Owen to be replaced by Agbonlahor

[Tooj]

Am I the only one who thinks Bentley is overrated?

[Dave]

What aspect of his game do you think is overrated?

[Tooj]

As in everyone seems to be pinning their hopes on him, I mean don't get me wrong I think he's a good player, but everyone seems to be getting carried away with him at the moment.

[Dave]

I don't think anyone is suggesting he'll transform England on his own, just that he deserves a chance.

[GG]

I am actually shocked at how much Agbonlahor has improved, we had him on loan during our promotion campaign, I think we had him for a month. He wasn't poor by any means, but then he was hardly brilliant either, back then he looked like nothing in comparison to Young and McNamee (!). It's great to see young English talent perform at the top level though.

[Guest BooBoo]

I really hope Owen is axed from the starting England XI. It may give him the much needed kick up the arse to get his club career back on track.

[Guest alex]

good, owen doesnt deserve his place for england until he does his job for newcastle

"Agenda"

[tmonkey]

Owen clearly isnt the player he once was, and considering his unreliability when it comes to staying fit, would it actually be wise to include him in any plans for the 2010 World Cup? He could easily be finished by then if his recent career is anything to go by (e.g. Robbie Fowler, who has been s*** for years now and at 32 is playing for Cardiff City in the Championship - an example of how the gifted can fall pretty quickly).

 

It'd be much better to give others a chance, that way when the qualifiers start and hopefully if things go well the finals themselves, England wont find themselves in the same situation as the last few tournaments in terms of having absolutely noone good with any solid amount of international experience on the bench. If Owen proves both his fitness and his playing ability from now till the qualifiers start, then include him, but until then do the sensible thing and develop a few players at that level, even if they wont be guaranteed starters when the important games crop up.

[Robster]

Am I the only one who thinks Bentley is overrated?

 

I just wish he would cut out that diving/cheating side of his game.

[midds]

Am I the only one who thinks Bentley is overrated?

 

I just wish he would cut out that diving/cheating side of his game.

 

You can take the boy out of Arsenal but you can't take Arsenal out of the boy...

[Guest alex]

Owen clearly isnt the player he once was, and considering his unreliability when it comes to staying fit, would it actually be wise to include him in any plans for the 2010 World Cup? He could easily be finished by then if his recent career is anything to go by (e.g. Robbie Fowler, who has been s*** for years now and at 32 is playing for Cardiff City in the Championship - an example of how the gifted can fall pretty quickly).

 

It'd be much better to give others a chance, that way when the qualifiers start and hopefully if things go well the finals themselves, England wont find themselves in the same situation as the last few tournaments in terms of having absolutely noone good with any solid amount of international experience on the bench. If Owen proves both his fitness and his playing ability from now till the qualifiers start, then include him, but until then do the sensible thing and develop a few players at that level, even if they wont be guaranteed starters when the important games crop up.

I agree. Another thing though: Agbonlahor will never be good enough for England imo. Canny player though.

[brummie]

I agree. Another thing though: Agbonlahor will never be good enough for England imo. Canny player though.

 

The thing is, which English strikers currently are good enough for England? Owen is a busted flush, Bent is questionable, Defoe is a possibility, Crouch can do it against pisspot countries but can he do it against the better teams? It isn't as if we have a plethora of really good strikers.

[Guest alex]

I agree. Another thing though: Agbonlahor will never be good enough for England imo. Canny player though.

 

The thing is, which English strikers currently are good enough for England? Owen is a busted flush, Bent is questionable, Defoe is a possibility, Crouch can do it against pisspot countries but can he do it against the better teams? It isn't as if we have a plethora of really good strikers.

I think what I meant was I don't think he'l turn out to be a good player / regular for England. He's as worthy of a place in the squad as anyone at present though, I agree.

[Ally]

I think Bentley is class, if he doesn't get in the England squad its ridiculous.

 

 

[Keefaz]

Owen is a better player than Agbonlahor by some distance. Bring him into the squad by all means, but let's not fool ourselves here.

[Willow]

I think Bentley is class, if he doesn't get in the England squad its ridiculous.

 

 

Yeah true, has a bright future ahead of him and I can see him leaving Blackburn sharpish when a top club knocks on the door

[La Parka]

I hope Ashton gets in

[Guest Phil K]

England last won the world cup when Ramsey refused to play the "stars" who thought they had a divine right to play (and the "stars" are a MILLION times more pompous now than then) and he introduced the likes of Hurst and Peters over and above the likes of Greaves et al. It worked.

I'd like to see a new broom aproach booting out the likes of Ferdinand, Terry, yes, AND Owen and all the rest

 

Am I the only one who thinks Bentley is overrated?

Thing is, he's improving all the time. And its about time most of the failure regulars were booted out to make way for new blood.

[Guest Stephen927]

It's always worth, especially in friendlies, to call up a couple of fringe players. Even if you don't play them, just for them to be there, training with the regulars and getting involved provides valuable experience, especially for young players looking to cement their place on the international scene.

 

Agbonlahor may not be the long term answer, but calling up players like him is what friendlies should have been made for, to try out new options, something which McClaren never seemed to grasp.

[Guest Edd]

It's always worth, especially in friendlies, to call up a couple of fringe players. Even if you don't play them, just for them to be there, training with the regulars and getting involved provides valuable experience, especially for young players looking to cement their place on the international scene.

 

Agbonlahor may not be the long term answer, but calling up players like him is what friendlies should have been made for, to try out new options, something which McClaren never seemed to grasp.

Aye we don't have a competitive International for a while so stick some of the youngsters with potential in and give them half a dozen games together to see if the make the grade under no pressure.

[Guest rebel_yell12]

I strongly believe that friendlies should be used to see a few likely but rarely seen new players -- play several of the "regulars" plus a few young/new players to "blood" them so to speak.  It would be good to see players like Agbonlahor, Green, Bentley and the like in an actual match alongside the "big names" like Ferdinand, Gerrard, Rooney, etc.  This would let us see, with minimal consequences, if the player is ready to make the step up to international football or if (like Walcott, IMO) they would be best served by waiting a bit then another call-up for a friendly.  Not a complete revolution, but a few new names in most friendlies, so that when needed England has some real depth (this was the weakness of the recent squad, no coverage for the rampant injuries). 

 

For example, England need a new keeper, so seeing options there would be quite welcome.  We're short some defenders (left back?) and midfielders (left wing?) and have an uholy mess upfront.  Rooney rarely scores (5 since July 2004), Crouch is a good option but hardly seems likely to be England's main threat and is only a year younger than Owen, not a good "successor" to him, and speaking of, Owen is 28.  Even if he sorts his fitness, he's only likely for 3-4 more years at international level.  How long can Engand rely on Michael Owen to pop up with the necessary goals in competitive matches?  I'd like to see young players like Agbonlahor blooded while the more veteran players (like Owen) are still available as well. 

 

All that said, I think this particular friendly will be seen as a signal of Capello's intentions, and he knows that.  If he drops say...Frank Lampard it'll be a major event and everyone will think that it's a permanent dump even if it's just that Lampard's off-form (just an example) or in another case, he drops Owen it's a national event, even if Owen is nursing an injury and doesn't need to be risked for a pointless friendly.  So I expect to see the big names in the squad, even if he PLAYS others (that is, Owen in the squad but not starting) which might also work as a bit of a kick of the arse for a few of them and causing a somewhat smaller uproar.  Although on the international scene, Michael Owen is not included in that number (needing a good kick) -- he had 4 goals and 2 assists in 5 matches in the last campaign.  He needs fitness, not a change in form OR class, because he's a class above all other English strikers when fit (yes, even Walcott and Agbonlahor).  The problem is -- what does England do when Owen can't play any longer?  The day will come, sooner than we may wish it, when that happens. 

 

To summarize, given time, the title of this thread will be true.  I just hope it's not for a few more years (on a permanent basis, that is).  Every young striker could learn from playing with an experienced international like Owen.  Get Agbonlahor and the like in the England squad, even if they aren't starters just yet.

[NE6]

I would love it if he drops MO, the little money grabbing hasbeen will be crying himself to sleep every night if this happens

[Sparks]

I think Bentley is class, if he doesn't get in the England squad its ridiculous.

 

Bentley is certain to be in the squad and a good bet to actually be in the starting line up.