retired_janearific

Breaking News on Sky Sports - Terry is OUT of the match v Russia after his knee locked at the end of training.

Mon teh Campbell

mattsaunders

awwwwwwwwwww, ****

mattsaunders

England suffer Terry injury blow

England captain John Terry seems certain to miss Wednesday's Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia in Moscow after his knee locked up in training.

Terry had been given the all-clear just hours earlier but suffered a recurrence of the injury that kept him out of Saturday's win over Estonia.

Sol Campbell is likely to deputise for Terry once more.

Head coach Steve McClaren said: "John Terry is almost certainly ruled out - he could not complete the session."

The England captain, who also has a broken toe and a fractured cheekbone, took part in a warm-up and practice match on Tuesday but broke down after the players split into groups for the final 25 minutes of the session.

Even had Terry played against Russia he would have required a minor knee operation on his return to England to remove some floating bone.

The Chelsea defender said he had been told he should be back playing a week after having the operation.

McClaren will not reveal his starting XI until Wednesday, however he is expected to give Everton defender Joleon Lescott his first international start at left-back.

The former Wolves player looks to have pipped Reading full-back Nicky Shorey as McClaren's preferred alternative to the injured Ashley Cole, although Lescott's experienced Toffees team-mate Phil Neville is also an option.

Cole was carried off in Saturday's win over Estonia and is awaiting the results of a scan on his ankle injury.

Lescott has spent most of this season at centre-back following Leighton Baines' arrival at Goodison Park but played a large part of the last campaign on the left.

McClaren said: "I can't name the team or formation - I've decided, but the team won't be confirmed until later on Tuesday evening to the players.

"Joleon, Nicky or Phil - I've every confidence in whoever it is who replaces Ashley to do the job.

"We are coming here to win the game, and it's important we do that and we go into the game knowing we can win it - look at our recent form.

"There are so many permutations and issues around the game. But we have got to make sure we do the job."

Frank Lampard is likely to start on the bench again as England keep faith with a 4-4-2 system.

England will reach the finals in Austria and Switzerland if they beat Russia. A draw would leave them needing a point from their final game against Croatia at Wembley on 21 November.

McClaren's squad arrived in a chilly Moscow late on Monday. The city had its first snow of the winter at the weekend but the forecast for Wednesday is cloudy, with temperatures of 9C.

A sell-out 80,000 crowd is expected at the Luzhniki Stadium, where the match will be played on an artificial surface. England trained on a similar pitch in Cheshire on Monday.

mattsaunders

powerhouse283

samuel has alsways been a tosspot

retired_Fit

Oh well, Big Sol in the centre then

retired_navy0614

r.e. Lescott being shakey - he was exactly the same on his Everton debut, but soon clued up. He'd come good. Doesn't mean England should play him though

Baines is bloody awesome incidentally.

retired_jessicadon

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WARRIOR

retired_Fit

Sure. I still like him and want him in the England set up, especially over jokers like Dawson that frankly scare me. I think he's been playing well for a while now and dont see why he couldnt have been included in a recent friendly to get him settled with the pressure and tension, etc of playing for a national side

Instead of calling up Luke Young when Cole dropped out why not Baines ? I hope to never really see Young in the squad again tbh and Baines should be ahead of Shorey in the pecking order imho

retired_jsnap

r.e. Lescott being shakey - he was exactly the same on his Everton debut, but soon clued up. He'd come good. Doesn't mean England should play him though

Baines is bloody awesome incidentally. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, it was amusing that Neville was being considered for left back when he's the 3rd best English left back at his club.