England Can't Hope to Challenge for the World Cup with Heskey as a Starting Striker

The British media has decided to focus on the awful blunder that saw Robert Green gifting the USA a tame equalizer. For me though the inquest into England's poor performance does not start and end at the keeper's door. First there was the decision from the England manager to start James Milner and when that didn't work bring on Wright-Phillips and not Joe Cole. The focus of this article centers on the selection of Emile Heskey. The decision to start Heskey is understandable based on the good success of his partnership with Rooney in the qualifiers. However, at the World Cup Finals he won't make the grade.

I think most people would agree England is one of the top nations at the World Cup. They may not be the favourties, but they are one of a number of countries with a good chance. Nations like Argentina, France, Germany, Spain and others have at least two strikers with strong international goalscoring records. The record of Emile Heskey as a goalscorer is just not good enough to start for England. Especially when England has the likes of Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe waiting in the wings. I certainly believe Wayne Rooney can score goals without the assistance of Heskey. After all, he managed 26 Premier League goals without Heskey.

That all being said England may find the best system is with a five man midfield and Rooney up top on his own. England could certainly play a midfield of Joe Cole, Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Aaron Lennon. Gerrard could support Rooney like he often does for Liverpool. That would leave England with subs like Crouch and Defoe to offer a goal threat and Shaun Wright-Phillips to stretch teams late on. If that isn't the answer a partnership between Rooney and Crouch probably is.

It would be a shame to dispense of a player who has done well in the qualifiers, but if England expect to compete they will have to. It's my belief the best strength of the England team is the midfield. There is no reason England can't use a formation that can accommodate them all. Wayne Rooney has proved on numerous occasions he can play on his own and even admitted this week that he prefers it.