OPTA`S ENGLAND XI
Carling Opta`s England team of the season, based on an average Opta rating for each player, throws up some interesting talking points.
Despite his `match-saving` stop from Christian Dailly`s header, many are questioning the recent form of David Seaman, with a queue of top quality keepers waiting in the wings to take over.
Leicester`s Tim Flowers is currently the best rated English keeper in the Opta ratings. A regular in the England squad during his peak time at Blackburn, Flowers has returned to the Premiership showing the form that originally propelled him into the national reckoning.
In defence, Danny Mills has performed excellently during Leeds` impressive start to the season and could well find himself in Keegan`s squad next summer, if only as cover for Gary Neville. He is, after all, a natural right-back.
Mills` team-mate Jonathon Woodgate was unlucky not to be selected for the play-offs, and it is surely only a matter of time before he features in an England shirt again.
In midfield, Frank Lampard is another player who, under expert guidance, is maturing into a future England international. With Paul Ince and David Batty now very much coming towards the end of their careers, the likes of Lampard and Nicky Butt represent a bright future in the middle of the park, while Leicester`s Muzzy Izzet has exploded into life this season and must fancy his chances.
Opta`s England team features selected but as yet uncapped Trevor Sinclair on the left side of midfield. While he is predominantly right-footed, this highlights further England`s lack of true quality in this position.
In the Opta statistics for the season so far, the highest scoring true left-footed midfielders are Steve Guppy and Steve Froggatt. Kevin Keegan has already selected these, leaving him few other options.
Other players scoring highly include Lee Hendrie, who is more comfortable on the right, and England U-21 international Seth Johnson, who sadly for Keegan has been switched from the left side of midfield to a more central role.
One area Keegan will never have to worry about is up front. The Opta rankings have Andy Cole and Kevin Phillips as the two front men, but younger players such as Robbie Fowler, Emile Heskey, Francis Jeffers and Michael Bridges are waiting in the wings. An impressive list, and we haven`t even mentioned Alan Shearer and Michael Owen, the current first-choice pairing.
The only serious problem appears to be on the left hand side of midfield.
CARLING OPTA`S ENGLAND TEAM OF THE SEASON
Goalkeeper
Tim Flowers (Leicester) 706
Defenders
Danny Mills (Leeds) 938
Tony Adams (Arsenal) 1037
Jonathon Woodgate (Leeds) 963
Nigel Winterburn (Arsenal) 999
Midfielders
David Beckham (Manchester United) 1018
Muzzy Izzet (Leicester) 1158
Frank Lampard (West Ham) 1049
Trevor Sinclair 989
Forwards
Andy Cole (Manchester United) 1003
Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) 937
