Source: Daily_Mail
Is Jermain Defoe Fabio Capello's fox in the box? England's impact sub is pushing for striker's slot
Most international managers would decline the invitation to offer advice to the opposition, but Matjaz Kek could not help himself on Saturday. 'Fabio Capello should think seriously before the Croatia game about picking Jermain Defoe,' said the Slovenian.[LNB] 'Defoe and Aaron Lennon worked well together in the second half and really put us under pressure. Defoe has been playing well for Tottenham.' [LNB]A man, it has to be said, with a rather more impressive grasp of English than the manager of England also said he had seen enough videos to know that Glen Johnson has a tendency to leave space behind him that can be exploited. But to more pressing matters first.[LNB] Goal machine: Jermain Defoe celebrates with Aaron Lennon[LNB] [LNB]Kek has a point about Defoe and it poses an interesting problem for Capello. Not one he necessarily has to solve before Wednesday's encounter with Croatia but one he certainly needs to consider before next summer's World Cup. [LNB]Defoe is making himself increasingly difficult to ignore: a player, while lacking Wayne Rooney's all-round ability, who is fast emerging as the most natural goalscorer in the England squad. [LNB]For Capello, every 50-odd minutes - twice as frequent as Rooney and a good deal more often than Emile Heskey. [LNB] Hot shot: Defoe scores[LNB]Judging by his team selection here, Capello will stick with the Rooney-Heskey axis that served him so well in Zagreb 12 months ago in the hope of producing a similarly impressive performance against Croatia and securing qualification for South Africa.[LNB] Capello acknowledged after this friendly that Heskey's sheer physical presence would be important when up against Robert Kovac and Josip Simunic.[LNB] 'It depends on the players and it depends on the moment,' he said. 'But the players make a lot of movement around Heskey. The movement of Rooney and Gerrard is very dangerous every time and, yes, against Kovac and Simunic he can be important.' [LNB]But what then? What if Defoe continues to deliver for Tottenham and produce these explosive cameo performances for England. How much longer can he be overlooked?[LNB] Under pressure: Emile Heskey (R)[LNB] Whatever Capello does, there will always be a downside. Leave out Defoe and lose his goal threat. Leave out Heskey and not only lessen the threat of England's most important player (Rooney) but alter the dynamic of the team by essentially switching to a more orthodox 4-4-2.[LNB] [LNB]Pick all three, and so go to a three-man midfield of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard - scorer of England's first goal from the penalty spot - and Gareth Barry, and sacrifice width and pace. [LNB]It was Theo Walcott who benefited most of all from Heskey in Zagreb, and Aaron Lennon or Shaun Wright-Phillips who could offer that extra dimension in the absence of the injured Walcott this week. [LNB]Important: Fabio Capello highlighted Defoe[LNB]On Saturday's evidence, and the evidence of Tottenham's recent displays, Lennon should get the nod ahead of Wright-Phillips.[LNB] Lennon has been scoring for Tottenham and he was excellent against Slovenia, delivering the ball that invited Defoe to score his superb, albeit deflected, second-half goal and creating a number of other opportunities for his colleagues.[LNB]'He was positive,' noted Capello. Capello no doubt regards such selection dilemmas as the kind of problems he likes. It reflects well on the quality of his squad and the quality of the England bench, no bad thing this close to a major tournament. [LNB]Right now the Italian seems to be comfortable with using Defoe as an impact substitute and, as things stand, that is probably the most sensible way to proceed.[LNB] Rooney and Heskey actually combined well in the first half, with Rooney earning a less-than-deserved penalty that Lampard then converted. [LNB]'If Defoe plays the second half and scores goals that is good,' said Capello. 'Perhaps he would be tired if he played from the first minute. No, I joke, I joke. He's a really important player but I can choose different players.' [LNB]And he will. Especially if he is not happy with those he has entrusted with a place in his starting line-up. Especially if those he has selected fail to follow his instructions. [LNB] [LNB]At times on Saturday Capello was Mr Angry - as animated as he has ever been and a manager with the kind of presence England should appreciate when their last encounter with Croatia at Wembley was memorable only for the humiliating sight of Steve McClaren taking cover under an umbrella. [LNB]On Saturday night Capello excused Johnson for his defensive frailties - he was invited to condemn him but responded by declaring him 'one of the best right backs in the world' - just as he ignored the mistake Joleon Lescott made in allowing Zlatan Ljubijankic to score Slovenia's late goal.[LNB]Never mind that Niko Kranjcar could take advantage of Johnson's indiscipline on Wednesday. 'I think Kranjcar will be more worried about Johnson,' Capello said. [LNB]But what Capello sometimes says in public might differ to what he is really thinking, and the England manager is sure to raise the issue with Johnson before Croatia arrive. [LNB]'I have a system,' he said in explaining how he deals with such failings. He has a system and he also has options and while he dismissed David Beckham as an alternative at right back he might yet look to James Milner. [LNB]Again, not this week. But soon enough if players fall short of the standards he sets, and soon enough if the players who step off the bench prove more effective than those who have started ahead of them.[LNB]Jermain Defoe has scored eight goals in his past nine England games. That is one more than Emile Heskey has managed in his 55-cap career. Defoe also has the best strike-rate of any player under Fabio Capello, averaging a goal every 53 minutes. Wayne Rooney is the next best on 109 minutes, while the average wait for a Heskey goal has been 286 minutes. England 2 Slovenia 1: England victorious but Fabio Capello still has much work to doPick me, Fabio: I'll ensure England get revenge over Croatia, says in-form pocket dynamo Jermain DefoeStill not diving, Rooney? England striker at the centreGerrard: We want revenge - England ace out to bury Euro 2008 heartache [LNB] Explore more:People:Shaun Wright-Phillips, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, Steven Gerrard, Theo Walcott, Emile Heskey, Steve McClaren, Wayne Rooney, Fabio Capello, James Milner, Jermain Defoe, David Beckham, Aaron Lennon, Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, Niko KranjcarPlaces:Croatia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Slovenia
