I've had to plan my wedding around England's World Cup campaign, says Ben Herd

English Football League / Ben Herd / 01 October 2008 / Leave a Comment

Shrewsbury full-back Ben Herd gives us his take on Tim Cahill's red card, the amazing progress of Theo Walcott and why he's heading off to Las Vegas in the near future.

Another good result for us at the weekend, beating the much fancied Bradford 2-0 - a great team performance showing there are more ways than one to win a football match, even in the absence of our manager through illness.

With Sky's coverage of the Premiership at midday on most Saturdays, it has now become customary for me and a few of the other lads to watch the game in the Players' Lounge before our team meeting.

The first positive glimpses of the dynamic partnership of Robbie Keane and Fernando Torres came to fruition in the first Merseyside derby this season. It seems as though each Premiership game courts its own controversy these days and this game was no exception with Tim Cahill's straight red. Although I have never experienced a Premiership derby match, I know the passion and never-say-die attitude required for such a game.

Tackles are invariably flying about in these games but I do feel a bit of empathy for Tim Cahill. On my viewing, (and I've seen the tackle a few times) a straight red seemed a bit harsh. I don't believe it was malicious or reckless, if anything it was just mistimed and a yellow card would've sufficed. To add to Cahill's injustice, his appeal has been deemed frivolous by the FA's disciplinary committee.

As I said, I haven't experienced the intensity of a top Premiership derby. Nevertheless, I have been fortunate enough to have played in an England v Wales derby (Shrewsbury v Wrexham). Sadly, this fixture will be missing this season as we contributed to Wrexham's demise to the Blue Square Premier - oh well! In all seriousness, I will miss the cut and thrust of this game, not to mention the special atmosphere generated by it...and the six points!

I have also been a fan in the stands of the great north London derby. One player in particular that has contrived to dent my team's bragging rights is the teen sensation Theo Walcott. Cristiano Ronaldo is a majestic wide man I highlighted last week and, although not as tricky, Theo has all the attributes to be a real handful of a winger.

The shrewd Arsene Wenger shelled out an initial £5million rising to a possible £12million, making young Walcott the most expensive 16-year-old in British football history. Much was expected of him when he first arrived at Highbury, fuelled by the inclusion in England's World Cup 2006 squad by Sven Goran Erikkson.

This seemed to have a detrimental effect on Theo's fledgling Arsenal career. What a difference two years makes under Wenger's stewardship. Walcott has been transformed this season and is starting to live up to his potential, not forgetting he's still only 19! This culminated in England's recent World Cup qualifying games where he was the best player on the pitch in both games and scored his first international hat-trick in the process.

No mean feat considering he ousted David Beckham of his wide berth on the right-hand side. The boy's game, just like his runs, seems to be gathering pace at a frightening rate. It's scary to think how good he can become at his tender age, he still has the best part of a decade to reach his peak.

This bodes well for all us England fans, as we might actually get to see him light up the World Cup in South Africa 2010.

Speaking of South Africa 2010, it has played havoc with my girlfriend and I setting a date for our wedding in the same year. As most men would probably say, it is more of the woman's prerogative to organise the big day. As I keep saying to her, just tell me when and where and I might be there! Ha ha. Not too much to report on it yet as we've only decided on a venue and date; we selected the venue near our family, back down south in Hertfordshire. Although, I must admit, I am looking forward to my stag do in Las Vegas at the end of the season.

A very traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off sees Roy Keane's Black Cats take on Walcott's Gunners at the Stadium of Light. It will be interesting to see what team selection Wenger goes with, as Arsenal look to bounce back from the humiliating home defeat by Hull City.

Will Arsene deploy some of his young guns that tore Sheffield United apart in the Carling Cup? Or will he give the same players the chance to rectify their performance of the previous week.

Taking nothing away from a Roy Keane-inspired Sunderland, I just feel that true title contenders don't drop points on two consecutive weekends. So we shall see what the north London outfit is made of on Wearside this weekend. So in true Betfair style, lay Sunderland for all they're worth at [7.4].