By Myles Palmer
I thought Darren Anderton would play!
So I was really looking forward to Italy v England.
I didn’t care about the result and I didn’t care about the performance.
I only cared about ONE THING.
Whether Peter Taylor could pick a balanced England team.
Kevin Keegan couldn’t. Howard Wilkinson couldn’t. But maybe PT could.
Keegan’s team for the 1-0 defeat by Germany was : Seaman, G. Neville (Dyer 46), Le Saux (Barry 77), Southgate, Adams, Keown, Beckham (Parlour 83), Scholes, Cole,Owen, Barmby.
Subs Not Used: Martyn, Heskey, Wise, Phillips.
Wilkinson’s team for the 0-0 in Finland was : Seaman ; P Neville,Keown , Southgate, Barry; Parlour , Scholes, Wise; Sheringham ; Andy Cole, Heskey.
Subs: McManaman, Martyn, Barmby, Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Brown, Owen.
I’m sorry to report that Peter Taylor’s starting X1 for Turin looks like the usual pig’s breakfast. So I’m disappointed already.
In 3-5-2 formation the team is : James / G. Neville Rio Ferdinand Southgate/ Dyer Parlour Butt Beckham Barry/ Barmby Heskey.
Scholes,Owen, Smith and Gerrard dropped out with injuries.
Nicky Butt and Gary Neville are not good enough, but Kieron Dyer should add some zip. Barmby is a nippy linkman whose supporting movement is the best in the country.
But I’m absolutely amazed that Peter Taylor took Anderton and didn’t start him.
David Beckham is skipper. I just wish Sir Stanley Rous was alive to see England captained by a 25-year old skinhead billionaire with two diamond earrings.
Prediction?
Impossible without knowing Italy’s team or attitude.
Trapattoni is a cautious,negative coach. Totti, one of my five favourite players,is injured.
The other four? Rivaldo,Shevchenko, Figo and Vieira.
We shall see. I still like Peter Taylor,but I don’t like this team.
A 1-1 draw would be respectable.It would certainly surprise coach-in-waiting Sven-Goran Eriksson.
14th November 2000.