that he can still compete at the top level in this season’s Champions League. It will be a difficult call to leave Lampard out but Hodgson needs to think about building for the future and developing the young talent that he has on offer.

Ashley Cole- He’s been England’s reliable left back for years, but now it finally looks like it’s time for Cole to make way. He hasn’t been a regular at Chelsea this season and doesn’t have the same attacking threat that Baines does. In Luke Shaw England have a left back who, like Cole, could be an England regular for years to come which could mean he gets the nod at Cole’s expense.      

Ricky Lambert-When England were short of strikers in qualifying match against Moldova and Ukraine Lambert got his chance and impressed while representing his country. He’s had another good season for Southampton; however I would still take Carroll as I think he is more of a threat in the air and a bigger handful for defenders to deal with.    

Agree Or Disagree, who would you take?