The Soccer Blog: Is Ryan Shawcross ready for his England debut?

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

Is Ryan Shawcross ready for his England debut?

By: joehigginson | November 24th, 2010
In last weekend’s match report, I briefly alluded to the issue of Ryan Shawcross being consistently overlooked by Fabio Capello, most recently in last week’s friendly against France. Matty Etherington reignited the issue in the papers earlier this week and I’ve decided to give the issue some further thought. Shawx represents Stokes best hope of producing an England international since Mark Chamberlain (correct me if I’m wrong) 26 long years ago. So has he does enough to warrant a place or is he yet to perform at what can be considered international standard? Let’s consider the evidence

In the dock - Is Ryan ready?

Evidence for:

Form: First things first, Shawx probably deserved to walk against Sunderland a couple of weeks back after picking up a pair of yellows. That aside, he’s really starting to show he’s back on form with some excellent performances recently. Many felt Ryan lost confidence the second half of last season, particularly after the Aaron Ramsey incident. If indeed the aftermath of the tackle left him affected psychologically, he appears to have put it firmly behind him.Captaincy: Shawx captained the side on occasion last year but took the armband permanently from Abdoulaye Faye as of August. In that time he has already displayed fantastic leadership qualities at the heart of our defence, who are communicating far better with themselves and the goalkeeper than at any point in the last two seasons.Playing Style: Put simply, defenders like Shawcross have more say in a game than the likes of Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. Stokes entire style of play is built on the foundations of a solid defence, with Shawcross at the centre of this. I genuinely believe that the back four at the likes of Stoke, Blackburn and Birmingham see more of the ball over 90 minutes than the ‘Top 4’ combined. These are defenders forced into repelling attacks, soaking up pressure for long periods and getting forward for every set piece opportunity. When you see a team like Stoke earn a clean sheet, you always know their defence has had to work to earn it. Can you say the same about the bigger teams?Age: One must not forget Ryan is still only 23 years old, arguably still learning his trade and yet to reach his full potential. Imagine how an England call up may advance that

Evidence Against

Ramsey-gate: Unfortunately for Shawcross, he may always be associated with the leg breaking challenge he made on Aaron Ramsey, particularly in the current climate with tackling such a topical issue. Accidental though it may have been, he will never be met with universal forgiveness. It will be a big few weeks with Ramsey returning to action. The media will be scrutinising every performance and if Shawx can get through that without facing a fresh wave of questions then that will be a significant millstone taken from around his neck. In all fairness, there seemed to be a measure of understanding from Capello, who stuck by his decision to call up Shawcross following the incident, although dropped like a hot potato soon after. Unfashionable Team: Lets face it; the Britannia has hardly been a holiday home in the potteries for Capello since he became England manager. I think he might have shown up once, putting him on a par with Pele, Maradona and Usain Bolt. Is it any coincidence that not only Shawcross but the likes of Phil Jones (Blackburn), Scott Dann and Roger Johnson (both Birmingham) all find their talents go unwatched and consequently unrewarded? Capello is completely closed-minded (not to mention hypocritical) if he’s ignoring these players simply because their football isn’t the easiest on the eye. There is a stigma that these teams are unfashionable and by proxy unfit for international duty, and this must stopIs he good enough? : I believe he is more than ready for a call up but excluding Terry and Ferdinand, lets examine his rivals:

Gary Cahill: The Bolton man is the biggest threat to Shawx and with the Trotters currently pushing for a Champions League place; it seems highly unlikely he will be waiting on the sidelines much longer. On the other hand, he’s endured arguably a more frustrating year than Shawcross, called up on more than one occasion only to be tossed aside again. At least Kevin Davies can offer a consoling shoulder!

Joleon Lescott: Still getting the nod from Capello based on reputation and past performances. Injury blighted him last year which was arguably the main reason he wasn’t on the plane to South Africa. This year we can count his game time in minutes as Mancini continues to move Manchester City forward. So does Capello have the balls to exclude a man who cost his club over 20 million. We shall see.

Chris Smalling: Apparently bench-warming (or even staying at home) is good enough to get in the England squad nowadays. I’m not going to attack him personally as I understand the amount of pressure on his shoulders following his big money move. But last week’s call up was a complete joke and quite frankly I feel a little embarrassed for the lad.

Does he fit in? : I don’t know if anyone can accurately answer that question as I have absolutely no idea what sort of system Capello is trying to instil into the side. Thoughts?

So there’s your basic case for and against. All comments appreciated

Category: Stoke Team News

Tags: Stoke Team News
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