Is there room for two old lions in South Africa?

November 17, 2009

WITH 205 days until the start of the World Cup in South Africa, the big question on every England fans lips is who will be in Fabio Capello’s 23-man squad this summer. An interesting point that I am choosing to examine is if Capello had to take Beckham or Owen with him, which player would he take. While most England fans would argue for Beckham’s inclusion, Michael Owen is a player who shouldn’t be overlooked and written off so easily.

Imagine the scenario; England are 1-0 down in the World Cup final against Germany with 20 minutes remaining, who would be more likely to come of the bench and turn the game on its head?

Beckham provides pinpoint accuracy from set pieces and crosses that trouble opposition defences and there is also no doubt that England’s ball retention improves when Beckham is on the field. His loan move to AC Milan will no doubt be of great benefit, as he will be playing against higher quality opponents and stronger defences. Beckham’s willingness to travel long distances to pull on the Three Lions shirt is admirable and is reflected in the effort and virtuous performances that he has put in for England recently. Beckham also brings a calm and experienced head to the team and his leadership qualities are vital to the team.

Owen on the other hand gave everybody a reminder that he hasn’t lost any of his predatory instincts in front of goal with the last minute winner that he dispatched in the Manchester derby. I’m sure if you asked any England fan ‘who they would want a last minute chance in the World Cup final to fall to?’ The majority of the nation would say Michael Owen. His introduction against Liverpool at Anfield coincided with Manchester United being able to get in behind the Liverpool defence for the first time in the match due to his guile and clever off the ball movement. While many feel that Owen has lost his pace he is by no means a pedestrian. However, Capello doesn’t seem to rate Owen, and his exclusion from the recent friendly against Brazil is another blow to his World Cup aspirations, yet his goal record speaks for itself and the late winner that Owen dispatched in the Manchester derby showed that he certainly hasn’t lost any of his predatory instincts.

In answer to my main question, I feel that Beckham would make the plane and Owen would be left to watch the World Cup at home. This is because Capello seems to favour the strike force of Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey and Jermain Defoe with form and injuries coming into play for which one he will take out of Peter Crouch and Carlton Cole.

Time will tell whether Capello can find room for both Beckham and Owen, however, I feel that if Owen can stay fit and come up with a good goals return for Manchester United then Capello will reward him with a place on the plane to South Africa. It is also my belief that Owen would be a perfect player to bring off the bench to grab a goal for England in the pressure situation of a World Cup. However, for England to grab a goal it will require excellent service and a player who can unlock the door, no footballer fits that bill more than David Beckham.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.