Ledley King

[folkestonesgull]

i'd start with king and dawson for england. games aren't kings problem, its training over a season.

You dont need to properly train during a world cup.

 

[brightonben]

I have been telling Ben that all season, perhaps he will now believe me.

no he wont JT best centre half

 

[Marshy]

Ive been saying it for months only to get shot down in flames.

Everyone seems to agree Ferdinand should go yet he has played half the games King has this season.

King has proved he can play 3 games in a short period of time now, there is no reason why he is anymore a risk than anyone gtting on the plane.

Capello will pick him, its nailed on, and Dawson will go too i have no doubts

Anyone who thinks he isnt now going is just not thinking straight.

 

[Simster]

To propose a totally mad idea, is it possible that Capello won't take Terry?

I'm not saying it's likely to happen but I don't think it's as totally mad an idea as it would have been three months ago.

True, but this i so unlikely really. Terry has suffered a loss in form, but he's still a regular part of what will be a title winning defence. Certainly worth his squad place, not sure about a starting spot. King has to go though, and I've maintained this, despite his injury problems.

Of Capello's regular picks, I'd like to see him omit Heskey first. Heskey has always done well for England IMO, but it's no good if he's not been playing for his club, and it's not as if Bent, Cole or Zamora (please!) couldn't do that job anyway.

And whilst I can't see Steven Gerrard being dropped from the squad, I'd be quite happy if he was no longer an automatic selection for a starting spot.

 

[Marshy]

My new crusade is 1 up front Rooney with Gerrard behind him.

Giving us the opportunity to play Milner and Lennon in wide areas.

Its the only way we will beat the top sides.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Ive been saying it for months only to get shot down in flames.

Everyone seems to agree Ferdinand should go yet he has played half the games King has this season.

King has proved he can play 3 games in a short period of time now, there is no reason why he is anymore a risk than anyone gtting on the plane.

Capello will pick him, its nailed on, and Dawson will go too i have no doubts

Anyone who thinks he isnt now going is just not thinking straight.

Me too mofo.... me too!

King and Dawson will start next england game I reckon

 

[folkestonesgull]

Dawson is a similar centreback to John Terry however better and without the attitude.

 

[chez]

Yeah, what a 'mare of a season it's been, captaining his team to the FA Cup final, the Quarter finals of the Champions League and the top of the Premiership.

Are you saying that Chelsea are a 1 man team then? It seems like it, are Chelsea not capable of winning the League & Cup if Terry doesn't play well?

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Are you saying that Chelsea are a 1 man team then? It seems like it, are Chelsea not capable of winning the League & Cup if Terry doesn't play well?

Nope - but Chelsea have the second best defense in the country, and a lot of that is down to their captain in the heart of the backline.

If he was actually having a 'mare of a season (as stated above), he'd have been dropped and Chelsea would have lost more points and therefore not be in the position they are in.

If, however, the definition of 'mare of a season' is 'been in the papers for half of it, had his every move scrutinised, wrongly slept with a teammates partner and got a couple of red cards' then yes, he's had a 'mare of a season.

 

[BensGrandad]

IMHO Terry has never been the best central defender in England now or previously.

 

[Pavilionaire]

England team vs USA:

1. Robinson
2. Johnson, G
3. Cole, A
4. Dawson
5. King
6. Carrick
7. Lennon
8. Rooney
9. Gerrard
10. Crouch
11. Defoe

 

[Simster]

England team vs USA:

1. Robinson
2. Johnson, G
3. Cole, A
4. Dawson
5. King
6. Carrick
7. Lennon
8. Rooney
9. Gerrard
10. Crouch
11. Defoe

No Milner?

 

[Pavilionaire]

No Spurs connection, otherwise - yes.

 

[NMH]

Capello would be a mug to take him - let's hope he takes Dawson

Dawson has looked reasonable in recent games. Still, a bit better than United's Brown, and no worse than Ashley Cole or Wayne Bridge.
Odd that Micah Richards has not been getting games with City - if not injured than he must have gone downhill badly.

 

[Rookie]

A fit King is the best English centre back. The only problem is his fitness. Think Capello will take him and nurse him through the games, once out of the group aren't the games separated quite nicely meaning he can rest/get his knee drained? His recent form shows he doesn't need to train that much if at all.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Prior to last night I have always said that players not fully fit should not be considered for England - we have had painful lessons in the past taking marginally fit players. However, I do now think King should go ... if he can play 2 games in a week, then there should be no problem.

For my money he is a far better defender than Terry, I would put him up there with Rio when he's fit. Terry does bring other things to a team, so I can't see him being left behind. If Woodgate, King and Rio were all fully fit, Terry wouldn't get a look in. Dawson has done enough to go too, for me.

 

[Common as Mook]

I agree with WW.

Terry has played 50 games for a club on the brink of winning the Double. He has captained Chelsea under Ranieri, Mourinho, Scolari, Grant and Ancelloti. He has played for England 58 times under Sven Goran Erikkson, Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello. Up until 'bonkgate' he had been flawless thus season. He is also two footed.

That is a hell of a lot of high calibre managers who seem to rate him. Anyone who thinks he shouldn't star for England because King and Dawson have had their first decent season forever is either deluded or so anti John Terry that it clouds all sane judgement.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

IMHO Terry has never been the best central defender in England now or previously.

The old joke was that he was not the best central defender in his family.

 

[Sheebo]

Blimey, I forgot about Lennon. Yep!

I'd def start a fully fit Lennon on the right - ahead of Walcott

 

[tottenhamseagull]

England team vs USA:

1. Robinson
2. Johnson, G
3. Cole, A
4. Dawson
5. King
6. Carrick
7. Lennon
8. Rooney
9. Gerrard
10. Crouch
11. Defoe

I would start Bent over Defoe based on current form, Defoe has been poor.