Gerrard deserves to start for England
Steven Gerrard infuriated England fans last month when he opted to have surgery on a troublesome groin injury instead of representing his country in the crucial World Cup qualifying double header against Andorra and Croatia. But while Gerrard recovered from going under the knife, Chelsea's Frank Lampard put in a vintage display as England thrashed Croatia 4-1 in Zagreb. Lampard and Gareth Barry were simply sublime in midfield and Lampard almost capped off a brilliant night with one of the best goals ever scored for England, but Emile Heskey was adjudged to have fouled a Croatian defender.
The Press and the fans quite rightly heaped praise on Lampard for his part in the Theo Walcott-inspired performance prompting calls for Capello to resist reinstating Steven Gerrard in the starting line-up. Now normally I would have agreed with those pundits - why change a winning team - but with Gerrard in such scintillating form for Liverpool, and Joe Cole out due to injury, it's simply unthinkable that Capello will overlook the Liverpool ace for the games against Kazakhstan and Belarus.
England should, in theory, rack up a cricket score against these two minor nations, but we all know they tend to struggle against teams who put 10 men behind the ball. With the pace of Theo Walcott, the skill of Wayne Rooney, the passing range of Frank Lampard and the strength of Emile Heskey to hold the ball up, England should have no trouble in picking up maximum points this week. But that groin operation has given Steven Gerrard a new lease of life. He came off the bench to help Liverpool record a morale-boosting victory over arch rivals Manchester United at Anfield before scoring a brace, one which was an absolute stunner, against Marseille in the Champions League. He then bagged his 100th career goal for Liverpool with a blistering free-kick against PSV, again in the Champions League, and inspired Liverpool to come from 2-0 down to beat Manchester City 3-2 at Eastlands.
Gerrard is a complete footballer. He can use both feet, has the ability to pick a man out with a raking 50-yard cross, has a fantastic engine and the ability to inspire those around him. He's not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get stuck in or do a job for the team. He can defend, he can attack, he can shoot and boy can he score. He never knows when he's beat and refuses to give less than 100 per cent. Need I go on?
There has been a long-running debate on whether Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard can play together. They are both great attacking midfielders and I can't take anything away from Lampard - he proved in Croatia that he deserves his starting place in the England team. But Gerrard, who has never been allowed to play his natural game for England, ultimately gives Capello a number of options to consider. He can play in any position across the midfield, behind the striker or in front of the back four. Options that the Italian coach would never get from Lampard.
Joe Cole's absence will be a huge blow for England but it could allow Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing another chance to make the left side of midfield his own . . . or would you prefer Liverpool's most capped English player ever, Steven Gerrard? Alternatively Capello could opt to play Barry on the left and Gerrard in the holding role. Whatever the Italian decides to do he must surely give Gerrard his starting place back.
* Calling all England fans. Do you agree with me? Should Gerrard be recalled to the starting line-up? What if Joe Cole was fit? Would you have wanted to see Gerrard back in the team then? Who would you rather have on the left side of midfield, Downing, Barry of Gerrard? We'd love to hear from you.
