With the former pairing of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand no longer at the forefront of selection within the England back line, the consideration of the ‘favourite’ centre back pairing is under considerable speculation. With a host of potential suitors fighting for the opportunity to impress both Fabio Capello for Euro 2012, and the manager with no name who will take over after that competition, the consideration of who will fill these spaces will dominate future headlines.
The preferred pairing for Spain is Puyol and Pique, for Portugal, Pepe and Bruno Alves, for Germany, Mertesacker and Bastuber, and for England – well that is up for debate.
The humiliation of falling out of the world cup at the hands of Germany left doubt in the solidarity in the England backline. The youth and pace of the Germans appeared to tear us apart, leaving a new era necessary in order for the national team to keep up with the quality of other surrounding teams. The less said about that individual game the better, however the future seems bright for a combination of many young or experienced centre half’s playing for the top teams in England.
Firstly, John Terry, hardly in consideration for role model of the year, being closer to the bottom than the top of that list, however the quality he has is undeniable. Terry, who turns 31 in December, is, similarly to many of the Chelsea squad, perhaps past his best, yet his desire is just a strong as ever. His commitment to the cause has never been under scrutiny, as he continues to show his knowledge and tactical awareness week in week out, at the highest level.
Unfortunately, with the modern game dominated by pacey wingers or agile strikers, Terry no longer appears to be as solid defensively as he once was, as the likes of Messi and Ozil will exploit Terry’s lack of pace. Therefore this leads me to conclude that, controversially, Terry should remain on the bench come Euro 2012.
The next contender is perhaps Joleon Lescott. Playing for the league leaders has done him no harm, and with Kolo Toure currently in the doghouse at Manchester City, Lescott has taken his opportunity with open arms. Lescott showed off his credentials remarkably against Spain, with pundits writing him and Jagielka off against the Spanish front line.
He looked solid at the back, with enough pace to keep up with the Spanish front 3, and enough tactical awareness to keep Villa and Silva at bay, something that is no easy task. The Joleon Lescott against Spain appeared different to previous years, with confidence and in turn, performances rising to an all new high.
Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka form the defenders from lower Premier League clubs, with defensive records that appear not to credit their skill as defenders. Cahill, linked with Tottenham and Arsenal over the summer transfer window, has had a handful of caps so far this year, performing competently and professionally, netting a goal in the process. Many liken him to a young John Terry, with his ability to dominate aerially and his tackling and all-round solidarity is second to none.