The Beautiful Game

Last night at about 8:07PM I was able to begin to wipe from my mind the memory of the last time I saw Croatia play at Wembley on that dark, wet and miserable night back in 2007 when England were eliminated from qualification for UEFA Euro 2008. As Frank Lampard stepped up to convert the penalty it felt like it was going to be a great night. The team playing well, keeping the ball, creating chances and scoring goals - but there was one element which I was getting a bit stuck on. Good old Emile Heskey.

Before the game I was fully bought in to starting Heskey over Defoe. Sure Defoe has been on fire for Spurs so far this season, but the England team look so much more balanced and get the best from Rooney and Gerrard when there is a big guy who can hold the ball up. However, the two chances that Heskey missed in the first half are ones that I am confident Harry Redknapp's wife could of scored - and if we have designs on winning the FIFA World Cup then we need two strikers who can offer a goal threat.

He is great at doing his job, has pretty good movement and makes Rooney play well - but I think that now we have the luxury of secured qualification Fabio Capello should turn to Carlton Cole. We know Heskey can do the job well. However, could Cole offer the complete package that as well as the hard graft and link play delivers an eye for goal?

It stunned me to find this from the Daily Mail;

Cole is easily the best option to replace Heskey.

I believe that he should start, and finish, both of the remaining competitive FIFA 2010 World Cup Qualifiers. There are 9 months for the team to be developed and refined and you could argue that with a fully fit crop of players only the right midfield and partner for Rooney are the ones that do not pick themselves (assuming David James is fit and playing well). Lennon deserves a run in the team - and he should get that after his MoM last night - but if we do not give Carlton Cole the minutes on the pitch we will never know and then what happens if Heskey gets injured in the first match?

Come on Carlton, don't let me down

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The RMT strike that has effected London's Underground network yesterday/today/tomorrow has created a knock-on to the poor old real fan. England are playing their final FIFA World Cup Qualifier tonight against Andorra at the £850M planned and 8th wonder of the world Wembley Stadium, and with the transport issues not only will the FA lose more than £1M, but the real fan will be the one losing out.

It is still a tough ask to get a ticket to an England match, especially the big ones that come along. Andorra at home gave a opportunity for kids who might never get to a competitive England game to go with their families and experience an England game live, without there being 55 substitutions.

I remember as a lad going to Wembley to watch England play, it was always a real treat, something special and amazing - the home of football, where we won the World Cup - and even though I have never experienced England actually winning anything those early memories have always been the foundation to my passion for football. Across the country today families will be accepting the bullet - and killing kids dreams - by getting a refund from the FA and giving up the chance to see Rooney, Beckham, Gerrard and Co. All this because a small % of Union Officials are not fully satisfied and have a threat of redundancies - imagine if this approach was taken by everyone, the country, the world would fully shutdown.

It is great that the FA are refunding tickets, but I don't understand the set-up. So the tubes are down, but the trains are not even stopping at Wembley tonight, there are no extra bus services or parking options. I understand that they want to make a protest, but surely they can see that they are hurting the general punter, not the Government.

I am still going to go, and will have to walk, bus, train, walk to get there to cheer on the 3 Lions - ill be amazed if there are more than 30,000 there, but want to be there and not let these few take it away from me. I just think it is a real shame that this is going to have such an impact on the future England fans.

Just imagine if they pull this again during the Summer of 2012......

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