Cole injury could prove welcome boost for Bridge

The injury sustained by Ashley Cole during Chelsea's no-show at Goodison midweek means that the England left-back slot is, temporarily at least, up for grabs again. Despite his head probably being all over the shop at present, our very own Wayne Bridge, a relative favourite of the national team manager so far, could have returned from an injury of his own at exactly the right time, and he's expected to be selected for the upcoming friendly against Egypt.

The decision by England boss Fabio Capello to relieve John Terry of his captaincy was absolutely the right one, no question about that, and even were i a more hardcore follower of the national side i'd think that common sense had to come before any talk of our Finals chances. Basic discipline is a must, a duty should come with representing your country, and the rules shouldn't be bent going by a player's stature in the squad.

Bridge has a difficult decision to make. Whilst talk of ultimatums may be nothing more than rumour, standing side-by-side in unison with the man who committed the ultimate betrayal of sneaking around with one of his best pals other half would be asking a lot of anyone. I half hope Wayne tells them to do one, but when you've spent years dedicating yourself to a career and the ultimate goal of winning a World Cup is just a few games away, it must be a tough call.

All this said, our support of Bridge shouldn't cloud the fact that he perhaps shouldn't be at the head of the queue for Cole's position. Given that this unsavoury affair happened some time before hitting the press, in part due to Terry's solicitors, patchy form can to some extent be excused. Wayne had looked fitter and more consistent earlier in the season, but a couple of high-profile games in which the press went to town on him were followed by his injury, and having not completed a game since, he seems to be in contention more based on his experience than form.

Stephen Warnock, though himself out with a calf strain and expected to miss another two weeks, has excelled since Mark Hughes took him to Blackburn for a bargain fee of £1.5m three seasons ago. There he earned rave reviews in a number of positions before Martin O'Neill felt him worthy enough to part with four times that amount. Last year he was Blackburn's best player, and this year probably likewise for Villa. Wanting to see as many City players at the World Cup as possible aside for a moment, he should be in the squad on merit.

Leighton Baines has also been an integral part of Everton's revival over recent weeks. Like Warnock he's equally comfortable in either half, and though his Goodison career took a while to get going he's proven another solid acquisition by Gollum. I don't really feel that Wayne has produced a good spell of form for any substantial time over the last couple of years, and at the current time he would be fourth in the pecking order were it my call.

The early signs of Wayne post-injury, however, are positive. At Hull he was subjected to all sorts of unnecessary taunts from the crowd, and targeted physically by the opposition. I thought he did quite well, both in terms of defending and getting forward, especially first half. That's to be expected, as fitness takes its time to build back up, but against neither Hull or Bolton were i any more worried about Wayne defensively than anyone else, and if anything we looked more vulnerable in both games down the opposite flank.

Ashley Cole, for me, is the best left-back in the world at present. His form for Chelsea over the last eighteen months has been astonishing, and his decision to leave Arsenal for their rivals has, though money certainly played its part, proved a wise one. Even if not fully fit i think he'll travel to South Africa, and as number one in his position, but the rest of the season, and England's games against Egypt, and probably Mexico in May, give Wayne a real shout of ending an uncomfortable season on the highest of high notes. Good luck, lad!