It’s probably fair to say no team has ever won the World Cup without a top class goalkeeper.
The names just roll off the tongue – Gianluigi Buffon, Fabien Barthez and Gordon Banks. Most fans won’t even need to be told the teams they won the tournament with and what year they did it. For one reason or another they are legends.
In fact, indentifying a side with a world class goalie could be a good betting system ahead of this year’s tournament.
Sadly for England fans it doesn’t seem the Three Lions will be able to call on such a ‘keeper this time around. In fact, the man between the sticks will pose Fabio Capello one of his biggest selection headaches as the World Cup approaches.
That’s not to say he doesn’t have some good stoppers at his disposal, but there are huge question marks over all of them.
Take David James – although he was solid during qualifying it appears age is starting to catch up with him at the wrong time. He can be forgiven for having a poor season in front of a makeshift back four at Portsmouth, but it’s the niggling injuries that have plagued him which are the biggest worry. Fitness is vital at the World Cup.
Then there’s Robert Green. Again, he’s had to struggle behind a dodgy defence this term, but the worries about the West Ham man are more fundamental. Put simply, he is prone to gaffs. The odd mistake in the Premier League is bad enough, but at the World Cup even one clanger can mean an early flight home.
Joe Hart looks like one for the future, but it’s clear he’s not ready for the big stage yet. One nightmare performance could damage his confidence for ever and Capello seems unlikely to throw him in at the deep end.
The best betting site odds make England third favourites for the competition, but it’s hard to see them justifying those odds without a solid goalkeeper.
England fans should pray James is able to put his injuries behind him and get back to his reliable best, even if it’s only for four weeks.
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