INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP / WIGAN (a)

INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP
Another international matchday this week meant several key players jetted off to join their national squads for another questionable friendly match ahead of this summer's World Cup.
One must question the value of players racking up their air miles for a couple of training sessions and a uncompetitive game where changes and experimentation rarely replicate the true intensity of competitive football.

Anyhow, with the long list of casualties, several players did not join up with their countries. Injury clouds hang most notably over our defence as Martin Skrtel (metatarsal) Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger (both knee) were unfit for duty this week. Johnson has returned to training but Agger is very doubtful for the trips to Wigan and Lille and Skrtel is sidelined for at least a month following his metatarsal injury in Romania. Following Insua's exclusion from Maradona's Argentina squad, cult Greek hero Soto Krygiakos was the only defender in international action: he played the full 90 mins in a surprise 2-0 home defeat against Senegal.
In fact, it was probably a much needed run-out for Soto following a three match domestic ban.

In midfield, Mascherano skippered Argentina to a scrappy 1-0 win over Germany in Munich: a dull affair with only a shot on goal each! At Wembley, Gerrard came through 73 minutes of England's 3-1 victory over Egypt at Wembley as stand-in skipper. Israel captain Yossi Benayoun produced a talismanic performance, scoring in a 2-0 win in Romania.

Up front, Holland beat England's World Cup opponents USA and Kuyt played for 81 mins, scoring a penalty before being replaced by Babel for a trademark 10 minute cameo. Importantly, Torres played the entire second half of Spain's comfortable 2-0 canter in Paris against a dismal France.


WIGAN PREVIEW
A (perhaps unwise) rearranged Monday night kick-off at Wigan on Monday night is the next test for Liverpool, as they look to recoup lost ground on the rivals for that coveted fourth place.

With the injuries to Agger and Skrtel, Krygiakos will return to the defence probably alongside Carragher in the middle as Agger seems unlikely to be fit following suffering severe bruising to his knee in the bruising battle v Blackburn. Insua will play at left-back as Aurelio is again injured but Rafa's biggest selection headache is at right back. Mascherano has deputised in the absence of injured duo Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly. Kelly has featured on the bench recently and Johnson too has returned to full training. With the recent freezing weather, there have been no opportunites for a run-out in the reserves so Benitez has been understandably reluctant to throw Kelly in from the start without building up his match fitness.

Despite Mascherano's impressive cameos at full-back, I would personally advocate Martin Kelly starting at Wigan with Glen Johnson coming off the bench for a run-out ahead of the trip to Lille. I prefer to see players in their natural positions and the inclusion of Kelly is an ideal opportunity to give him valuable game-time to gain experience and fitness against a struggling Wigan attack. Johnson should be eased back in and having only just returned to full training this week, I would give the England international a run-out in the second-half to build up his fitness. Kelly should be able to cope with a game against a lowly side who have one of the worst attacks in the league (less than a goal a game) and the second worst home record behind doomed Portsmouth (only 3 wins and just ELEVEN goals in 13 matches at the DW). They have scored just once in the last five home games with Martinez bemoaning the state of the pitch affecting their ability to play with their natural passing style - which shouldn't be an excuse for either side after the pitch was re-laid last week.

Their top scorer, Hugo Rodallega with 7 strikes is the only forward to have scored for Wigan in the Prem this season and is without a goal so far in 2010. He has not scored and Wigan have not won a game in their last 9. Jason Scotland, who followed Martinez to Wigan from Swansea has yet to score from 23 appearances. Added to the lack of cutting edge up front, the joint second top scorers (N'Zogbia and Scharner with 4 each) are both injury doubts for Monday.
In addition to their attacking woes, Wigan's defence has been leaky: 53 goals conceded in 27 games at a ratio of almost 2 goals per game suggests former Liverpool 'keeper Chris Kirkland will be busy.

Probable Wigan team (4-5-1):
Kirkland; Figueroa, Bramble, Caldwell, Melchiot; N'Zogbia or Moses, Diame, Thomas, Scharner or Watson, McCarthy; Rodallega. Subs: Stojkovic, Boyce, Watson/Scharner, Sinclair, Gomez, Moreno, Scotland.

Possible Liverpool team (4-2-3-1):
Reina; Insua, Krygiakos, Carra, Kelly; Mascherano, Lucas; Benayoun, Gerrard, Kuyt; Torres. Subs: Diego, Johnson, Mavinga, Aquilani, Maxi, Babel, N'Gog.