Cristiano Ronaldo Freestyle

Raise it, Rio

ALEX FERGUSON has told Rio Ferdinand his World Cup dream could die unless he raises his game.
The Manchester United defender is having a miserable season and was badly at fault in England's 1-0 defeat in Ukraine a week ago.

United boss Fergie said: "He has to get good form. That's an important issue for the coach to pick the right team.

"In defence you've maybe got more options than other positions. He will need to get his form right."

Ferdinand has dropped clangers in two matches for Fabio Capello's England.

Fergie added: "I'm sure he's taken the criticism on board. Do I think he'll go to the World Cup? Yes, of course."

England 3 Belarus 0

WHENEVER the discussion turns to whether Peter Crouch should start for England, the argument goes that he is no Emile Heskey.
Too true he's not - Crouch scores goals.

The Spurs beanpole bagged a double to take his tally to 18 in 35 games for his country as England completed a superb World Cup qualifying campaign with a ninth win in 10 matches


Heskey cannot hold a candle to Crouch in the goalscoring stakes. The Villa sub has hit seven in 57 games over a decade - a record of less than one in eight.

Crouch's record is better than one in two, more prolific than even Wayne Rooney. But still Heskey is the preferred candidate for his ability to hold the ball up and bring others into the action.

Crouch can link play too, though, and, while he has only begun three games for Fabio Capello, he has scored in each of them, all qualifiers.

He has struck in his last six starts going back over two years - and has netted 16 on the 18 occasions he has been named in the first XI. There is a message there somewhere.

Yet clearly he still has a way to go to convince Capello. The manager was hardly lavish in his praise. "I know he scores goals," said the Italian. "He is one part of the squad."

Poor Crouchie. While he works his socks off trying to get on the plane to South Africa, bearded-wonder David Beckham trots on for half an hour and gets the man-of-the-match award.

The decision was made by ITV pundit Steve Bruce, the Sunderland boss, to general incredulity, including from Beckham himself and Capello.

Yes, Becks did his bit, setting up the second goal and hitting the outside of the post but no way could his performance overshadow that of Gareth Barry and Crouch. Crouch took just four minutes to register again for England and owed much to the vision of Barry.

Back in for Michael Carrick, Barry had an excellent game in the holding role but showed he can create goals with a glorious ball to his old Villa team-mate Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The young striker has pace to burn and got behind the defence to cross low into the six-yard box, where Crouch slid the ball over the line with the sole of his left boot.

It is said Crouch doesn't score in big games but he doesn't get to start in them. Perhaps it's time he did.

Capello experimented with all-out pace around Crouch, using Agbonlahor as his side-kick, Shaun Wright-Phillips on the left and Aaron Lennon on the opposite flank.

The trouble for Wright-Phillips was that because he is so one-footed, he was continually having to cut inside, although he did go close early on with a shot which fizzed past the post.

Neither Wright-Phillips nor Lennon can cross like Beckham, which is one of the conundrums for Capello. They have speed but the final ball leaves a lot to be desired.

Agbonlahor showed his blistering pace by sprinting from halfway and smashing in a shot which was saved by Yury Zhevnov.

England's finishing was not all it could have been, however, and Glen Johnson sliced an effort so badly wide from eight yards that the ball flew out for a throw-in.

Capello was getting animated on the touchline, just as in Ukraine, shouting at his players and raising his arms in exasperation.

But, with England having already qualified for the World Cup finals, this was a subdued affair played out in a three-quarters full stadium.

England were in control and for Ben Foster, in for the injured David James, it was a welcome easy ride after a torrid time for Manchester United recently. He did get to make one good save as he sprang to his left to keep out a shot from Sergei Omelyanchuk.

Frank Lampard had a free-kick pushed over by Zhevnov after the break and then Capello ruled it was Beckham time and on he came to earn his 115th cap.

Within two minutes, he spotted Wright-Phillips free on the edge of the box and took a quick corner.

The Manchester City ace hammered his shot goalwards and Zhevnov tamely pushed it into the net.

Carlton Cole replaced Agbonlahor as Crouch's partner, hoping to redeem himself for missing a good late chance against Ukraine.

Cole did so, collecting a ball from Barry and firing in a drive which the keeper shovelled straight to Crouch, who tucked away the chance.

There could have been more as sub James Milner worked a piece of magic and hit the inside of the post then Beckham, looking for his first England goal at Wembley, struck the outside of the left upright.

How the Becks' fan club would have loved to see that one go in.

Lamps: Wazza’s our Gazza

THE question was back on the agenda as Wayne Rooney headed home nursing a calf injury which has ruled him out against Belarus tomorrow night.
How on earth will Fabio Capello's team cope if Rooney gets crocked during the World Cup?

It's not as if it is unprecedented in tournaments. Rooney's injury against Portugal in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 probably cost England the game.

And the 2006 World Cup in Germany began without Rooney, who was still recovering from a broken metatarsal.

Frank Lampard believes others have to grab the opportunity whenever Rooney is absent and take on extra responsibility.

But he acknowledges the Manchester United striker is always a big miss - and not just for his brilliance on the pitch, it is his enthusiasm off it as well.

For Rooney still has that infectious schoolboy keenness to want to get his strip on as quickly as possible, get the ball out and start running around, belting it against the wall in the warm-up area and encouraging those dawdling behind to hurry up and join him because he wants someone to play with.

In fact, Lampard reckons there's never been anyone quite like Wazza since Gazza.

Lampard came across Paul Gascoigne when he and Rio Ferdinand were invited to join in with the Euro 96 squad to get a taste of the big time.

Gazza was in full flow and Lampard sees the same bouncability in Rooney.

The Chelsea midfielder said: "Wayne has been like that since he first came into the squad.

"He is one of those that when you get there an hour before the game he has got his kit straight on.

"He is kicking and flicking the balls around, walking around and chatting to everyone as if there is not a big game coming up. That is his attitude and it rubs off very well.

"He is a one-off. If someone else did it you would probably criticise them for not stretching properly. With Wayne that is how he is.

"He is a very effervescent character and only certain players give you that enthusiasm. Some have it and keep it to themselves while Wayne gives it out to people around him.

"The only one I remember being like that, and I never played with him, was Gazza. He had that kind of bounciness around the hotel and the dressing room and it got people going.

"Some people can be nervous and, having Wayne come round to them to have a chat or make a joke is something that's very relaxing. I've met a couple at club level at various times in my career - but Gazza was the big one.

"At West Ham we had lots of characters like John Moncur and Neil Ruddock. You could see their enthusiasm. It might not have always been quite right at times, but it can provide a lift.

"And, with Wayne, it's not only that he is a bubbly character, but he backs it up with the way he plays and his attitude in training."

Lampard cannot think of anyone in the current England squad who can do the job Rooney does in the changing room.

Lamps added: "He's quite a difficult one to replace. If you're not that kind of character and you try to be, it doesn't quite work. You're born with it. It's natural. He did it at 18. Some players are born to play for England at 17 or 18 like Michael Owen or Wayne.

"Other players, like myself, need 10 or 15 games to believe you should even be there. So that is something we will miss."

Lampard believes it is important England show they can adapt when important players like Rooney are absent.

He said: "Of course he's a huge miss. No one would ever say any different, but I've seen quite a lot in my career.

"If you lose a big player of course you're losing something, but it does make everyone a bit stronger and people have to step up.

"We're not that weak that we're going to be affected psychologically. We are strong enough and we've got a good mix of experienced players who are used to that and can step up and help people around them."

Lampard, 31, has been playing for England for a decade, collecting 75 caps and scoring 20 goals.

He will become the country's all-time record scorer in World Cup qualifiers if he nets tomorrow night.

Lamps added: "I'm pleased with how my career's gone with England. It's had some ups and downs, but anyone who's played for 10 years has probably had that. I'm enjoying it now as much as ever."

Golden b***s-up:Team England Soccer 2002

FRANK LAMPARD insists England's players should never have been called 'The Golden Generation'.
Former FA chief executive Adam Crozier gave the squad that nickname at the start of Sven Goran Eriksson's reign in 2001.

But midfield ace Lampard said: "By calling us 'The Golden Generation' it was almost as if people were waiting for us to fail.

"That should only be said once you have won something. Look at 1966 when they won it.

"Now that was a golden generation, so it was said much too early about us."

Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, David Beckham and Ashley Cole were also part of Sven's early squads.

But Lamps added: "Once we have finished and hopefully won something then we can talk about generations.

"It is quite frustrating for us players, we didn't make up the term. We just went out there and played - but it kept getting mentioned.

"The reason people talk about 'The Golden Generation' is that we have a good crop of players. They are very talented individuals but we have not made the most of it.

"I believe we have a great chance next year. I'm not saying 'We are going to win the World Cup' but we are in better shape than before."

I’m praying winker loses out-"Rooney"

WAYNE ROONEY wants Cristiano Ronaldo to crash out of the World Cup.
Winker Ron's Portugal could be KO'd tomorrow. And Rooney said: "It'd be nice to see Portugal not there because, in the last two tournaments, they've knocked us out."

Rooney and Ronaldo were team-mates at Manchester United until the winger's ?0million summer switch to Real Madrid.

They had a spat at the 2006 World Cup when England striker Rooney was sent off in the quarter-final against Portugal, before Ronaldo gave his bench a sleazy wink.

The Portuguese went on to beat the Three Lions on penalties - just as they had in the last eight of Euro 2004.

A finals tournament without World Player of the Year Ronaldo - as well as No 2 Lionel Messi, whose Argentina side are also struggling to qualify - would suit Rooney down to the ground.

Roo will enjoy revenge should Portugal blow it - after the lip Ronaldo gave him after England missed out on Euro 2008.

He said: "When we didn't qualify for Euro 2008, we got a lot of stick.

"You have banter with your team-mates but it's important not to go too far because it's an important issue."