Try your hand at being Capello…

Now that the season is entering its final stages, very soon a giant magnifying glass will turn onto the players who may or may not make the England squad for South Africa.

For some, it’s a race against time - with physical and emotional injuries to repair - whilst others will be battling to hit top form between now and the campaign’s end. It’s all to play for, so now is s good a time as any to start with the predictions.

Anyone for Zamora?… Repeat, anyone for Zamora?

With the season hotting up to around Excitement Factor 8, or, at a push, 9, the England team magnifying glass will surely be focusing on names that might yet force themselves into the squad for the World Cup.

It’s not been a great few months for the likes of Glen Johnson, Theo Walcott, Wes Brown, Joleon Lescott, Wayne Bridge, Aaron Lennon and the like. Add the fact that players such as Michael Carrick and Emile Heskey haven’t exactly had the most fruitful seasons either, and all of a sudden there might be a fair few spots up for grabs.

A few names floating around, rumoured to be possible gatecrashers, have included Leighton Baines, Tom Huddlestone, Roger Johnson, and even Bobby Zamora.

But who would YOU like to see forcing their way into the squad come the summer? Let us know with a comment.

Man United 3-1 Man City

It was a night brimming with wonder. The weird Tevez backheel. Stephen Ireland’s astonishing Icarus wings on his back. Jamie Redknapp’s preposterous new must-have haircut for men (just ask for “the Jarhead”). Rooney finishing it all off.

If you missed it, above are the highlights.  

(via 101 Great Goals)

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Looks like someone isn’t very happy with Carlton Cole…
[101GG]

At Eastlands, laryngitis-ridden Liam Gallagher looks like he’s in the kind of mood that would cause a Spoiler editor to waste £75 on a V Festival ticket
[Pies]

Manchester Utd have answered some important questions
[Republik of Mancunia]

Self defence expert Stevie G now faces a civil suit
[The Guardian]

Lineker WAG Danielle Bux is not unattractive
[The Sun]

Manchester Utd to offer £10m and Michael Carrick for man-of-the-moment Luka Modric
[Caught Offside]

Rafa says Liverpool can improve upon last year’s 5-0 decimation of Villa tonight
[The Telegraph]

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England/Andorra, World Cup Qualifier, 8.15pm, ITV1

The Three Lions are ever-so-slight 1/200 favourites to make it seven wins out of seven in the World Cup qualifiers against an Andorra side who have never won away from home. This is how The Spoiler would line up.

We disagree with the idea of playing Gary Neville ahead of Glen Johnson, who is a yellow card away from suspension. Fabio Capello wants everyone available to face Croatia at home but we feel having players ruled out for the game after that away to Ukraine could prove just as dangerous.

The biggest talking point is who will partner Frank Lampard in midfield with Gareth Barry suspended and Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves and Scott

Kazakhstan/ England, WC Qualifier, Sat, 4pm, Setanta Sports 1

The Three Lions could continue their 100 per cent record in 2010 World Cup Qualifiers tomorrow, something that the bookies believe is a near certainty. The Spoiler also believes Fabio Capello will bring three points back to Blighty, and will do so starting with the 4-2-3-1 formation shown above.

We believe Robert Green will earn a cap, thanks to another great domestic season and the costly errors of Mr Robinson and Mr Carson. Matthew Upson was Man of the Match on his last away start for England in Germany, and therefore gets in ahead of Joleon Lescott (who has never really shone at international level) and Gary Cahill, whose newbie status means he’s unlikely to start.

We were toying with putting Michael Carrick in ahead of Gareth ‘Moneybags’ Barry, but the Manchester Utd star was poor in the Champions League final, and his City equivalent has played almost every game under Capello.

Crouchie’s international scoring record is a thing of beauty (13 goals in the last 13 he has started), so he should keep his place over Emile Heskey (whose form has dipped since joining Aston Villa) and Carlton Cole (who has only started once in two months because he got injured on the crappy Wembley pitch).

Let us know your opinions and choices for the starting line-up below…

The latest transfer gossip, rumours and damned lies…

Gareth Barry could leave Aston Villa for free
Aston Villa are planning to offer their long-serving midfielder a lucrative new contract in a final effort to persuade him to stay but if he declines, Martin O’Neill is willing to lose him for nothing in exchange for one more season.

The Spoiler truth-o-meter: The logic behind such a move would be that they can’t afford to lose another leader following captain Martin Laursen’s retirement and it would give them more time to find a perfect replacement. It’s estimated that keeping Barry last summer cost Villa £8.5 million this season so they may be willing to take another loss.

Glen Johnson to Liverpool
The Daily Mail claim that Rafael Benitez is willing to spend £15 million to bring Portsmouth full-back Glen Johnson to Anfield. The logic behind the hefty

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A cheerleader and a brain surgeon?
[SportsbyBrooks]

Stoke are 9/1 to beat league leaders Liverpool at home
[chickendinner]

Michael Carrick tries his hand at some Fergie mind games
[Football365]

A Detroit Lions fan finds a special way to celebrate a winless season.
[FanIQ]

Mark Hughes will buy before he sells
[The Guardian]

Charles N’Zogbia wants out of Newcastle…
[BBC]

…but Barry Ferguson could be about to fill his shoes
[Caught Offside]