Internationals / Frank Gregan / 08 October 2009 /

England have a genuine goalkeeper, a settled defence and a decent midfield - hardly claims to set the world on fire, but winning tournaments is all about team-work. What we desperately need, is a world-class striker, says Frank Gregan.

It's a rather strange feeling for an England fan to be going into the business end of a major tournament's qualification stage knowing that the team has booked its place in the finals. To have qualified with a game to spare would have been a bit special, to qualify with two games to go is showing off!

Expectations have been raised as a result and given that England have in place a fairly settled team and an astute, respected manager perhaps it's time to be ambitious. The shout that seems to be doing the rounds these days is "somebody's going to win it - why can't it be us?"

There is no doubt that the team will fly out to South Africa with the hopes of a nation and a lot of its money riding on their backs. Betfairians have already made them third favourites at [7.4]. This is behind Brazil at [5.6] and Spain at [6.0]. It's a market which is loaded with sentiment, which is understandable. Nobody wants to be the guy in his local watching the big screen and cheering on England's opponents!

The Premier League has definitely strengthened English football. It's almost certainly the best league in the world and as such attracts the greatest players. The current strength of the Premier League ensures that the English team is competing week in- week out against a high percentage of the best players in the world. We probably have the best league in the world but do we have the best international team? A look at the make up of the three PFA teams of the year since the last World Cup gives some pointers.

In all a total of seven different English players, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, David James, Ashley Young and Glen Johnson have appeared in the various teams. Two players have been included during all three years, Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand.

England have struggled to settle on a regular number one since David Seaman's retirement. Many have been tried but no one has grabbed the shirt and made it his own. James is the only English born goalkeeper who has won the votes of his peers. Beyond all too frequent errors, there is a genuine international goalkeeper. Can the same be said of the other contenders?

The starting back four of Glen Johnson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole looks good, even if both full backs are better in their opponents half. In midfield, Mr Capello seems to have found the solution to the conundrum that his predecessors struggled with. By playing Gerrard wide on the left and Frank Lampard in the middle he has proved that they can both play in the same side. Aaron Lennon and Gareth Barry make up the four in a decent if not spectacular midfield.

Wayne Rooney fills one of the striking roles but the problem that Fabio is struggling to find the answer to is who should be his strike partner? Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Darren Bent, Michael Owen, Carlton Cole, Emile Heskey, Gabriel Agbonlahor- the list is endless but none of them really fits the bill. To triumph in South Africa next summer, England need a world class striker. A good place for Fabio Capello to start looking might be the rear end of a rocking horse because that's how common they are!

Capello won't allow England to go through the motions in these last two qualifiers. A victory for Ukraine, who travel to Andorra for their final fixture, would make them big favourites to land the coveted runners-up spot. Because of the 'must win versus dead rubber' scenario England are a very tempting [2.6] to back. They are much the better team and to back them is my recommendation.

As for the World Cup, the [7.4] available to back is far too skinny given England's standing in the world game. We may kid ourselves that Rooney, Terry and Lampard are world class but they haven't made the last three PFA teams! However, it would take a brave man to risk the stigma of laying England!

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