Why England can beat Spain

As the Iberians land on English shores, they bring with them a remarkable record. Since February 2007, la Furia Roja has played 71 matches for 62 wins, four draws and five losses; they score an average of 2.25 goals per game. That's an 87% win ratio. For some brief perspective, the all-powerful Barcelona side of 2010-11 won just under 74 percent of their matches.

Spain should have no reason to fear. But they find themselves matched against an opponent of whom they should be extremely mindful.

Why such anglocentric sentiments coming from a critic of both Fabio Capello and the English football hierarchy? It is encouraging for the men in white that the gaffer has called up a (relatively) youthful squad including first-timers Jack Rodwell and Daniel Sturridge. However, Three Lion optimism shouldn't come from any potential debutant but how the match suits England's ageing or faded stars.

The conditions both teams find themselves under generally sees England perform better than any other set. There are a minimum of expectation, a (relatively) understated buildup - for English football - and a self-inflicted crisis surrounding John Terry. Thursday's match should be appealing to partisan and neutrals alike because it gives those England players who have for so long disappointed the chance to perform on a high stage without pressure.

Aside from deserving trio Kyle Walker, Rodwell and Sturridge, Capello's most recent squad features staid, expected names: Lescott, Cole, Terry, Lampard, Rooney. It also includes speedy, tricksy wingers Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott and the (relatively) precise Stewart Downing. In comparing the squad there is a gap in quality between the players in the Spanish squad and those who will represent England but it is hardly a chasm. A larger gap, however, lies in the empowerment of those players and their ability to play as a team.

The psychological benefits of playing as vast underdogs on a big, hopeful stage should be enough to stir a performance out of players who have tempted us with occasional performances only to revert to type in later matches; guys like Frank Lampard, Glen Johnson and Walcott. If they are allowed to play with freedom, this game could be a years-delayed coming out party: (relatively) few have doubted English talent - just the application and heart thereof.

Tactically, wingers Sturridge, Walcott and Johnson could prove decisive as the Red Fury exhibit perhaps their greatest weakness against speed merchants on the flanks. Full backs Puyol, Monreal, Ramos and Alba all have obvious quality but, like most, are vulnerable to pace. Sturridge in particular should be a monty to start as his Stamford Bridge form continues to impress.

Spain v England, 2009: courtesy: myfootballfacts.com

It's in matches like this Thursday's that the Three Lions seem to do well: clashes where excitable expectation gives way to a pessimistic realism. Even though understatement and English football rarely go together, there has been a gathering mood of "blah" about recent Three Lions excursions as weary pundits refuse to be tempted into notable proclamations. This play into the hands of Capello and his men.

Don't be surprised if England defeat Spain on Thursday. They should have all the tools to do so - talent, vocal crowds and the perfect scenario to highlight the talents of underachieving stars. Spain are still favourites - 87.3 percent! - but the match is not the foregone conclusion many suggest.

Swansea City's Scott Sinclair deserves England callup

Anointing a youngster "future England regular" is an exercise both in optimism and presumption. There have been several recent nominees for the position future England star - from Jermaine Defoe, through Jack Wilshere, Andy Carroll and even Adam Johnson. Each has had their sparkly moments in the Three Lions' shirt and as Fabio Capello begins to assemble his squad for Euro 2012, certain names have been categorized already: Rooney - definitely, Lampard - probably, Naughton - perhaps, Bothroyd - unlikely, Scholes - I wish and Nugent - never in a million years.

Here's one more suggestion for that "perhaps" category, a bolter from the field: Scott Sinclair, of Swansea City. In fact, it's not too long a bow to draw to suggest he should have been considered for a call-up to the current England training camp as they prepare to face Switzerland. Take note he probably doesn't deserve a place in the team just yet, but with his Championship form, Chelsea pedigree and blistering pace down the left of midfield he - and England - can only benefit from his exposure to top level competition.

The former Chelsea man isn't the best English left winger in the country. He may not even make the top seven. But what he does offer is an abundance of pace, youth, finishing skills and enthusiasm. In International football, speed is a crucial part of a team's gameplan and something- Theo Walcott's fragile body apart - that the Three Lions lack. He may develop into a gamebreaker (or not) but to include him at this juncture would only aid England's process of ensuring the most appropriate talent makes their representative team.

Understanding that during their past few internationals England have trotted out James Milner, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young as regular left midfielders - Milner the incumbent and deserving Villa pair rewarded for good Premiership form. Other wide players like Matt Jarvis and Johnson round out the England squad - both of good, but not world-class standard. It's hard to believe that Sinclair is that far removed from that second level, especially when viewed on a purely physical basis. Man City's Johnson went from the Championship with Middlesbrough to the national setup within months of his acquisition by the Citizens and appears as if he has an England future. Sinclair could do the same.

The argument for calling up the Swans' star is simple: why not? What has England got to lose? They include an upcoming youngster, give him exposure to training with top-class talent and play him only if they're confident he won't let the side down. If he's not good enough, so be it - he can easily not be included in their matchday team. His Championship background shouldn't scare Capello - the Italian called up Jay Bothroyd earlier this season and Sinclair's record (27 goals in all competitions this year) is comparable to, if not better than, that of the former Cardiff City striker. He's already in the system as well as a regular for Stuart Pearce's U-21 mob.

As any four-year old is frustratingly aware, the simple rebuttal to an argument of "Why not?" is "Why?". England have a bevy of wide players with better and more established pedigrees - ranging from Milner to Jarvis. To represent one's country should be earned and it's questionable that Sinclair has done so. Often, managers look for two years of performances before rewarding players with higher honours. But really, does training with the National squad have the same weight of meaning? Two years ago, Joe Lewis of Peterborough was called into the England training camp while Jordan Henderson's tremendous start to last season got him an England cap, after which his form tailed away. To look back on those two's call-ups is to ask if they truly deserved them also.

Scott Sinclair will find out later this year when Swansea City begin their Premiership campaign if he's quite the player he seems. But Fabio Capello's watching brief shouldn't just include obtaining results but developing the national team for the future as well - and Scott Sinclair's definitely one to watch. It appears he has missed a trick by disregarding the young Swan.

Image courtesy: telegraph.co.uk

Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott and Bale: All just a little bit of history repeating

Manchester United want Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. So do Chelsea. And Arsenal. And City.

Southampton boss Nigel Adkins is a very shrewd operator on the transfer market after his time in the Championship with terminally-short-of-cash Scunthorpe. Three times he turned small money forwards into big dollars: he made a 2000% profit on both Billy Sharpe's move to Sheffield United and Gary Hooper's transfer to Celtic and trebled his money in Martin Paterson's Big Burnley Adventure. To mix Adkins' transfer smarts with the chunky bankroll sported by Southampton ownership makes for a formidable operation.

But should Arsenal, Chelsea, United or City wave a briefcase at the Saints containing a rumoured ₤10 Million, no club in League One could resist, no matter how much cash the owners have. In the furore surrounding Southampton teen Oxlade-Chamberlain, it's interesting to go back to the last great Southampton youngsters to move to the EPL. It was back in 2006-07 when North London duo Arsenal and Tottenham smashed-and-grabbed their way to Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale.

These two are both, like Typographical Tyro Oxlade-Chamberlainare both wingers, though Bale started out as a full-back. Southampton were treading water in the rising floodwaters of debt pocketed sums of ₤9.1 million for Walcott and ₤5 million rising to ₤10 million for Bale.

They started their big league careers in opposite directions. Walcott was Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad dark horse and played with an Arsenal team who led the league as late as February. Bale struggled to adjust to a struggling Tottenham's style and with the rigidity required to play fullback. It's easy to forget now after his outstanding 2010 that for the longest time - 24 games, a record - he didn't play in a winning Premiership match.

Bale is now worth perhaps ten times that initial ₤5 million investment and at 21 is liable only to improve. He is comfortable in his position, has a manager who trusts him and forwards to aim at. Some say his combination of pace, crossing and finishing skills make him the best left-sided player in the world, with plenty of time and appetite to improve.

Walcott has also increased in "value" but his is a different story. Rather than improving and diversifying as a footballer, he's been mired in injury, inconsistency and accusations of being a one-trick pony. Endowed - or perhaps cursed - with Thierry Henry's iconic number 14, the these factors haven't allowed him to become the potential world-beater Arsene Wenger saw in the Saints forward. He's got talent and has produced the occasional unplayable game - his treble against Croatia for England a notable one - but if two years ago you asked a football pundit who would be the better player every one would have plumped for Walcott over Bale. The development has apparently stalled.

With Darren Bent recently being sold for upwards of ₤20 million it's likely Theo's blend of pace and youth would command a hefty transfer fee, but have his fifteen Arsenal goals (from 100 appearances) justified Wenger's initial investment. All that glitters in League One is not, apparently, gold.

The recipe to create a successful footballer needs plenty of ingredients: talent, physical gifts, the right headspace and a lot of luck. Walcott has been unlucky with injuries, just as Bale was early in his Spurs career. But Bale has already repaid the money Tottenham invested for his services while with Walcott, it's debatable. He may very well turn into England's Centre Forward of the Future but so much time has passed now that rather than being expected of him, it is now just a fond hope.

Like trading futures on the stock exchange, throwing money at youth doesn't guarantee instant rewards. It may not guarantee rewards at all. Sometimes, like with Jermaine Jenas, it isn't even the buying club who gets the benefit. Not by a long chalk has time run out for Theo Walcott but his development is now a matter of "if" and not "when".