Shaw V Cole Showdown For Brazil
Wednesday, 5th Mar 2014 08:33

A month or so ago Ashley Cole was probably smugly sitting back and assuming that he would be a dead cert for the plane to Brazil, now he knows that what he will be doing in June is far from certain.

Most assumed that the two left back going to Brazil for Enmgland would be Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines, indeed at the start of the season the debate was over who would be considered first choice, as the season progressed and Baines continued his form for Everton whilst Cole found himself no longer an automatic choice for Chelsea it became clear the England pecking order had changed as well.

But even as we entered the New Year no one was really predicting anything other than the Baines/Cole combination in Roy Hodgson's squad, however in recent weeks their has been a shift in the England manager's thoughts, suddenly Luke Shaw was being elevated in the press, no longer was it assumed that at 18 this was probably a tournament too early for the Saints left back, but suddenly the media were talking about it being a choice between Shaw and Cole for the trip to Brazil.

The reason for the sudden change in the England manager's thinking is probably a combination of several things, the first will be the games being played by both players, as mentioned Cole has barely played in the Premier League, since November 19th when he turned out for England in the friendly against Germany at Wembley, he has played just 4 times in the Premier League, one of those games as sub, whilst Shaw has been a virtual ever present this season although ironically in the game they came head to head when Chjelsea visited St Mary's, Cole completed a rare 90 minutes in the Premier whilst Shaw limped off at half time with an injury.

Secondly will be the good form of Leighton Baines, he has come of age as an International and Hodgson will now be feeling that he doesnt need the experience of Cole in reserve and can afford to gamble and take a younger player in Shaw.

Thirdly will be the climate over in South America, Cole at 33 will perhaps fint the heat a bit much whilst Shaw who wont turn 19 till the 12th July will find it easier.

Fourthly there is of course the matter of form, Shaw has played virtually every League game for Saints this season and has played well, his form attracting the attention of the England boss, whilst Cole has found it difficult to impress with the fact he is barely playing, he has not even played a third of the league games this term and its League form that is the barometer.

So now there is a head to head between the two players and Hodgson has to decide whether to stick with ole for one last tournament or to blood Shaw now to give him experience going into the Euro 2016 qualifyers.

Hodgson has stated this morning that injuries aside Leighton Baines won't feature in this game, the England boss knows that playing Baines will tell him nothing, he has gone on to confirm that it is the time however to look at one or both of Shaw or Cole.

It is a cryptic message, surely Hodgson knows exactly what Cole will give you in an England shirt, after all he has pulled it on 106 times whereas with Shaw it is an unknown quantity, surely better to play Shaw for the 90 minutes to not only see what he is made of, but to give him vital experience in an England shirt, experience that could prove vital if Hodgson opts for the Saints youngster for the tournament, after all you would not want to throw in an 18 year old with only minutes of international football to his name, yes he is not going to get that much anyway, but every minute could prove vital to England.

But I can also see Hodgson's point a little and tonight could be the last chance saloon for Cole, forget what an odious man he has been for most of his career, he has been a loyal servant to England, he does deserve a little more than the embarassment of being dumped so publicly by his country, so perhaps this is the thinking of Hodgson, by playing both tonight it not only gives Cole the chance to show he is not finished, but Shaw the chance to show that he is undoubtbly the man to go.

Either way its going to be an uncomfortable couple of month's for Ashley Cole, a man who won't be happy at what he will see as a slight, hopefully he won't be driving when he hears what Hodgson is saying and that his International career may be about to end, we all know he nearly drove off the road when he heard that Arsenal were insulting him with £55k a week, God knows what this will do to him.

Luke Shaw is entering the most important phase of his short career so far, if he maintains his form after aquitting himself well tonight at Wembley he may just find that he will have played in a World Cup finals tournament before his 19th birthday, the nation will hope that he has to celebrate his that birthday without a drink as the day after is the World Cup final.

Photo: Action Images

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