5 Mar 2012

Collymore: £17m Liverpool star is only *third choice* for England now...

Glen Johnson has been an England regular for a while now but his place is now well and truly under threat from the likes of Kyle Walker and Micah Richards. A few days ago, Anfield legend Mark Lawrenson argued that Richards should get the nod ahead of Johnson at right back, and now another former Liverpool player has indirectly suggested that Johnson's time as an automatic choice could be coming to an end.

Lawro argued that Richards 'must' start England's Euro 2012 opener, and now ex-Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has gone a step further and suggested that Johnson is now third choice right back. He told The People:

"I'd start [Euro 2012] by giving Tottenham's Kyle Walker the nod at right-back.

"He is youthful, enthusiastic and a better defender than any of the others [Right backs].

"Micah Richards is a good defender, too, but Walker has pace to burn and if we have a busy midfield he can get down that flank and cause real problems".


I've always argued that Johnson is a defensive accident waiting to happen, and although he's been a little more solid this season, his time as an automatic choice at right back must surely be over, especially given the competing quality of Richards and Walker.

Collymore also predicted that only one Liverpool player will make the England starting XI in the summer, and no surprises for guessing who that is:

"It's crucial you have Stevie G in the side as he can keep the ball ticking over. He and Parker have the mobility to cope with any midfield combination that includes someone as skilful as Franck Ribery of France".

I agree that Gerrard should start, but after all his injury problems, is it really true that he has the 'mobility to cope with any midfield combination'? I'm not so sure...

Jaimie Kanwar


20 comments:

  1. Richards is the best for me. Time to try Johnson in the right midfield position, maybe. Johnson will go before Walker, in my opinion, as he is more versatile and shown that he can cover the left flank as well.

    Think Gerrard will go but his place will be under threat soon he should retire from International football after the tournament. His injury this week may have made a difference in the last game and surely it is time for him to look after his fitness and put the club first. Parker alongside a fresh Wilshere would be the combination for me if the youngster makes it. If Wilshere makes it back, the benefit of him not playing most of the season would be great for England. I'd play Gerrard alongside those two but would happily see England put a younger player in there instead of him. Rooney will obviously play up front, I'd play Defoe until he was fit, and I'd have Young and the much derided Walcott on either flank. Cahill and King, even with his injury problems, would be my centre backs, Cole and Richards would be my full backs. Whoever is England manager needs to clear out the Terrys, Ferdinands, Lampards, etc, after this summer. With the World Cup in Brasil next time, we should try to get as many youngsters in the squad during the Euros.

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  2. Had enough of the likes of Gerrard and Lampard on the international stage. Too direct, quick and 'in a hurry' on the international stage these two. Got to play the game slow on the international stage, none of this 'roy of the rovers'/english box-to-box tempo

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  3. Yaya reckons that Richards is the fastest player at City

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  4. Richards is much better player than Walker and i think both are currently better than Johnson defensively, it was only Capello who used to favour Johnson over them but on merit Johnson shouldn't be the first choice rightback for England.
    On current form even Gerrard doesn't deserve a starting spot for England, he needs to get back in form asap.

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  5. Johnson has worked hard on the defensive part of his game and is a way better defender than last year and the start of this one..

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  6. all 3 are brainless and headless. dont get me wrong they all have talent.
    but id rather have a player dare i say like gary nev or arbaloa, who can actually read the game. england are sh#t so it dont say much. would barca or madrid want any of these players...................no

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  7. WALKER GOOD DEFENSIVELY!? ARE YOU ON CRACK!? Even Johnson is better defensively. I'd say out of the 3 Walker is the quickest, how do I know? In the summer there was mention of Johnson being our second quickest player behind Downing, but this was before Enrique came in, Im sure hes quicker than Johnson too. Then I watched Downing easily outpace Richards against City even tho he still had a poor-ish game (downing) and when he came on against Tottenham the first thing he did was kick the ball 20 yards forwards and try to outrun Walker, Walker just about got to the ball first but only because he was far closer to the ball whereas Downing started 10-20 yards behind (a bit like the kick and run he did on that Cardiff player). Anyway, in terms of defense it's Richards > Johnson > Walker, pace its Walker > Johnson >= Richards.

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  8. Johnson is so overrated as a DB it's ridiculous...the only reason he keeps his job at Liverpool is bcuz he's a Brit.

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  9. Johnson can't defend though. Pretty much useless as a right-back don't you think ???

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  10. Saying Johnson is better than Walker defensively shows you're the one on crack. Walker has the pace to track back if he loses possession and 9/10 he can steal the ball back from the forward or make last-minute tackles. Neither of which Johnson can do. Time to call your dealer mate...

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  11. Walker can play right back, centre back, left back and right midfield and he's quicker them.  That's more versatile then the lot of them!

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  12. Glenn Johnson gets far to much stick. Personally i like Micah Richards but still feel GJ is the best RB for England. His defending cant come into question this season as he has been solid most games with only a few mistakes which you would expect. Both MR and KW have made mistakes (look at KW last game!) Neither one of the other two full backs are as good attacking as Glenn, he is far more acomplished in the final 3rd than the other.

    For me everyone is getting on the KW bandwagon beacuse he is young and British. GJ has had a good season so far, he was been one of our stand out performers week in week out. I take into account he wasnt great last season, but hes defensive game has come on leaps and bounds this season which is why i still think he is No1!!!

    Keep doing what your doing Glenn.

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  13. Did you watch Walker against Utd? He was to blame for all 3 goals.

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  14. Yeah, useless for us with our useless attacking players. Doesn't do Dani Alves any harm, though, does it? We are too predictable, static and rigid and it probably explains why we continually fail to knock over the lower teams in the table. Enrique is not the best defender, either, by the way, but everyone loves him. Full backs, nowadays, attack and against 75% of the teams in the league, you want your full backs to attack. So, no, a right back who pops up to score the winner against Chelsea will do me fine.

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  15. Arbeloa, you are kidding now, surely.

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  16. Johnson is better than any of Dalglish's recent signings and as good as Enrique. Had Johnson made the mistake for Man Utd's equaliser in the Cup, Enrique's howler, certain sections on here would have been calling for his head. Quite often, also, Johnson is our best attacking player on the pitch and he can pop up with 2 or 3 goals a season, Enrique hasn't even looked like scoring for us, so Enrique, our best recent signing has been good, but not so far ahead of Johnson as people are making out.

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  17. oh yeah im having a right laugh, fickle ones like yourself obviously cant remember back that far. he was a good steady full back simple. why did one the best teams in the world sign him u dohnut

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  18. All his competitors for the role at Liverpool are English...

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  19. If you are going to call someone a donut, make sure that what you go on to say make sense, otherwise you make yourself look foolish. One of the best teams in the world signed Arbeloa? I thought we were one of the best teams out there as well, and we signed Johnson, where does that argument get you?

    Fickle? Do you think it is fickle to be dissatisfied that we are closer to 10th place than 4th, that our club is considered a racist hotspot up and down the land (although looking at your 'brainless' post, above, I can see why) and teams in the relegation zone score more goals than us?

    And you are calling me a donut? Really?

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  20. sorry i meant muppit. wat are you going on about?? your post makes no sense. try cricket

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