The shocking news from England is the suprise inclusion of Theo in England squad for the world cup.

Theo is a good player no doubt.

He was shocked as well.

I was expecting somebody like Darren Bent to be included.

how could a Coach leave a 22 goal a season Sriker for a young Arsenal boy who played just one premiership match. I can't believe this.

What do you think guys?

i think ericksson is banking on the element of surprise. A boy of his talent with no prior experience of the world cup might just go on to be a live wire. Especially now there is no rooney.

The kid is good, i rmember owen's world cup match against Argentina and rooney's first game for england. walcott without fear might just turn out that way. Besides he is fast and ericksson is looking for pace and aggression to replace rooney.

Walcott might just go on to be the star. It's a smart gamble. Besides although bent scored all those goals , he is predictable and can easily be marked out by experienced defenders. But with Walcott you dnt know what to expect.

Bent to me is almost like kevin phillips in his first season in the premiership at sunderland wher he scores 30 goals, but fades after that. So i back Ericksson for making a smart choice.

Are you saying that because you are a Gunner?

22 goals in a season cannot be a fluke.

Owen has already play for England before he suprises the world in that world cup.

maybe i'm a bit influenced in my judgement becuz i'm a gunner. But i still think thats it's smart gamble besides that.

22 goals in the seasom doesn't mean you'd be great at the world cup, or in the national team. Sometimes it comes down to style of play. And it also comes down to the coach.

Andy cole was great but he never was a hit for england.

Besides ericksson has owen, cole (if played as a striker), crouch ( who can hold the ball on the ground). he might not neccessarily need another finisher. he already has a finsiher in owen, what he needs is someone with pace who can help owen do the job.

playing bent and owen is the equivalent of playing aghahowa and makinwa. they won't work together

(my opinion)

nightrider:

22 goals in the seasom doesn't mean you'd be great at the world cup, or in the national team. Sometimes it comes down to style of play. And it also comes down to the coach.
(my opinion)

Chief Coach NightRider, What is your yardstick of choosing or buying a Striker?

well i think the lad is still very much young and raw. I haven't really seen him play, but from what i hear, they say the dude is very good. The world cup is not the under 17s, 20 tournaments. This is a competition for big boys and i might be wrong, but i do not see him making any kind of impact in England's world cup campane. If i was Erickson, i would go with bent instead, but hey maybe Walcott does need the experience.

djibril cisse was highest goal scorer in the french league, what did he do in korea japan ?
NUTHIN

it's not about how many goals you score, it's about the managers vision. even if you score a hundred goals, if the manager doesn't see how you fit into his team. Nuthin for you.

Jimmy floyd hasselbaink was scoring more goals than Bergkamp at a piont. But he would never get into the dutch team ahead of bergkamp. Thats because there was patrick kluivert and van nistelrooy who could do what hasselbaink was doing. so instead of getting another finisher, why not get a player who can add to flow of the game and let the finisher just do their job.

whats the use of carrying 5 aghahowas , when you can carry 4 aghahowas and one Kanu nwankwo who can help them score and score himself.
i'm saying i think that is ericksson's logic.

NFA SCRIBE AKOLAWOLE i hope you have gotten my piont.

@akola
i agree that walcott doesnt have the experience of bent
but like nightrider said, ericsson took a big leap in gambling
pace means alot in modern day football n the uncertainty of rooney being fit added to his wahala.

Sometimes such gambles might work n u'll be surprised the kid might shine in germany
He has the talent, he only needs to hold his nerves against the big guys and learn from the experience

Personally, i hope he'll do well
As for dropping bent for walcott, some things can drive u crazy
like rooney breaking his matatarsal bone

That is the greatest mistake in the history of football. Theo Walcott is only a

young boy of 17, who only watched the 2002 world cup as a lad of 13. Taking

him to the world cup in the midst of the BIG BOYS in football will surely be

intimidating.

Unlike Rooney and Owen in their rising days, Walcott is yet to taste a first

team Premiership action. It is not justifiable to say that Walcott is competent

enough to grace the world cup. The Word cup is all about good form and

experience. Has anyone watched Walcott to determine his form, neither has

anyone watched him in several premiership matches, to determine how

experienced he is.

Needless to say, Ericksson went for Theo Walcott on sentiments and nothing

more.

We all know Darren Bent; we have seen him play for Charlton. A player who

scored 22 goals in a season is not a mean player. Shaun Wright-Philips is good,

he's quick and pacy, but fragile. In my assessment, he's OK. James Beattie of

Everton is also good, not to talk of Jermaine Defoe.

There is no justification in leaving behind these good first team premiership

players for someone who cannot even be gambled by the Ass-annal's Arsene

Wenger for a champions league place.

Rooney exempted, am yet to see a world class player who has what it takes to

win the world cup in the list provided by Sven Goran Ericksson. What I see is a

list of average or below average players who are just created by the British

press - no thanks to BBC and the rest. An average English man knows truly

that he cannot win the world cup, but the English press would put it otherwise.

Truly, what the English team lack is the winning mentality.

It is share madness for a country like England with all its pedigree in club

football to rest its world cup hope totally on a lad like Rooney who is just

having his first world cup experience. The British Press, having brain washed

us, we believe the English team is world class and invincible. Let's wait and see

if or not they won't fall like a pack of card.

Walcott or not Walcott, the English team has been muddled as a result of

Rooney's injury.

Over-hypped England, Miserable Rooney, Poor British Press,

WHERE IS THY STING!!!!

Let me start by saying i'm an arsenal fan, but my comments are without bias (i hope). Theo Walcott is a promising player, and yes he hasn't shown what he can do at the top level yet. I think Ericksson just wants to have an element of surprise in his squad. If goal scoring was the only criteria, then marlon harewood of west ham should also be going to the world cup then along with darren bent. Defoe is a pretty decent player, but i think he'll still get into the final list. remember Ronaldo went to 1994 world cup when he was 18 (without playing), so why not take Walcott? most people n England think the boy is good. Darren Bent is too predictable for me, 22 goals non the less. Ronaldo scored only 3 goals before Korea Japan and went on to be the highest goal scorer. I' have a feeling Ericksson and Wenger can see something we haven't quite seen yet, thats one of the reasons why they have been successful.

nightrider:

djibril cisse was highest goal scorer in the french league, what did he do in korea japan ?
NUTHIN

Look at you.

What did your Henry (Premiership highest goal scorer) do in the same competition. He was rubbish, even Agawonder score a beautiful goal.


THE VERY DAY NAIRALAND_GUNNERS CHANGED & SHOWS OBJECTIVITY, we will enjoy this place very well.

this aint all about arsenal is it? Walcott is a good talent, no doubt, is he good enough for the world cup, well thats a gamble Ericksson has chosen to take. nightrider was just makin the point that highest goal scorer doesn't equal performance at the world cup as shown by both Cisse and Henry at K/J 2002. Which means that D Bent scoring 22 goals don't mean he would shine at the world cup if taken. Rossi just came out suspension 2 months before the world cup, after not playing for a year 1982, went and became highest goalscorer, he was italy's suprise package, the highest goalscorer in italy that year wasn't even taken to the world cup. Walcott may or may not have the same impact

debosky:

this aint all about arsenal is it? Walcott is a good talent, no doubt, is he good enough for the world cup.

He is a good player and he is sub_ten like Anelka and Galas.

All i know is scoring goals means a lot for Strikers.

Eriksson don drink paraga. I'm surprised he left out Defoe/Bent and took only 4 strikers, half of whom are nursing injuries.

Does he really think Rooney will play at full strength? Lets not forget how spice boy was a shadow of himself at JaSoko 2002. Somehow I doubt Crouch and Walcott will get the needed goals. It seems the man doesn't really care now that he is out of a job. That's what happens when you announce a coach's departure too early.

thanks debosky for helping me explain to akola,


maybe ericksson should have dropped owen hargreaves and carried bent.

hargreaves is uneccesary excess in a team that has Gerrad, lampard, joe cole, beckham.

besides hargreaves hardly scores.

so maybe bent should have taken hargreaves place.

But the surprise element in walcott is still a plus. YOU just never know what he'll do at the tournament

He is a good player and what i think is that the guy is very lucky.

May be this is its time to shine

whats all this big boys talk abeg!!

why dont some of us look beyond the number (age)

this is the time for england to fall at the world cup with this selection

What I see is a

list of average or below average players who are just created by the British

press - no thanks to BBC and the rest. An average English man knows truly

that he cannot win the world cup, but the English press would put it otherwise.

what do u expect? you want them to do play down their team?

why can't they win the world cup?

i dont agree that english players are all hype.

i'm not saying they aren't hyped , i'm saying they aren't all hype.

Gerrad, beckham , lampard are fantastic footballers. So is joe cole.

They just need a coach that will teach them how to play with flair. Thats why i feel they messed up by not picking scolari to be thier next coach. What on earth is Mclaren going to do.

I wonder?

They were just being sentimental cos he was already in the coaching crew
na sentiments them go chop?

Anyway, il pray with them cos i'll like them to do somthing good at the world cup

nightrider:

Gerrad, beckham , lampard are fantastic footballers. So is joe cole.

Though two of them are my boys in Chelsea but i will be truthful.

Gerrad is exceptional but the other three can never make a properly chosen Nigeria national team.

This is a topic for another day.

No they can't make a properly chosen Nigerian team, they will coach the team.

I dont think the guy woudl even get an appearance Erickson just wants to be in the spotlight of the media before he goes,

I agree a bit with mocha, Sven has nothing to lose now, afterall he knows job don finish after world cup, win or no win. The team is definitely lacking strikers, if you ask me he shdve taken Defoe or Bent as well as Walcott, Crouch, Owen and Rooney. At least have another fit striker in the team, Rooney will probably not play till quarter/semis (assuming they go that far). My personal choice wdve been Defoe, he's performed reasonably well for England before, though this season was average. No doubt the hype about England players is too much, but there is some genuine talent in there, they have a very good chance, even without Rooney.

ROBINSON



   GARY NEVILLE                    JOHN TERRY                     SOL CAMPBELL                           ASHLEY COLE





                                                          FRANK LAMPARD

DAVID BECKHAM                                                                                                     JOE COLE


                                                                                           
                                                                                   
                                STEVEN GERRAD                                   THEO WALCOTT

                         
                                                                 MICHAEL OWEN

Both England and Ericksson are just taking a huge risk with the selction of their stickers, they run the risk of taking two world class but half fit strickers to Germany (Rooney and Owen) in addition to Crouch and Walcott who are hugely unexpericenced and to me lack the pedigree to perform in the world cup, personally I would have preferred Defoe and Bent to this two but the truth is dat stricker or no stricker, England has a superb midfield with the likes of Lampard and Gerrad who have above 40 goals between them this season and as such can deliver the goods if the need arises.

Hmmm, true talk!

Wat do u guys think of Andy Johnson
he is on standby and the guy scores alot of goals
With good midfield i think he wud perform well

He came out 2nd highest goal scorer when palace was in the league
why isnt he considered
i think he is a good striker

what do u guys/ladies think?

@ Akola,
As much as i am an ardent Man Utd fan, i think Eriksson's decision was spot-on.
Luiz Ronaldo of Brazil went to USA 94 @ 18 years without kicking a ball but the experience moulded him to become the greatest striker the game has ever produced.
Lets hope Walcott will develop in the same manner. WALCOTT's age is another big factor here. He's always going to have a surprise package in him than a Darren Bent we already know what he is capable of.
I support Walcott's call-up just like i backed up Eguavoen's inclusion of Mikel Obi at the last CAN 2006.
Lets give these lil' boys a chance to express 'emselves.
I'm out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the two lessons I learnt in that UEFA cup final of Sevilla and Middlebrough its not worthy to try on new players in bigger matches or even force the injured man to play.
One might pay the ultimate price just like that injured ( masked)middle brough goalie
was to blame for all goals.
In that case England can still win worldcup without Rooney and Walcott.

But it was A good gamble as I trust Wenger boys and Walcott might be a surprise package for England.
On Rooney am happy he attended a cock tail without his boots and I believe all is well now.
England now has 1/4 of my support because of those Arsenal players.

@ Prisccy,
Why blame that goalie?
He was Boro's saviour as he made saves after saves.
Boro's defence was shambolic and the defenders were just mere spectators.
Any goalie will conceed goals if the defence leaks like Boro's defence did last night.

I dont blame him but I sympathised with him cos he was sick. They could have gotten another one not him.

As for theo i have not seen him play but I have read he is the bomb. I trust Wenger!