Pick Your Poison - Aston Villa

The Challenge

Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at your club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger
Elizabeth Steadman, 18, Birmingham

Player 1

James Milner - Midfielder
Sept 05 - Aug 06 & Aug 08 - Aug 10

"After impressing during a loan spell in 2005-06, Villa signed the highly rated midfielder in the summer of 2008. Although mainly regarded as a wide player, James Milner arguably played his best football in his short time at Aston Villa in the centre of midfield. 110% was the least you could ask from James Milner, a player who worked hard for 90 minutes week in, week out whichever position he may be asked to play in. During his two year spell at Villa Park he made 73 appearances in which he scored 11 goals, he played twice at Wembley, featuring in a Carling Cup final and an FA Cup semi-final. Though unlucky to win any silverware he did win PFA Young Player of the year, and also made it into "team of the year"."

James Milner was a key member of the Aston Villa side that saw them claim 6th place for 2 consecutive years. Although he was known as a wide player when he signed, he was excellent when converted into a central midfielder after Gareth Barry's departure. He was influential throughout his time at the club and moved to Manchester City in order to look for trophies/success. He got that in his first season in Manchester, winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League.

Player 2

Kyle Walker - Right Back
2011 (LOAN)

"Despite only being a Villa player through a loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the 2010-11 season, it didn't take right-back Kyle Walker long to impress the Villa faithful; scoring a screamer 9 minutes into his debut on his return to former club Sheffield United in the FA Cup. Walker then continued to impress during his time at Villa Park. Although there was no doubt he was a force going forward, his defensive ability was often flawed, although at 20 years old this is something he could work on. Villa fans had hopes of signing him permanently in the summer transfer window but these hopes were dashed when he signed a 5 year deal when returning to Spurs."

Kyle Walker has showed tremendous ability in the last 18 months but he really caught everyone's attention while at Aston Villa. He started last season on loan at QPR and helped push them to the top of the Championship, before moving to Villa Park and showing his true potential. He put in some excellent performances for Villa and chucked his name into the hat for the Euro 2012 squad. This season he has been Spurs' first choice right back and even earned his first England caps in the recent friendlies against Spain and Sweden. 

Player 3
Ashley Young - Winger
January 2007 - July 2011

"Ashley Young spent 4 good years at Villa Park, so it was no surprise when Manchester United came knocking in the summer of 2011. Ashley Young is known for his pace, set pieces, and mastered crosses in the box. He made 157 appearances for Aston Villa and scored 30 goals, many of these direct free-kicks and towards the end of his Villa career, penalties. Despite playing in a wide position at Manchester United, Young was also effective in the role behind the striker during his time at Aston Villa, building a good relationship with star striker Darren Bent, he continues to do so for the English National Team."

Ashley Young started as a centre forward at Watford and showed great potential there. He was signed for  £9.75M (a club record fee at the time) and became a fan favourite. He soon converted into a winger and began hassling full-backs across the country with his phenomenal pace and excellent crossing ability. He spent a long time at Villa Park and began entering the fringes of the England squad. He was on the verge of breaking through into the line up before he signed for Manchester United in the summer and has since become a regular in the England set up and almost a certainty for Euro 2012.

CONCLUSION

ELIZABETH STEADMAN

"All 3 players were brilliant for Villa but James Milner is the stand out man for me. Despite the signings of Stephen Ireland and Jermaine Jenas (loan) the Villa midfield lacks his cutting edge, work rate, assists and goals. Although I'm not sure new manager Alex McLeish's style of play would suit his central midfield role, he can also play on the wing, another position where Villa are struggling. His first season at Manchester City didn't see him start many games, but this season he looks as though he is looking to cement a place in the starting 11. Despite scoring against us on our recent trip to the Etihad (and notably not celebrating), I know a lot of Villa fans still admire him and would love to have him back at the club."

DMF 

The obvious choice here would be James Milner in my opinion. His work ethic and end product are something that Villa have missed greatly this season although they sit in a decent position in the league. Ashley Young has been superb for Manchester United and England this season but with Marc Albrighton, Charles N'Zogbia and the in-form Gabriel Agbonlahor they are stacked for options on the wing. James Milner's versatility and winning mentality makes him the perfect choice to fit straight back into the Aston Villa team.

Do you agree with the choices @avfcelizabeth made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter!

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Bolton Wanderers

The Challenge
Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at your club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger

Gareth Couperthwaite, 25, Norwich.

Player 1

Eidur Gudjohnsen - Striker

July 1998 - July 2000

"Eidur Gudjohnsen came to Bolton in 1998 after he’d been released by PSV after injury problems. His start wasn’t immediate but when he came into the side, he had an immediate effect. He finished his first season with 5 goals from 14 games and got Bolton to the Play off final against Watford. In his second season, along with Bo Hansen and Dean Holdsworth, he drove the Whites’ attack, guiding Bolton to three semi finals. He finished the season with 14 goals and was a cult legend at the Reebok. 

During the closed season Bolton received a lot of enquires for him, two seasons outside the Premier League had had a massive effect on the finances and Bolton were forced to sell Eidur to Chelsea for £4m. While at Chelsea, he won 2 league titles and a League cup, but had his greater success when he was sold to Barcelona, where he won the Primera División, Copa del Rey and the Champions League."

Eidur Gudjohnsen is one of the most technically gifted players the Reebok stadium has seen in a long time. With his phenomenal first touch and his clinical eye for goal he became a Bolton legend in his 2 years at the club and nobody was shocked he went on to win trophies with Chelsea and Barcelona in the prime of his career.  He'd add real creativity to the Bolton side (something I feel they're lacking at the moment) and could be a replacement for the departed Johan Elmander.

Player 2

Daniel Sturridge - Striker

2011 (LOAN)

"Daniel Sturridge, unlike the other two players, was on loan at the Reebok from Chelsea. He started his career at Man City before moving to Chelsea when his contract expired. Chelsea loaned him to Bolton, where he made an immediate effect of scoring in the 90th minute of his debut against Wolves, he followed this up with another three goals in his next three games and became only the sixth player to score in his first four games in the Premier League for his club. He finished with 8 goals in 12 games and became a fan favourite. With Chelsea telling Bolton it would cost £3m to continue the loan for a further twelve months and any transfer being out of Bolton’s price range. Sturridge went back to Chelsea, where he has had a great start to this season, including getting two goals against Bolton at the Reebok."

Daniel Sturridge was a superb youngster with bags of potential when he joined the Trotters on loan in January 2011. He desperately needed game-time and wasn't getting it at Stamford Bridge and was placed under greater threat with the purchase of a certain Fernando Torres for £50M. Sturridge arrived at the Reebok and took the opportunity by the scruff of the neck, bagging a goal on his debut. He continued to score, scoring 4 in his opening 4 games for the club. He ended with 8 goals in 12 games and has gone back to Chelsea and has fought his way into the starting line up. His movement suited Bolton like a glove to a hand - and this season it's clear to see they miss his explosiveness up front.

Player 3

Blerim Dzemailli - Midfielder

July 2007 - July 2009

"The final Player is Blerim Dzemaili, he signed a pre season deal to join Bolton from FC Zurich in 2007, there were high hopes for him based on his performances and he was touted as a future star for his native Switzerland. Unfortunately he suffered a serious knee injury in training before his move. Throughout the 2007-08 season, he was unable to break into the first team and only made one appearance in the FA cup. He moved to Torino on loan, where he found a new lease and signed for them the season after, since then he has signed for Parma, before moving to Napoli this season."

Blerim Dzemaili was a talented young teenager, fresh into the Swiss national team after an amazing season with FC Zurich. A serious knee injury cursed his time at the Reebok and he only ever made one senior appearance for the side, in the FA Cup. When he went on loan to Torino he found a second wind and started to show some more of that promise that made Bolton sign him. He went to Parma after that and this summer moved to Torino where he made his Champions League debut against Manchester City coming on as a substitute.

CONCLUSION

GARETH COUPERTHWAITE

"In a choice out of the three, I would prefer to have Sturridge back at Bolton. His goals and movement seemed to suit Bolton’s style of play and I feel we are a poorer team this season without him. 

Eidur was a fantastic player for Bolton and has left and achieved great things since leaving the club. Although there was huge support to the idea of him returning to Bolton, he has returned to the EPL with three clubs but not to The Reebok. 

Blerim had a torrid time at Bolton and never achieved the highs that were expected of him. I, along with a lot of Bolton fans I know, are happy to see him playing at the highest level."

DMF 

Bolton are quite clearly struggling in an attacking sense this season and although they just beat Stoke 5-0 at home, they've been struggling for goals too. Johan Elmander's departure to Galatasaray on a free transfer has taken a lot of goals from the club, and an intelligent striker like Eidur Gudjohnsen could be the answer for them. A creative force when deployed deeper, but a fantastic finisher when given the chance, it seems to me that he's the perfect choice to put into the Bolton side.

Do you agree with the choices @Lordcoup made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Blackburn Rovers

 

The Challenge

Pick 3 players who you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at the club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger
James Fallon, 25, Bolton.

 

Player 1
Alan Shearer - Striker
July 1992 - July 1996

"Despite Alan Shearer winning the title (the only honour in his career) with Blackburn Rovers, some would argue he never hit the same heights as he did with Newcastle with Rovers. Even though he was adored by the Blackburn faithful, he was absolutely idolised by the Newcastle fans and with that he became the most feared striker in English football and a wonderful asset to Newcastle. Even though we are scoring goals at the moment, he would offer us plenty of hard work and plenty of goals if he was still around at this moment in time."

Alan Shearer is without a shadow of a doubt the most prolific goalscorer in Premier League history. During his 4 years at Blackburn he scored an amazing 112 league goals in 138 league games, an average of a goal every 1.23 games. He was an amazing finisher, capable of scoring with any part of his body and was truly an asset to English football. However, he became even better at Newcastle than at Blackburn and became the first (and only to this day) player to reach 200 Premier League goals. Blackburn right now lack that striker who can score 20+ goals a season and Alan Shearer entering his prime would be more than capable of providing that.

Player 2
Henning Berg - Defender
July 1992 - August 1997

"The versatile defender who left Rovers for Manchester United and went onto win considerably more honours with them. He would offer us a solid grounding at the right back position as that's been something of a concern for Rovers this season, even though we have the young Jason Lowe filling in the gap left by Michel Salgado. He would also bring a winning mentality that we desperately need. Winning the honours he won at United helps any team that may acquire a players services."

Henning Berg signed for Manchester United in 1997 for £5M - which was the joint highest fee for a defender at the time in Britain.  While at Blackburn however he showed his versatility - making the right-back position his own, while also showing he could play competently at centre back. He won the Premier League with Blackburn in 1995 and won plenty of trophies while at Manchester United. He re-joined Blackburn in 2000 and lifted the League Cup as captain in 2002. Berg was a solid defender and one of the most reliable full-backs in the league, while also very good at centre back. He'd be a welcome addition to the leaky defence Rovers have had this season so far.

Player 3
Damien Duff - Winger
March 1996 - July 2003

"Where do we start with Damien Duff, he was one of the three players that made Rovers exciting to watch in the early 2000s and was one of the main reasons we were promoted from division 1 after two years out of the Premier League. Duff, David Dunn and Matt Jansen were the spine of our team. Damien was sold to Chelsea the season they got their money. We got good money for him at the time and he went onto become a relative success at Chelsea. He would bring with him some valuable Premier League experience if he was in our squad now. Something we seem to be lacking at the moment."

Damien Duff when he signed was an unknown Irish winger, with potential to move onto big things. He made Rovers exciting and was one of their best players when Blackburn went from promotion to the Premier League to a League Cup victory. Blackburn got a massive £24M from Chelsea for Duff and in turn they turned him into one of the most dangerous wingers in the league. His pace, direct running and excellent final ball (whether it was a shot or a cross) made him a constant threat to every team, which he showed vs Barcelona in the Champions League. If he returned to Ewood today, he'd probably struggle to get into the team in his favoured left wing position, now occupied by hotshot Junior Hoilett.

CONCLUSION

JIMMY GOODE

"Out of the three, I would bring back Henning Berg. Simply reason being he would bring the defence some much needed experience and versatility. We have made very costly mistakes in our defensive side of the game this season and I feel his experience would see us shipping less goals and his experience could be passed onto the younger players in our squad. And of course his winning mentality would emanate to the rest of the squad."

 DMF

Looking at the squad now, although they are scoring goals it's hard to see past taking Alan Shearer in his prime back to Ewood Park. The man was capable of scoring 30+ goals per season every year and that kind of goalscorer is something that Blackburn will need to keep them up this season in my opinion. The leaky defence I believe is down to a lack of confidence - when Michel Salgado returns and the side pick up some points I believe they will become stronger defensively. Duff would be a good option too, but Hoilett, Formica, N'Zonzi and Pedersen are all capable options in midfield and I don't think he is an necessity in today's squad.

Do you agree with the choices @St_Jimmy_77 made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Arsenal

The Challenge

Pick 3 players who you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at the club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

Challenger
Frankie Hobbs, 16, London.

Player 1:

Mathieu Flamini
July 2004 - July 2008

"The French workhorse, with the scraggy locks and old fashioned aura, whom went about his business with little fuss, is a player most Arsenal fans would take back in a heartbeat. This man had a work ethic like no other, and would literally leave it all on the pitch. Coupling this with the great versatility Mathieu possessed, and you have a fine player. The type of player trophy winning sides are built around. Sure, he won’t score 15 goals from midfield, but he was simply the perfect foil for the emerging star Cesc Fabregas.

But Arsenal now have Alex Song? Despite this, I still think that Mathieu was a big loss. Simply for the fact it was so avoidable. Arsene Wenger made a mistake by not showing any sort of care for his future and didn’t really have any significant plans for Mathieu. He left for Milan on a free later that summer."

Flamini was certainly the perfect central midfield partner for Cesc Fabregas during his time at Arsenal and the fact he was allowed to leave by Arsene Wenger on a free transfer tells me it was a case of "you don't know what you've got till it's gone". Personally I feel they've only just properly replaced him with the emergence of youngsters Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey, as players who can do the business offensively and defensively. 

He's struggled to make a massive impact in Milan since his move, with injuries and rotation but I'm sure had he stayed at Arsenal he would have been a key fixture and would have been successful at the North London club.

Player 2
Patrick Vieira
September 1996 - July 2005

"Vieira was simply a machine. He had everything to his game - pace, power, leadership, aggression, height, and even popped up with important goals. The fact Arsenal haven’t won a trophy since his departure, simply shows how much of a key asset he was. I’m not saying that we would have won a trophy if we had kept Patrick, but it would have given us a much better chance in doing so! 

The fact we even considered the offer is what seemed to force out Patrick, and a clear rejection to Juventus would have shown to Patrick Vieira that he was wanted at Highbury (later the Emirates), so this was again, an avoidable transfer, and yet again, we seemed to mess this up."

As has been said, this man was a monster. A true machine he had everything in his game and was the glue that held the Arsenal side together through their most successful period. He was their lynchpin in defence and sometimes offered that spark in attack that led to goals. Went on to Juve and won the league (before they were demoted) and then went on to Inter and Manchester City before retiring this summer. A true icon in his time, it's no surprise Arsenal haven't had a leader like him since his departure.

Player 3
Cesc Fabregas
September 2003 - August 2011

"Cesc Fabregas, a player whom was brought through the ranks from the early teen years, to becoming captain of the First Team, is a world class performer. He epitomized Arsenal. He was the heartbeat of Arsenal. At the age of 23, younger players looked up to him, as ‘the man’ of Arsenal.

Many Arsenal fans were open to the fact that Cesc would be leaving to go ‘home’, yet for the fee to be so low for a player of his world class ability frustrated a lot of us.

Despite this, it’s frustrating the player has so much power. Why couldn’t Arsenal just shut up shop and not let him go? The fact Arsenal didn’t exactly squeeze Barcelona dry for our captain and best player is the reason he makes it into the list."

 Possibly the best Arsenal player of his generation, he was the focal point of all of Arsenal's supreme football in the Premier League and Europe. His move to Barcelona this summer was much expected, but nobody realised the huge effect it would have on the Arsenal side now. Replaced by Mikel Arteta, it's noticeable how much Arsenal miss their Catalan superstar. His vision was amazing and was capable of spotting most things others couldn't dream of, but he had the ability to make it happen too. A truly world-class player.

Conclusion

FRANKIE HOBBS

"We saw in the summer, that clubs do not have to sell their best players (Modric to Chelsea) yet it feels like every time an Arsenal player is wanted, he will eventually go. Here’s to hoping that Robin Van Persie isn’t the next one to go, and that if I was to do this again in 5 years, Robin will not be on this list.As for who I would like most in our current team, I would have to go with Cesc Fabregas. The man was the focal point of everything good with Arsenal. He created chance after chance, and after all, he was just coming into the peak years of his career, and he was a player the fans loved. He fitted our tactic perfectly, as it was built around him, and as you can see, Arsenal are not the same without him. It is without doubt that Cesc will always remain in Arsenal fans’ hearts, but had he stayed, he would have simply gone down as a legend of the club. It’s a shame that his move to Barcelona had to happen so early in his career, but since it has, I wish him all the luck in the world, and hope we can see him back at the Emirates one day."

DMF

Looking at the team right now, they're clearly missing a playmaker capable of spotting a pass and playing it but also being able to produce that moment of magic  to score themselves. They've got a midfield enforcer in Alex Song and the link man between defence and attack in Jack Wilshere. However, although they've got Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta as playmakers - neither are on Cesc's level and it's showing in their league performances this season. So for that reason, if I were an Arsenal fan I'd want Fabregas back in a heartbeat.

 

Do you agree with the choices @FrankieH_ made? Let us know in the comments  section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Class of 92 vs Class of 2011 - Part 7/7

Ryan Giggs during the 95/96 Premier League winning season

Ryan Giggs is arguably the greatest product of the Manchester United academy ever. After 12 Premier League titles, 2 Champions League titles, 4 FA Cups and 3 League Cups. He holds the record for the most appearances for Manchester United (885 as of this article) scoring 161 goals in all competitions. He's captained the side on numerous occasions, although he's never been appointed the team captain officially. He also had 64 caps for Wales, with 12 goals before retiring in 2007. He was Wales captain from 2004 up until retiring from the national side. 

He made his name as a lightning quick left winger, but was often used in a more advanced central role - but in recent years has begun playing a deeper playmaker role.

Danny Welbeck is a local academy graduate who has a bright future ahead of him at Old Trafford. On loan last season at Sunderland, he scored 6 goals in 28 games for the club spending most of the season out on the left wing. This season however he's been played through the middle and has bagged 5 goals in 9 games so far, including goals against Arsenal, Tottenham and a brace vs FC Basel in the Champions League. 

Forward vs Forward
Ryan Giggs vs Danny Welbeck

 

Ryan Giggs started his career as an out and out winger, providing assists and scoring goals for fun in the top flight. His ability to adapt to different roles has without doubt led to his incredible longevity, the Welshman is still a regular figure in the Manchester United side 21 seasons after making his debut. He has scored in every single season, and is the only player to have scored in every single Premier League season ever, although he's yet to score this season.

Danny Welbeck is a striker with great pace and composure. However during his loan spell at Sunderland last season, United legend Steve Bruce decided to put his pace to greater use on the left wing with Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan ahead of him in the striker positions. He did well there getting 6 goals showing he can be versatile too.

So with both capable of playing on the left wing and in a more advanced central role, the final comparison of the series will see Ryan Giggs vs Danny Welbeck.

PACE

RG: Ryan Giggs has been known throughout his career for his blistering pace and even at the tender age of 37 he still has that burst that is enough to take him past his man and deliver something magical.

GRADE: 9/10

DW: Danny Welbeck has proved to be very quick this season and it's one of his finest attributes as a footballer. He often uses that speed to shut down defenders when defending and also when being apart of one of United's legendary counter-attacking moves.

GRADE: 8/10

FIRST TOUCH

RG: Ryan's first touch has always been one of his strongest attributes and has got him into so many fantastic situations throughout his career and got him out of so many potentially horrible ones. It's become more important as football has evolved in the last 20 years, but his touch is still up there with the best.

GRADE: 9/10

DW: Danny's first touch is decent, but can be suspect in tight situations. When he has time, he can bring the ball down well and attack the defenders but when under pressure he can sometimes misplace it and have to use his strength to keep the ball.

GRADE: 7/10

HEADING

RG: Winger's aren't usually renowned for their heading ability, but Ryan Giggs has always been able to head a ball accurately, especially when it comes to goalscoring opportunities. His best header (in my opinion) coming from the edge of the area and going over the goalkeeper and curling inside the post vs Coventry City in 2001.

GRADE: 8/10

DW: Danny's heading ability is superb for a young striker. Two superb headers come to mind when I think about it, his goal for England U21's during the summer and his magnificent header vs Spurs in the opening home game of the season. His ability to leap matched with his height gives him an advantage against defenders and he usually takes his opportunities.

GRADE: 8/10

FINISHING

RG: Ryan's finishing for a winger is sublime, hence his fantastic record of 161 goals for Manchester United since his debut. Left foot, headers and even sometimes right foot he has great awareness of the where the goal is and knows exactly how to put the ball away.

GRADE: 9/10

DW: Danny, as a striker, has a natural ability to put the ball in the back of the net so it's no great surprise that this is one of his finest attributes as a footballer. Right foot, left foot, headers and from any range he is capable of scoring and provides a great threat to the opposition.

GRADE: 8/10

CREATIVITY

RG: Giggs' creativity is what has made him such a legend at Old Trafford and throughout the world. His ability to turn nothing into something is something not many others can match and it's won many games for Manchester United over the years. The finest example being his legendary goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup.

GRADE: 10/10

DW: Welbeck's a creative force in the making, who will only improve as he gains more match experience. His one touch passing is sublime and it often brings the midfield into the play well. His involvement in Anderson's goal vs Tottenham at the start of the season is more than likely the best example of his creative play. A real prospect.

GRADE: 8/10

TOTALS

RYAN GIGGS - 45/50

DANNY WELBECK - 40/50

So as expected, Ryan Giggs comes out on top of this encounter fairly comfortably. The Welsh Wizard is a world-class winger who has somehow managed to adapt his style of play from speed demon winger, to laid back deep playmaker but is still involved in the team regularly at the ripe old age of 37.  

"His talent is God-given.He will have wonderful skill even when he's got his bus pass, because that sort of ability never deserts you." 

Brian Kidd - Former Assistant Manager at Man United.

How Can England Replace Wayne Rooney?

This red card vs Montenegro means Rooney will miss at least 1 game of Euro 2012

A vintage performance from Wayne Rooney in his new found #10 role was spoilt after  he was sent off for England during their 2-2 draw in Montenegro. After starting the move that led to Ashley Young's opener and playing the through ball for Ashley Young to set up Darren Bent for the second goal everything looked good. However after mis-controlling the ball, Rooney lashed out at Montenegro defender Miodrag Dzudovic and received a straight red card from referee Wolfgang Stark - ruling him out of the start of the European Championships next summer.

The Manchester United hitman will miss the opening game of the Euro 2012 group stages without doubt. It then came to light that he could miss the first two games or even the entire group stage as a whole if UEFA see fit to extend the ban. So how do England cope without their best player for the group stages of the European Championships? Mr Capello has stated since the sending off that Rooney will not start again for England until he has served his ban in the tournament next summer  - meaning he will not start the 5 friendlies in the build up to the tournament (including vs Spain and Holland), so that Capello can find Rooney's replacement. The question is, who and what are Fabio's options?

CHANGE OF FORMATION?

Fabio was a huge fan of the 4-4-2 during the disastrous 2010 World Cup, but since then he's leaned more towards the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 with Rooney leading the attack up until the 2-0 win vs Wales in Cardiff where Darren Bent led the line with Rooney playing just off him. So is the 4-3-3 an option without Rooney?

It certainly is. With Steven Gerrard set to return for Liverpool this weekend he will be looking to put in some good performances ahead of the upcoming internationals in order to force his way back into the side. England haven't really missed his dynamic approach to the game due to the stable partnership formed in midfield between Scott Parker and Gareth Barry and Wayne Rooney's emergence in the #10 role for England. However a fully fit and firing Steven Gerrard and a fit Jack Wilshere would surely be enough to displace that partnership and do enough to replace Wayne Rooney. With Ashley Young, Theo Walcott and Darren Bent in the front 3 the team will still have plenty of pace and ability, add Gerrard's finishing ability and Wilshere's passing to that and it could be a very good balance in midfield and attack.

Could this midfield pairing be the answer?

Another option could be the 4-2-3-1 which has featured prominently in European football for the last few years but England has yet to really catch on to so far. This formation seems to suit the majority of the team, with Parker and Wilshere/Barry playing deeper in the double pivot, with Gerrard playing in an advanced role (where he spent his most successful season in this role behind Torres), with Bent ahead of him as the poacher playing on the last man.  When defending it could transform into the previous formation (4-3-3) so is very flexible.

POTENTIAL PERSONNEL REPLACEMENTS?

After the game in Montenegro, Capello said he would look at other striking options and that Rooney wouldn't be guaranteed a spot on his return from a ban. So who realistically could replace him in the England set-up in the upcoming friendlies/European Championships?

Daniel Sturridge - Chelsea
Apps: 3 | Goals: 3 | Assists: 1

Since his return from a loan spell at Bolton, Sturridge has settled in well to Andre Villas-Boas' new look Chelsea side, featuring more on the right hand side of a front 3. He's scored 3 goals in his 3 games so far this season and got himself an assist showing he can be creative and a goalscoring threat at the same time, much like Wayne Rooney although not on his level.

Danny Welbeck
Apps: 4(2) | Goals: 5 | Assists: 1

Danny Welbeck spent last season on loan at Sunderland but this season has broken into Manchester United's first team and staked his claim for a starting spot in their team too. He made his England debut vs Ghana at Wembley in March and made his competitive debut for England in the game vs Montenegro as a substitute. His form could see him get a chance to stake a claim for a starting place.

Andy Carroll

Apps: 5(2) | Goals: 1 | Assists: 0

 Andy Carroll has struggled so far this season, but his goal in the Merseyside derby last weekend may be just what he needed to kick start his season. That was his only goal so far this season and he has 0 assists but he offers something completely different to Rooney and that may be something Capello will look at if he can pick up his form.

Bobby Zamora

Apps: 4 | Goals: 3 | Assists: 3

Bobby Zamora's had a superb start to the season, with 3 goals and 3 assists in his 4 games this season. Although he isn't anything like Rooney in his style of play he's starting to prove himself as a good finisher as well as link man getting assists too. Surely competing for a spot as the 'big-man' with Andy Carroll it's hard to see him not getting a chance with his current form.

Jermain Defoe
Apps: 4(1) | Goals: 2 | Assists: 0

Jermain Defoe seems to have struck up a good partnership with big man Emmanuel Adebayor for Spurs as a typical poacher. 2 goals so far this season doesn't seem much, but his work defensively and his off the ball movement is enough to cause Capello a few headaches when it comes to the selection process - and the Italian has already noticed Defoe's performances this season.

CONCLUSION

A number of potential replacements are at Capello's disposal then, it's just a matter of what formation will the Italian play to decide who could be the man to replace England and Manchester United's #10. Either way it will make for fascinating scenes when the situation arises, especially if the ban gets extended on Thursday.

Do you agree with the points made? Have I missed someone out? 

Post your comments below!

I choose you! Who will Fabio pick to replace Rooney?

*Stats taken from WhoScored

Class of 92 vs Class of 2011 - Part 6/7

David Beckham during Gary Neville's testimonial in May 2011

David Beckham is regarded as one of the best midfielders in English history. His stunning right foot was and still is capable of sweeping 70 yard passes, curling free-kicks and wonderfully accurate crosses throughout his 18 year career.

The England midfielder was at Manchester United for 10 years, where he made the legendary number 7 shirt his own and won 6 Premier League trophies, 2 FA Cups and 1 Champions League trophy. He scored 86 goals in 399 games for the club and was even made captain of England while at Manchester United. His passing/crossing was without doubt his best attribute and has made him a legend worldwide. 'Becks' left Old Trafford in the summer of 2003 for the sunshine of the Bernabeu in a £25M deal after a row with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ashley Young signed from Aston Villa in the summer of 2011 for an undisclosed fee. The tricky winger has enjoyed a fabulous start to life at Old Trafford, bagging 3 goals and 5 assists in his opening 8 games for the club.

Wide Midfielder vs Wide Midfielder
David Beckham vs Ashley Young

 

David Beckham started his career as a central midfielder capable of dictating the game due to his superb passing ability. He always stated that was his favoured position, but made his name on the right hand side of midfield for both club and country. His amazing accuracy made him a threat from set-pieces (both direct and indirect) and made him a key figure in the Manchester United and England sides for years.

Ashley Young started his career as a striker, using his rapid pace and good finishing to make a name for himself as an upcoming striker. He was signed by Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill as an out-and-out striker, but was soon moved out to the wing to use his great crossing ability and pace to better effect.

Although different types of players, both were wide midfielders (of some form) and both have the same strengths (to a large extent). I'll compare those strengths and see how the traditional wide midfielder has transformed into a regular winger playing slightly deeper.

PACE

DB: David Beckham was never renowned for his pace, but he was certainly no slouch on a football pitch. His game never relied on pace to beat players as he usually just shifted the ball to give himself a yard and hit a pass/cross/shot, but when he needed to he was able to take players on and won his fair share of foot races.

GRADE: 7/10

AY: Ashley Young's pace is possibly his greatest asset and he often uses this to his advantage. Regularly squaring up to the defenders and shifting the ball onto either foot he regularly outruns an opponent before playing the final pass to create/finish a goalscoring opportunity.

GRADE: 9/10

CROSSING

DB: Beckham's crossing is what has made him such a legendary figure worldwide in the world of sports. He has the ability to put a ball onto a silver platter for any team-mate and helped him to get an amazing tally of 44 assists in the Premier League during the 8 seasons he spent at Old Trafford.

GRADE: 10/10

AY: Young's crossing is an essential part of his game as an advanced winger. Often deployed on the left hand side he likes to cut inside onto his right foot and whip in crosses towards the goal and they're usually of very good quality. 

GRADE: 8/10

SET PIECES 

DB: David's set pieces are the reason he has legendary status within the sport of football and worldwide. His trademark free-kicks have often seen important goals scored and sometimes even great assists come from it. His most legendary free-kick, was in the final minute at Old Trafford for England vs Greece in a World Cup qualifier. He scored, England qualified for the World Cup. He missed, they didn't. The rest as they say, is history.

GRADE: 10/10

AY: Ashley has always been a set-piece taker at every team he's been at and seems to have taken on that role at Manchester United too. His free-kicks usually have a good end product, however there isn't enough consistency in them to put him on Becks' level. He also seems to do better with set-pieces where he crosses rather than shoots directly.

GRADE: 7/10

FINISHING

DB: David Beckham's finishing was top quality, although often he lacked the composure to finish chances. That's probably the one area of his game he could have improved when developing his game, as his best goalscoring season was 16 in 01/02 season.

GRADE: 7/10

AY: Ashley started his career as a striker, so his natural finishing ability is better than Beckham's. He naturally has an instinct to get into those goalscoring positions and finish chances which gives any side he's playing in that extra edge in an offensive sense as they possess a "goalscoring winger".

GRADE: 8/10

DECISION MAKING

DB: Goldenball's decisions were superb and he always seemed to make the best decision when in search for a goal or crucial pass. Often players get over excited with minutes to go and look for an extra goal, but Beckham knew when to retain possession and when to play the killer pass, making him a huge threat to the opposition.

GRADE: 8/10

AY: Young's decisions sometimes make you ponder, however they are regularly very good and are the best for the team. Sometimes he will pass the ball one time too many or try to cross the ball in too early but he will learn that with experience of playing the United way and will only benefit from finally playing games regularly for his country too.

GRADE: 7/10

TOTALS

DAVID BECKHAM - 42/50 

ASHLEY YOUNG - 40/50

So with Ashley Young about to enter his prime, he isn't far from emulating the legend that is David Beckham. Of course they are different types of players, but they both perfectly fit the teams they play(ed) in. Beckham was key to the success of his Manchester United team and Ashley Young will hope to be successful at Manchester United too. Beckham grasped legendary status at Manchester United during his 10-year tenure at Old Trafford, and Young will hope to replicate his success at Old Trafford in the coming years.