England’s World Cup Dark Horses

Although somewhat more predictable than the previous (competent) incumbent, Fabio Capello will inevitably find himself under pressure as the summer draws closer to include some form players in the England squad.

Just one or two injuries can cause a real selection headache. If John Terry and Rio Ferdinand break down in May, who do you take?

In 2006, Sven raised eyebrows when he named the then uncapped Theo Walcott and experienced but unconvincing Owen Hargreaves in his squad to travel to Germany.

The two could not have enjoyed more different tournaments, and perfectly exemplify the risk and reward nature of taking a dark horse to the World Cup.

With the EPL beginning to build towards it’s climax, who are the players making a late push to come from outside the squad and climb onto the plane to South Africa?

Who’s Already Going?

For arguments sake, we are going to assume the following 22 players are going to the World Cup. This represents the most likely squad considering who Capello has picked in the past and who is fit.

David James, Robert Green, Ben Foster, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Glen Johnson, Matthew Upson, Joleon Lescott, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry, David Beckham, Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, Michael Carrick, Peter Crouch, Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey, Jermain Defoe.

The following 7 players have also been omitted as they are either close enough to the squad not to be particularly surprising selections, or have extensive international experience.

Joe Hart, Paul Robinson, Ashley Young, James Milner, Jermaine Jenas, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Stuart Downing.

So, with that clarified, who are the players most likely to make a late run for that fabled 23rd place the squad?

Roger Johnson

Gone are the days when Roger Johnson was better known for his wife’s fitness videos than his playing ability.

Johnson has been, along with Barry Ferguson, the reason for the unlikely Birmingham City success story this season.

Exceptionally mature for his 26 years, Johnson is a solid goalscoring centre back very much in the John Terry mould. However, having spent his career with Wycombe and Cardiff, it’s only this season that his ability has truly been noted.

And what ability. Johnson will stop anything you toss in towards him.

However, Fabio has had his fingers burned by playing inexperienced defenders in big games. See Phil Jagielka against Spain.

Despite this, after Ferdinand, Terry, Upson and Lescott it’s hard to think of anyone else you’d definitely slip in ahead of Johnson. All it would take is one injury.

Michael Dawson

The very same injury that another Spurs man, Michael Dawson, is hoping for. Dawson has undergone a remarkable revival at Spurs this year, showing remarkable endurance in the face of constant arrivals in his position.

Since joining Spurs he’s seen the likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Ricardo Rocha, Callum Davenport, Sebastian Bassong and now Younes Kaboul arrive at the club.

So it’s testament to him that he, along with Bassong, is now established.

However, Dawson is a very simple, no-nonsense player. He does nothing flashy, and as such rarely stands out.

Were he playing the way he is for Chelsea, he’d be a shoe-in. However, right or wrong, it could be that Spurs just aren’t fashionable enough to send Dawson to the World Cup.

Should he get the call, however, it would be richly deserved.

Stephen Warnock

Warnock took his time in becoming an established Premiership player, but he’s blooming at just the right time if he wants to go to what could be, at 28, his only World Cup.

With Wayne Bridge’s place in the England squad cast into doubt by the antics of John Terry, Fabio Capello could well need a replacement understudy for Ashley Cole at left back.

It is therefore heartening to see Warnock evolve into such an effective all-round full back. Despite being a contemporary of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, his career seemed to be disappearing down the pan with successive loan spells outside the top flight at Bradford City and Coventry.

However, his return to Anfield saw him offered a chance to play regularly on the left alongside John Arne Riise, and since his departure from Anfield his rise has been meteoric. Now an integral part of an Aston Villa side challenging for a place in Europe, his chances of traveling have to be excellent.

The main concern for Warnock is the number of certain travelers who can fill in at left back, especially Lescott and Barry. However, if Fabio decides to go with a dedicated reserve, it’s a straight fight between Bridge and Warnock.

Tom Huddlestone

When Tom Huddlestone first broke into the Derby County team as a 16 year old, many observers knew he would be good. Few predicted just how good.

Martin Jol did, and practically stole him for £3m in 2005. He’s not looked back since, playing more than his fair share of games in a star-studded Spurs midfield (as of writing he’s just two appearances short of his Premier League century).

The 6′3” Huddlestone is a tower of midfield strength, yet his game involves so much more. An intelligent positional ball winner, he shields the back four, an ability complemented by his extreme range of passing. In this respect, Jol once compared him to Beckenbauer.

He has also been used on occasion as a center back, and such versatility stands players in good stead when it comes to naming a squad. The ability to play at the back very nearly got Dion Dublin to France 98, and could take Huddlestone to the brink.

Huddlestone’s biggest obstacle in getting to South Africa is the huge range of midfield options available to Capello. It’s in the centre of midfield where England are most blessed, and to have a chance he’ll have to be playing every week and in excellent form.

But if he is, there is no reason he can’t go.

Lee Cattermole

In 2006, Owen Hargreaves showed that sometimes a player can be just right for a team in its hour of need. Should Gareth Barry and one other midfielder break down before the World Cup, Cattermole will be in direct competition with Huddlestone and Jenas for the place that will surely become available.

The former Middlesbrough and Wigan man has all the attributes needed to do a resolute defensive midfield job if needed.

That he is also capable of conjuring a wonder strike out of nothing, and is a nerveless penalty taker, also count in his favour.

However, despite his status as first choice for the England U21 side, he lacks any notable big match experience, and should Capello need to throw someone in, he’s more likely to go with the experienced Jenas or the more graceful Huddlestone.

If it’s grit that he wants, though, Capello may just take Cattermole.

Leon Osman

Even when he plays well, the enigmatic Osman never quite does enough to gain England recognition.

The Evertonian, every now and then, hits an unbelievably rich vein of form, terrorising defenses and seemingly scoring every week.

He then shrinks back into his usual role of being merely pretty good.

Osman has never played for England at any level, and is also eligible to play for either Turkey or Cyprus through his father.

However, should he hit one of his inexplicable hot streaks, he could just sneak into the England squad, especially if injuries strike on both flanks.

But surely even Leon would accept that his inclusion is a very long shot.

Adam Johnson

Far more likely is the inclusion of the pacy, tricky Adam Johnson. Having spent the first half of the season ripping apart the Championship on the left flank of an otherwise unspectacular Middlesbrough team, he now has the chance to shine at Manchester City.

Mancini has made no secret of his admiration for the player, an admiration shared by Carlo Ancelotti and Arsene Wenger.

However, it’s on the left hand side of a front three at Eastlands that he will now have the chance to stake his World Cup claim, and this could be his undoing.

We have already seen wide players, with the notable exception of James Milner, struggle to adapt from 4-3-3 to the 4-4-2 system used by England. Ashley Young is a prime example.

Johnson’s hopes could depend on what he shows Capello in the upcoming friendly against Egypt, should be offered the chance.

Having already played in the Premier League, he should take no time at all to adapt.

The worst-kept secret in football is that England really don’t know who their best bet on the left side of midfield is.

A strong run in and a convincing run out in pre-tournament friendlies could see Johnson given an unlikely chance to be that player, but at the very least he has a good chance of being on the plane at the expense of Young and, on current form, Stuart Downing.

Darren Bent

Bent is a real slow burner. He’s scored hatfuls of Premiership goals, yet doubts still exist with regards to his ability at the absolute top level.

Having been the top English goalscorer in the Premiership whilst at Charlton, you’d expect him to have been the next in a line of excellent young strikers.

But, like Owen and Fowler before him, there is a slight worry that he will never quite live up to his potential to have real success on the international scene.

He’s back in his element at Sunderland, but his miserable season at Tottenham have led some to suggest that Bent plays best in a bad team.

And as hard as that is to fathom, it could be the fact that ensures England take Rooney, Heskey, Crouch and Defoe to the World Cup.

Should Capello opt for a fifth striker, however, it could easily be Bent.

Gabriel Agbonlahor

If there is a fifth striker, or if either Rooney or Defoe breaks down with an injury, then Bent will be in a straight fight with Agbonlahor for a place on the plane.

The lightning quick Agbonlahor is an obvious threat to slow defenses, but how many of those are there at the top level today?

He is another player who, like Adam Johnson, may be ideally suited to a three pronged attack, but less comfortable as part of a front two.

Doubts also exist about his technical ability and football brain, and he has been accused of relying on his raw pace a little too much, at the expense of a pinch of guile.

However, if he hits the form he showed last season, he may go to South Africa. Quite whether he would play at all is another question entirely.

Kevin Davies

Capello is a man who picks players to fit a system, and should either Crouch or Heskey break down or lose their form, then he’ll need a replacement target man. It’s difficult to think of anyone other than Davies who fits that bill.

He’s a very physical player. In four of the last six seasons he’s committed the most fouls in the premiership. In the other two seasons he was second on the list.

His bare knuckle style isn’t in any way petulant, however. In that time he’s only been red carded once and also been one of the most fouled players too.

Davies is a reliable player who does what is asked of him, and that is fill an extremely similar role for Bolton as does Heskey for England, and to a similar standard.

He also scores more goals than Heskey, although only represented his nation three times at any level, Davies suffers greatly from a lack of experience.

Although it’s unlikely, a striking injury crisis could leave Capello with little choice but to take Davies.

Any one of these players could, if the stars align, go to the World Cup. These lot have already earned it.