When gathering material for the England-Ukraine World Cup qualifier, I noticed something. England's previous encounters against Ukraine had been in friendly matches so far. That was what I found out from Reuters's preview of the match. Another thing I found out is that former Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko, despite not playing regularly back at his former and current club AC Milan, will be looking a point to prove and show the English audiences what they may have potentially missed during his ill-fated stint at Chelsea. But even if Reuters never wrote something like that, I am already well aware of it myself.
Shevchenko arrived in England with a big reputation. He is one of the most feared strikers in the world of football. He actually came at around the same time as Michael Ballack. While the latter is still at Chelsea, he returned to AC Milan after two seasons. After the 'homecoming', it was never the same. But still when he is with the national team, an international strike rate of roughly a goal every two games he could pose the biggest threat to England in their Group Six qualifier. His former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard who spoke to the media yesterday can attest to his abilities in front of goal. That and more with England coach Fabio Capello will be wary of the threat of a Ukraine side that appear to be re-emerging after a post-2006 World Cup slump.
One more is Andriy Shevchenko's team-mate on the national team in Anatoliy Tymoshchuk. Before heading to Bayern Munich from Zenit St. Petersburg, there is the match at the Wembley to deal with.
Now...Fabio Capello, just what the 'doctor' ordered? If what Frank Lampard told the media yesterday about Capello was "exactly what England needed" to revive their fortunes are anything to go by, then there are reasons to be believing in the Italian. Lampard said, "Looking back I think Fabio Capello was exactly what we needed as a manager. One of the reasons for that is that he will do exactly what he thinks. Experience tells him the way to do it. For starters he picks each squad on merit, on how you are playing for your clubs. He picks each team that way as well. It's very important that as players we all accept that. There is never a question. He has a got very strong aura about him. I think everyone, the players, the public and the press, have all bought into it. Every top manager probably has that feeling, a confidence in their own ability. Especially in the England job, it's very important because you can be affected by the press and public opinion. It can be very strong. In England, we all know how much of a microscope there is on England." I should know, I had already type before on my blog that Capello is the reason why I am believing in the England squad again. If I do not trust the Italian even despite with a striking crisis ahead of the Ukraine match, who else will I trust?
I mean, I remembered what did I went through especially as an England supporter ahead of the Germany match last November (considering I am also a supporter of the German national team too). I was just saying last month: Of course one can say back then in November in Berlin, ahead of the match against old rival Germany, it is the case of the injuries. Yes, I was worried. But it is Fabio Capello, someone who had been proven a winner before, being in charge. If I do not put my trust on the Italian, who do I put my trust on then? Anyhow, Capello being "exactly what England needed" was not the only thing Frank Lampard was talking about yesterday. The Michael Owen issue is another. The fact that Capello never called up Michael Owen but Darren Bent instead to solve the striking crisis has gotten the English press into speculating into whether Owen's England career is effectively over under the Italian. Except during Capello's second match in charge away in France, Owen has never featured for England since. Injuries and the lack of playing time at club level had hampered his recall back into the England squad, and the Newcastle striker only recently returned from an ankle injury. Capello explained why Owen was not selected, "I have to choose players to play against the Ukraine, not against history. It is impossible to choose someone who has only played for 20 minutes (against Hull)." I can understand why the discussion of why Owen was not selected has gone to the extent that Capello will live to regret it in the future when the situation calls for it but, the Italian had already maintained since he took charge that if anyone is playing regularly (and not just 20 minutes for their club), the player has a chance.
Look what has happened to David Beckham. He benefitted from it. Playing regularly at AC Milan, he had earned a recall back into the England squad. To think many thought his England career was almost over after he was being dropped by Fabio Capello's predecessor Steve McClaren. Anyhow, in regards to Michael Owen's non-inclusion, Frank Lamprd said, "There are a lot of quality players out there. Michael Owen, no doubt is one of the best strikers to play for England, he's got unbelievable ability. But when it comes down to any individual Capello has shown us more than anyone it's about whether you fit, first and foremost, and ready to be playing in an England team. Michael Owen has been injured for a long time. I don't know what his fitness levels are but for me it's understandable, and I'm sure he'd say the same himself, that he's not ready. I'm sure when Michael Owen is fit and playing well and his form is good, just the same as whether I am or whether Wayne Rooney is or whether anyone is, if you deserve to be in the England squad you will be there."
One thing which endear (if that is the word to use) me since Fabio Capello is in charge is that Capello's refusal to pander to the egos of England's pampered superstars. All the 'circus' (which Rio Ferdinand once described it) which once surrounded the England squad from Capello's predecessors had been stamped out by the Italian. It is only about the football when Fabio Capello is in charge. It hasn't taken long for Capello's regime to play off. Four successive wins have fired England to the top of Group Six and another victory over Ukraine would give them one foot in the finals already. Chelsea midfielder Lampard admits it was about time England's underachievers were given a reality check.
He said, "We needed a very strong leader who had his own mind. With Capello you can see that. The best managers I've worked with have a fear element, but it's not a fear where you can't speak to them. It's about the decisions he makes for the good of the team. When he came in, a lot of people made a thing of the WAGS and a lack of an England team that really cared about results. There was an element of truth in a lot of what was said. We just needed someone to put us in line a little bit and concentrate on what we're doing. At times those things can be a slight culture shock, when you are told you need to do this, you need to wear that. But then you start winning games and you get a really good feeling about things. You get a belief and it's very easy to handle because you're winning. That's maybe what we needed. It was easy to see we played as individuals too much in the past. We have very good individuals, but the team didn't perform because we weren't playing as a group. You need to have humility and to be selfless. You need to work for your mate next to you, to play out of position if that's what is required. That's something Capello needed to bring."
The match at the Wembley against Ukraine will see a reunion of Frank Lampard's former Chelsea team-mate in Andriy Shevchenko on the opposing team. Even if his former team-mate at club level might had problems playing in England, Lampard believes that Shevchenko will be Ukraine's main threat. England have 12 points from their opening four matches. Croatia are second with seven points from four games with unbeaten Ukraine third on seven points from three. Lampard does not buy into the common thinking that Shevchenko's best days are behind him, "Andriy Shevchenko is a fantastic player, has always been and is now. He will be a huge threat to us on Wednesday because he is a top player who can produce something out of the blue -- score a goal or make a goal, so I don't know why it didn't quite work out at Chelsea. I think he had quite a few injury problems and slight problems settling in England. He was in and out of the team at certain times, so it didn't work for him for a lot of reasons, and I think only he can explain that." Lampard also said Saturday's 4-0 friendly win over Slovakia, in which he scored England's third goal, was the perfect warm-up.
Asked if Ukraine were the greatest threat to England finishing top of the group and gaining the automatic qualifying berth for the finals, Frank Lampard said: "Possibly, especially as we still have to play them away. If we don't get the right result on Wednesday we will have a very tough game to come. I think the group is fairly tough. Ukraine, Croatia and also Belarus now, there are a few hard teams there. The good thing for us is that we have made a really positive start and if we win on Wednesday and win the two games coming up in the summer (away to Kazakhstan and home to Andorra), then we can put ourselves in a really strong position before the last few games." Ukraine is the only side England have not played yet. All the nations which Lampard mentioned, all once already. Oh, the thought of facing Croatia at the Wembley after the 4-1 away win in Zagreb...grude match, part two (the match in Zagreb was 'grudge match, part one').
Not only Frank Lampard spoke to the media yesterday, Gareth Barry as well. The fact that after his fellow Aston Villa team-mate Emile Heskey has been ruled out for the match against Ukraine after he limped out of England's 4-0 friendly over Slovakia on Saturday (and he scored the first goal as well), leaving Barry the only Villa player on the England squad is a sign of Villa's recent Premier League form. From gate-crashing the top four spot and having a number of Villa players on the England squad, to this. For Barry who gave a typically unfussy, efficent display in the central midfield holding role during England's 4-0 friendly romp against Slovakia on Saturday, he admitted that helping England on the road to the World Cup finals in South Africa is perfect tonic for his Aston Villa agony. Gareth Barry was down in the dumps when he joined up with the England squad last week after Villa's 5-0 thrashing at Liverpool capped a woeful run of results for Martin O'Neill's team. Villa have blown a six-point lead over Arsenal and now sit outside the top four in the Premier League, with the holy grail of a place in the Champions League in danger of slipping out of reach. But Barry has been able to put Villa out of his mind for a few days while he focuses on maintaining his place in Fabio Capello's team.
And although Gareth Barry doesn't enjoy the high-profile of some of his England team-mates, his no-frills approach perfectly encapsulates the discipline and work-rate demanded by Capello. He has quietly established himself as a regular since the Italian took charge last year and his Villa performances have improved as a result of the boost to his confidence. After failing to enginner a move to Liverpool last year, Barry faces a major dilemma at the end of this season. Liverpool are likely to make another attempt to sign Barry, while Arsenal are also interested in the England midfielder. But he refuses to contemplate the future for now. Instead he is focused on England and then getting Aston Villa back in the top four.
I briefly mentioned David Beckham earlier on. Beckham passed former England's World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore's previous record of 108 caps when he came on as a half-time substitute in Saturday's 4-0 friendly win over Slovakia. On his 109th appearance in an England shirt, Beckham proved his continued worth to the side, setting up Wayne Rooney with a cross for England's second goal. He might be restricted to a bit-part role under Fabio Capello's England, but the man who is having a new lease of life at AC Milan insisted that he is happy with his current role. Capello started the Slovakia match with Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon on the right flank and his pace caused Slovakia problems at times. Beckham admits Lennon offers a different kind of threat and he is prepared to start on the bench if it helps England get a crucial victory.
Peter Shilton (the former goalkeeper's record 125 caps for England has not been beaten yet, and still so far the most capped England player) had complained that he is unhappy David Beckham is racking up caps as a substitute, but the AC Milan player received great support from the Wembley crowd as he entered the pitch for the second half. He insisted that there were no pre-match butterflies. And, Beckham said what many had suspected all along. Reiterating that his time in Milan has played a big part in his continued renaissance in an England shirt. This, "I knew and I've always known throughout my career that if I'm fit and in top shape then I can play to my best. Obviously Milan's done that."
Because if I have a reason why David Beckham is back for England again, it is his time at AC Milan which has make the difference. As long as his body still allows him to, he will still want to play for his country.
