SWP facing a fight for his World Cup place?

The performance of Spurs winger Aaron Lennon during tonight's 5-1 mauling of Croatia at Wembley wouldn't have escaped anyone's notice. The press will jump on it, of course, the next great hope after ninety minutes, their typical build 'em up, knock 'em down spiel, but even the staunchest Blue couldn't deny the lad performed tremendously well, played a vital role in the game, and perhaps provided that end product that Shauny hasn't really been able to replicate for his country as he has for his club.

It's typical of both the media and football fans to be reactionary, of course. It shouldn't alarm us tomorrow to wake to headlines of young Aaron being the second coming, but putting our club allegiances to one side for a minute it's surely good from a national team perspective that we have so many options in that position. Lennon and Wright-Phillips have both been in fine form domestically both this season and last, and they're two of many.

Looking beyond them for a minute, there are several other possibles. Theo Walcott plays there for his club. On form he's perhaps the pick of the bunch, in my opinion, but i'm not sure we've seen the best of him in recent months. For England in the U21 Finals this summer he looked heavy-legged and off the pace, admittedly played in a second striker role and not on the right flank. I like him as a player, but i think we've expected too much of him, not helped by his ridiculously early England call-up way back yonder. He has everything; pace, skill, an eye for goal, but i think he might well need a slow re-introduction into the fold both at Arsenal and with England to find his proper form again.

There's also Ashley Young. In a way it's strange that a player whose league form has been so strong for a year or two doesn't seem more of a shoe-in, but that's perhaps down to the formation we play and the need to fit three good central players in as anything. He was sublime last year for Villa, until they capitulated around March at least. For his club he does play on the left, but he's predominantly right-footed and with that in mind i'm sure he could do a job for England there.

His clubmate James Milner isn't too dissimilar in the sense that he often plays on his unnatural side. They're completely different players, of course, Young more cultured whereas Milner's work ethic and physicality are both undoubtedly stronger. He perhaps isn't as quick off the mark as some of his rivals, but he's got a good engine and must be tremendously difficult to play against. I'd like to see him given a go on the right at some point before the World Cup as he seems to constantly want to cut in on his right peg.

A player we can almost certainly rule out is David Bentley. Even from early appearances for Arsenal he struck me as a special talent, and at Blackburn he improved significantly under our current manger. The move to Spurs hasn't worked out, though, and you get the feeling that he'll have to move on if he's to have any chance at all. On form he's a terrific player, both skillful and direct, he at one point looked like the natural successor to Beckham. At the right club i think he's good enough to be first choice, despite perhaps not having the out-and-out pace of a Lennon or SWP, his final ball's certainly better.

Then there's Beckham, who splits opinion more than any other. I'm not a fan, but i can appreciate how his set-pieces can still sometimes change games. Saying that, i think it's unfortunate how we rely on an ageing man, playing in a cowboy league, who's had three World Cups already and done very little. On one hand the experience might prove vital, on the other, well, the ego could prove a distraction. There's no anti-United bias in my views at all, i just think the bloke has always been overrated and with so many options it would be a shame to have to drag him along to another tournament.

In my opinion, the most sensible option would be Joe Cole. The three of Barry, Gerrard and Lampard look very settled at present, so i think it's a case of one other. Cole's done it internationally, and he has years of experience playing for a top club at the very highest level. A lot might depend on his injury. If he doesn't get enough games under his belt for Chelsea then he rightly might not be considered first-choice by Capello, but he'd be my pick if fit. I'd have that bit more faith in him being able to make a difference in key games than anyone else.

It's up to Shaun then to prove to the England manager that he's a stronger option than Lennon, or those previously mentioned. Young, Walcott or Milner could conceivably get the nod as second choice on the left, so their options are perhaps better. Even Becks could possibly snag a central role, although Shuan has played there too. My hunch is that SWP will have to keep up his early-season form to have a chance, that and dislodge Lennon if given another shot, but i'd personally pick them both. Few could argue that they're the two most on-form English right-wingers about, but they might well prove too similar.