Tom Lappin: National call-ups can benefit O'Neill's Villa

Published on Friday 16 October 2009 22:54

MOST club managers curse international football, regarding it as an amateurish interruption to the serious business of accruing league points.

Not to mention the possibility of injuries. Rafael Benitez is examining Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard this week with the glowering sulk of a kid who lent his favourite toys out and got them back with a few minor dents.

Occasionally, though, international chores can be beneficial. Players can pick up tactical pointers, a few disciplinary hints, or get a confidence-boost from international recognition.

One case in point is Gareth Barry. England's best player against Belarus on Wednesday, Barry was always a decent player at Aston Villa, but blossomed when he gained recognition as an England regular. Self-belief helped his game. Martin O'Neill might also ruefully recognise that, when Barry became an England fixture, he started to think he was too good to stay at Villa Park. Barry, with a Manchester City pay-packet to further bolster his self-esteem, won't be around to welcome Chelsea to Villa Park at lunchtime today, which is unfortunate for O'Neill, as teams require that kind of international-class calm assurance to counter Chelsea's effervescent midfield.

O'Neill's England players, Gabriel Agbonlahor, James Milner and Ashley Young, are all hovering around the fringes of the likely World Cup squad, while Emile Heskey, central to Fabio Capello's plans, has been only marginal to O'Neill's.

This quartet is indicative of the way contrasting personalities approach international football. Young, impressive in the Premier League, hasn't consolidated his promise with England yet, and hasn't looked confident in an England shirt. Joe Cole, who hasn't played for a year, is still comfortably ahead of Young in the England reckoning. Agbonlahor, similarly, seemed tentative against Belarus. He set up an early goal for Peter Crouch, but seemed unable to formulate much of an understanding with the Tottenham striker thereafter.

Agbonlahor's willingness to act as a lone striker for Villa is part of the reason O'Neill has sidelined Heskey. If there is a tactic which conforms to O'Neill's instinctive caution, then the manager will persist with it.

Heskey, as straightforward and honest in interviews as he is on the park, admitted that he would look to move on in January if he can't get a game for Villa. Capello has made it clear that England players must be playing regularly for their clubs to be considered. Crouch did enough against Belarus to confirm that he is ready to take Heskey's place, and you can understand Heskey's anxiety. Heskey might be a commendably selfless foil to Wayne Rooney, but Crouch has one habit that Heskey lacks: he scores goals – not a negligible consideration.

Milner seems in a more positive frame of mind. An injury to Wayne Bridge on Wednesday meant Capello sent Milner on to cover the unfamiliar position of left-back. Milner was game, and his energy and positivity have already marked him out as a useful option on the bench.

Chelsea's England crew all come into the category of senior internationals. Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry have a more seamless transition between England duty and domestic matters. Dour, perfectionist ex-Milan managers preside over both camps, and it can only be beneficial for all three that both Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancelotti are singularly unimpressed by egos, reputations or embarrassing celebrity magazine spreads.

Terry was back to his best for England on Wednesday, while Lampard was comfortable in a deep midfield role alongside Barry, although it doesn't offer him the swaggering freedom he enjoys for Chelsea. Ashley Cole watched with a certain complacency from the sidelines. Bridge is a workmanlike deputy, but his distribution is woeful, and Cole must know that he is among the handful of certainties to be in Capello's first XI. Joe Cole might also take a sanguine view of his World Cup prospects. The saver of Capello's bacon with some well-timed goals at the start of the qualifying campaign, he just has to get back into the Chelsea team to reassert his England claim.

Chelsea, top of the Premier League without managing to look truly impressive, have several echoes of Capello's England side. For this season at least, they can't bring in any new signings, so have to work with what they have. Fast and robust rather than flowery or expressive, they have experience in vital areas, and brush aside weaker opposition. Like Capello's team there is some scepticism about their ability to overcome the higher class teams, although they rose to the occasion against Liverpool.

Villa will be another significant test.

The home side, meanwhile, need their England apprentices to step up and show their best form. Although his squad plans are well advanced, Capello will be taking more than cursory interest in how the likes of Young, Agbonlahor and Milner fare against Chelsea's defence. If their desire for a place on the plane to South Africa shows in their club form, O'Neill may at least be one manager grateful for the influence of international football.