I for one do not think Theo Walcott missing the cut is all that tragic other than the personal disappointment as an Arsenal supporter. The much needed synergy produced by adding passing ability to all that magnificent pace still needs considerable work.
Put it differently, Walcott could not put the questions away. At least he will be spared the uselessness of being a bench warmer under Sven Goran Erickson.
However it is in central midfield that one sees a vacuum.
Who exactly is England’s workhorse? The Owen Hargreaves of indefatigability. The box to box player, the tough tackler, an eye for a match winning pass, and a penchant for a piledriver. West Ham survived relegation because Parker stepped up big. On performance alone, he was streets ahead of Michael Carrick. Under Capello he did not even get a single playing minute after being named to the 30.
With Gareth Barry’s fitness in question, Parker would have been good insurance. But Capello chose to go with reputation.