England's Wingers: Did Capello Make the Right Decision?

Much has been made of Theo Walcott’s exclusion from the England World Cup Squad, which caught many of us by surprise.  However, when we look at the statistics, Fabio Capello’s decision appears to be vindicated.  What is less clear is the absence of Adam Johnson.

The selection of England’s wingers, particularly on the left-hand side, has been a contentious point in recent years, with the fans’ opinions often differing vastly to those of the manager.

The reason behind such debate could lie in the growing importance of the role of a winger in the modern game.

The exploits of the 2008 and 2009 Ballon D’or winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, scoring 42 and 46 goals respectively over the last two seasons, has brought into sharp focus the impact a fast, skillful winger can have on the attacking prowess of any team.

Such goal tallies for wide players were not considered possible in the modern game only a few years ago, but as that theory has been blown out of the water, fans’ expectations have risen by the same token.

England’s wide men may not boast the same sort of threat as La Liga’s prized assets, but that is not to say that we lack options.

Of the three out-and-out wingers in the squad—Milner having enjoyed a central berth for the majority of the season and Gerrard a reluctant deputy on the left—only Aaron Lennon’s place was secure.

Joe Cole had a mixed return from a long injury lay-off.  Despite occasional glimpses of his previous fine form, most notably his impudent back heeled goal against Manchester United and his cameos in the seven and eight-nil drubbings of Stoke City and Wigan, he struggled to cement a place within the Chelsea team.

Florent Malouda’s fine form and continued uncertainty over Cole’s future saw him in and out of the team, often having to make do with a place on the bench.

Having been a regular under Jose Mourinho and his successor, Avram Grant, Cole succumbed to injury in January 2009.  After failing to reclaim a regular spot in the Chelsea line-up, looks set to join Arsenal after the World Cup.

Despite a stop-start season for Cole, strong displays in the friendlies against Mexico and Japan, past performances and his versatility have seen him get the nod.

One player who has already stepped through the Chelsea exit door is Shaun Wright-Phillips.  The Manchester City winger has, in the past, been a regular within the England setup but was expected to make way for fan-favourite Walcott.

Walcott’s recurring shoulder injuries have hampered his career to date and have not aided his ability to maintain a decent level of consistency.  This is evidenced by a poor return of three goals and just two assists in the league this season.

Though Walcott gained a regular starting role for Arsenal towards the end of the season, many would argue that his place in the England team would have been based only on potential.

A player who could argue his case on both fronts is Adam Johnson.  His emergence as a promising right-winger in addition to his prowess on the left has seen Johnson’s stock rise rapidly.

In fact, Johnson's form was so impressive that he was involved in all 16 of City’s Premier League games which followed his £5million move from Middlesborough, starting 14.  Wright-Phillips, as a result, saw his opportunities limited.

It is telling that City manager Roberto Mancini saw fit to shift Johnson to the right to make space for Craig Bellamy, rather than play Wright-Phillips in his natural position.

In his 16 league games, Johnson contributed eight assists and one goal (a contender for goal of the season—a crucial 91st minute equaliser against Sunderland).  Wright-Phillips matched Johnson’s eight assists and notched four goals, but unlike his younger counterpart, he had the entire season to reach his figures.

The 22-year old Teesider was the only natural left winger (actually being left-footed, unlike Cole) in Capello’s 30-man squad.  Having displaced Wright-Phillips in the City team, Johnson deserved more game time in the warm-up matches.

The true test of Capello’s selection will come tomorrow in England’s opening game against the United States.

Whatever the result, you can guarantee a lot of the talk before, during, and even after the game will be about Walcott.  While fans, journalists, and pundits alike are bemoaning his absence, spare a thought for Adam Johnson, for he is just as worthy of our sympathy.

[Originally written 11th June]