Leighton Baines has to play at World Cup

He lost his place in the first team though, and he lost it to a right back. He was pretty damn painful to watch. I will give you that he did well in the run in to the season, and it was good to see that he still had it. Perhaps he needed the rest. But perhaps he looked so good partly because he was so much fresher than most of the other players at the time.

However you make some good points about our set up. We simply cannot and do not play a particularly expansive game. Our fullbacks didn't recieve as much support as they needed due to Italy's clever play and our lack of midfield causing our wider players to come central.

In this set of circumstances maybe Cole would have done a better job. Though what is really required is positional sense and athleticism, Cole certainly has the former, but does he have enough of the latter any more?

Kash) Coutinho's Through Ball (U1108)

So we should disregard Cole because Mourinho chose not to play him for a large part of last season?

I find that logic odd.

Review the players at your disposal, relevant to the system you plan to play, and pick the best men for the job.

I didn't, and still don't, see any case for Baines' inclusion.

Of course he has 'athleticism' - just watch the Athletico and Liverpool games!

As a Chelsea fan I have the privilege of following Cole's form on a game to game basis. And prior to a couple of good games at the end of the season, I really struggle to remember when he was anywhere near as good as he used to be.

Like I said, it was no problem that he offered so little going forward when he was a rock defensively, but this season and a little of last as well, he began to make silly errors. It wasn't just being beaten for pace any more.

He lost his place in our team deservedly. It's not just a Mourinho pick, it was the right thing to do. He wasn't offering more than Azpilicueta on the left, and he wasn't offering enough than Ivanovic (Azpi could have moved back tot the right if he was).

As I have said twice now, he had some good form at the end of the season, though I suspect that perhaps his freshness and his contract running out were major drivers of this.

Sitting deep I would have faith in Cole though, despite his decline, as he is still capable of a classy defensive performance.

Diego Costa (U6489)

Totally disagree - Cole to me is still one of the best left backs, and far superior to Baines in that respect.

I think it's proof that we have such high profile games with Cole featuring in and doing well.

As you say, I think it's hard to disagree though that with Hodgson's tactics, Cole would have been the better choice.

Maybe you were right Winston

You win some, you lose some.

If you dragged up all my comments/predictions, I'd probably get more wrong than right!

Yep same here!
Looking back on it now.. Cole should have been taken to the World Cup. Big mistake by Roy.

Mr Chelsea ✪ (U3579)

If Baines was younger, I could have understood it.

If the team were gearing up to play possession football against weaker opponents, I could also have understood it.

But there's no potential for an ageing Baines, and there was no real possession for his attacking skills to be of value.

I know I'm just another voice on a forum, but it genuinely makes sense to me and I'd love to hear Roy's alternative opinion.

I think it was a combination of media pressure to pick Baines as well and the expectation on Roy to get rid of the old guard. Everton had a good season last season too.

I think there were issues with Rooney not helping out on that left hand side. Baines was left exposed a hell of a lot. I personally think Cole is better in one on one situations and might have dealt with the attacks England faced down that left hand side a bit better

The possession stats for the Italy and Uruguay games though are interesting. Against Italy, England had 44% and against Uruguay, they had 62%. Baines had plenty of the ball against URU but didnt do a lot with it.

Mr Chelsea ✪ (U3579)

Agree with you about the media.

Fair point about the Uruguay game - maybe he just suits a very specific style of play.