chris-kirkland « WordPress.com Tag Feed

Greeno misses out again

MD — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:41:22 +0000

Robert Green looks to have confirmed his standing as England's number 6 goalkeeper for the time being at least, after again failing to make Fabio Capello's England squad.

I can't see the former City man making the 23 (or even provisional 30) any time soon, especially with the likes of Paul Robinson, Ben Foster and Joe Hart waiting in the wings.

I can see the logic in including David James and Scott Carson in the squad, as James is the form ‘keeper in the Premier League at the moment and Carson's undoubtedly a talented stopper, but Chris Kirkland? Seriously, that's just crazy talk...

Full England squad to face France in Paris on 26^th March:

Goalkeepers: James (Portsmouth), Carson (Aston Villa), Kirkland (Wigan Athletic).

Defenders: Bridge (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Johnson (Portsmouth), Terry (Chelsea), Brown (Manchester United), Lescott (Everton), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Wheater (Middlesbrough), Woodgate (Tottenham Hotspur), Upson (West Ham United).

Midfielders: Barry (Aston Villa), Young (Aston Villa), Bentley (Blackburn Rovers), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Lampard (Chelsea), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Beckham (LA Galaxy), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Manchester United), Downing (Middlesbrough), Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur).

Forwards: Walcott (Arsenal), Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Crouch (Liverpool), Rooney (Manchester United), Owen (Newcastle United), Defoe (Portmsouth).

Who is England's number 1?

MD — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:18:28 +0000

Fabio Capello takes charge of England for the first time on Wednesday in a friendly against Switzerland, but who will be in goal?

The final squad was announced on Saturday evening and perhaps understandably most of the attention and speculation has thus far centred on the fact that David Beckham won't be getting the opportunity to pick us his 100^th cap this time round, and on who will be Capello's captain - for what it's worth my vote would have gone to Steven Gerrard - but as a goalkeeper myself I'm much more interested in who will be his number one so that's what we're going to concentrate on here.

More...

Arrogant self-aggrandising alienates Henry's admirers

Tom Williams — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:35:03 +0000

Rob Smyth has written an interesting article about the increasingly petulant behaviour of Thierry Henry on the Guardian Unlimited website today.

The Arsenal captain's taunting of Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland in yesterday’s game at the Emirates Stadium is the latest indication that the one-time 'nicest man in football' is losing that certain va va voom that once made people so fond of him.

His childish post-Champions League Final rant at the referee was thoroughly embarrassing, and his conduct at times this season has been less than impressive. The goals haven’t been flowing that freely either, and while Henry’s form has stuttered, his younger team-mates have begun to intrude into the limelight that once belonged completely to him. His attempts to force his way back into that limelight by making himself the focal point of the team’s celebrations (even when he hasn’t been playing) have been toe-curling to say the least.

One suspects that, particularly given the injury that has kept Samuel Eto’o out of action for so long this season, Henry is beginning to wonder what might have been had he swapped London for Barcelona when he had the chance to last summer.

Rob Green sees the funny side

Alex — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:13:03 +0000

After surprisingly missing out on the England squad for last week's friendly with Switzerland, West Ham's Rob Green saw the funny side this weekend by donning gloves emblazoned with "England's No. 6". He denies that it was a dig at England boss Fabio Capello (incidentally watching Green for the first time) and explains that his glove manufacturer thought it would be funny. "If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at? It is not having a go at anybody. It is not against anyone. If it is anyone, it is against myself", said Green (whufc.co.uk). Green's ocassional penalty heroics this season were not enough to stop a James McFadden spot kick in a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City.

Number 6 eh? Technically Green could be right. If he does not break into the squad soon time could see the recently axed Paul Robinson return to form, and also a return to fitness from Ben Foster, widely tipped as a future England number 1. Add in the 3 keepers from the recent squad - James, Carson and Kirkland - and Green could well find himself ignored for the forseeable future.