OK, so today it’s the defenders that made the 23. With the
injury to Barry and the call-up of Jagielka we are now taking 8 rather than 7,
so let’s have a look:
Glen Johnson
Like most Liverpool players, he didn’t tear up any trees
this season but he is experienced enough to do the job adequately. You worry
about the game against France though- Johnson is not particularly disciplined
in terms of keeping shape at the back, and he will be up against Ribery, who
will be interlinking with Nasri and Benzema. If Walcott (or whoever) is pinning
the opposition left-back back with pace, Johnson is an asset on the overlap. If
we are the ones being pinned back, you sense his positional play will be a bit
of a weakness.
Gary Cahill
The second starting centre half position will be between him
and Lescott. He was an asset to Chelsea during their push for (or, more
accurately, purchase of) the Champions League, and that kind of
backs-to-the-wall defending will no doubt stand him in good stead if he is
chosen to start. Still, he doesn’t fill me with that warm, safe, Tony
Adams-type feeling that a real English centre-half should. Probably the Chelsea
factor.
John Terry
Bleurgh. At least he’ll feel at home in ‘liberal’ Ukraine.
Joleon Lescott
Decent. The second centre half position is one where we have
good options. I thought he was excellent for Man City pretty consistently (with
the exception of that near-fatal header back to Cisse on the last day), and I
will be happy if he starts, with Cahill on the bench.
Ashley Cole
If you can look past the loathability (and I can’t), he’s a
very good left-back and one of the few players England have that would get into
most other international teams.
Phil Jagielka
It shows the relative strength in depth we have at centre
back that Jagielka is our fourth choice. He’s another decent if unspectacular
player, and there’s no shame in that when it’s unlikely that he’ll play at all.
Leighton Baines
I don’t love him or hate him, but he’s a decent, solid
left-back. I must admit I don’t watch Everton all that much, but I don’t recall
any massive Baines howlers. I’m in the rare position of hoping Ashley Cole
doesn’t get injured, but if he does, at least we have another qualified
left-back (unlike at right-back). This will probably be Cole’s last tournament
and so it will be good to get Baines some international experience so he can
disappoint us next time around.
Phil Jones
Is more likely to be used in case of injury (or confidence-shattering
mishap) to Glen Johnson than anywhere in the centre. This is worrying. The man with the rubber face
is not really a right-back at all. At Man. United he has been pinged from
position to position like a Chelsea WAG and has suffered for it. Clearly a
great prospect for the future but why take him as specific right-back cover? Ah
yes. The lack of viable alternatives. That’s why.
So, there you have it. I think if there is any chance of us
progressing out of the group, it will have to be down to an extremely tight
defence, because I can’t see us setting the world alight with our attackers.
Luckily, this is probably the strongest area of the squad. A starting back four
of Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole, whilst not exactly Italy in 2006 , is
experienced and looks good on paper. There is convincing back-up everywhere but
at right-back. Let me remind you that Greece won Euro 2004 scoring only 7 goals.
Spain won the World Cup scoring 8. In tournament football, clean sheets are
everything, and I’m feeling surprisingly positive about the defence overall.
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