ROONEY’S NOW A PASSENGER ENGLAND JUST CAN’T CARRY TO WORLD CUP
DO YOU AGREE WITH CALL TO DROP WAYNE ROONEY?
Carragher: I totally understand. It will also be better for Wayne, as some of the criticism has been so over the top it’s been embarrassing. No matter how strong you are mentally, it will take its toll. He rightly started in Slovakia. It was the toughest game on paper, Sam Allardyce’s first game, he played with three midfielders and he wanted that experience plus he was in better form than Dele Alli.
Redknapp: Dropping Rooney is not the wrong thing to do. Gareth Southgate has made a big call and I’m not surprised. Rooney will have no complaints — other players are in better form — but what he will take issue with is the constant questioning about his future. It must drive him crazy. People have been very quick to write him off. He’s been an amazing player and still has something to offer.
Keown: There is an element of risk involved. This is a young team with a young manager and very little experience of qualification, but, yes, I understand why he has been dropped.
There’s so much pace around Rooney and he doesn’t look to haveve the energy levels andd drive any more.
He provides balance to the team, but most of his passes go sideways or diagonally at the moment while his team-mates are mak-king dangerous runs through the middle.
Sutton: Absolutely.ely. There are better playersl than him in every position, and it’s as simple as that. Rooney is a versatile player but this is England and it’s about earning the right. His recent form has not been good enough to earn a starting place.
IS THERE ANY WAY BACK?
Sutton: No. He’s been a great servant to English football but the next tournament is more than 18 months away. If England want to do well at the World Cup, they can’t carry passengers and Rooney would be a passenger. The best thing would be to congratulate him on his career, thank him, then move on. Carragher: He still has a part to play and will still start games for England. But if everyone is fit — and considering how poor the opposition in this group is — he may not be needed as much as he would like. He can still be very valuable in this squad but in a different way. Gary Neville told me he’s the glue that connects the different age groups together. They all admire and look up to him.
Redknapp: Of course. Getting dropped is not the end of the world. If Daniel Sturridge doesn’t play well this evening then you’d back Rooney to come on and make a difference.
Southgate should only get rid of him if he feels he’s having a detrimental impact on the squad. If he thinks Rooney is a good role model for the young players then why wouldn’t you keep him involved?
If I was a young forward like Marcus Rashford I’d love to have an experienced player like Rooney there to give me advice before games. Keown: There is a role for him to play, as this crop of youngsters will need an experienced head around them during this qualification campaign. It’s pleasing to see he’s still on excellent terms with Southgate and that Rooney has handled the situation with great dignity. Rooney can’t compete with Alli in the midfield, though.
The Tottenham man looks like a middle- distance runner in comparison when he breaks into the box and closes people down.
WHO SHOULD BE CAPTAIN IN THE LONG RUN?
Redknapp: I would say Eric Dier, although my only worry is that he is facing a battle with Victor Wanyama for his place at Tottenham. The England captain needs to be in the form of his life for his club.
Alternatively, I would go for John Stones. He is such a good player and this could be exactly what he needs.
Henderson is another option but the burden of captaining both Liverpool and England could be too great. I have no problem with Henderson wearing the armband tonight but longer term I’d give it to Dier or Stones.
Carragher: Southgate is right to pick Henderson for now because he’s one of the few players who captains his club.
It’s the right choice for Gareth because he’s in charge for the next three games, but if England then get a new manager who is looking long term, then Dier or Stones
could be in with a shout, because Jordan is not an out- and- out guaranteed starter for this country.
Keown: It’s tempting to say in the long run Chris Smalling will return to the line-up and replace him as captain for club and country, but Henderson seems the more likely option. The Liverpool midfielder captained the Under 21s on numerous occasions, too, so it may be the logical solution.
Sutton: There aren’t many obvious candidates but I think it has to be Henderson. If you’d have asked me a year ago if Henderson should be the next captain I’d have said absolutely not, but he has matured in the last 12 months, especially under Jurgen Klopp.
WHAT’S YOUR STARTING LINE-UP FOR TONIGHT?
Keown: (4-2-3-1) Hart; Walker, Stones, Smalling, Rose; Dier, Henderson; Walcott, Alli, Lingard; Sturridge. Carragher: (4-2-3-1) Hart; Walker, Stones, Cahill, Rose; Dier, Henderson; Rashford, Alli, Walcott/Lingard; Sturridge.
Redknapp: (4-1-2-3) Hart; Walker, Stones, Cahill, Rose; Dier; Henderson, Alli; Walcott, Sturridge, Rashford.
Sutton: (4-2-3-1) Hart; Walker, Stones, Cahill, Rose; Dier, Henderson; Sturridge, Alli, Lingard; Vardy.