Despite scoffing from the red half of Manchester and the predictably buoyant bills of good health posted by the red brigade at Sky, it has to be said - and I’m going to risk saying it - Rio Ferdinand just ain’t the player he was. Whether it be a question of fronting up to his back problem, overcoming drug related memory loss, or merely a case of concentrating on his concentration, there is now no denying the existence of something tangible which seems to be turning him into a shadow of his former self.

Putting it bluntly, denial of decline doesn’t do it anymore. Certainly not for Fabio, who has reached the stage of demanding action in the form of a couple of international appearances, if only to dispel or [as it happens] confirm, the mounting rumours. Tough love indeed, and in all probability borne of a lack of firsthand information from Ferguson over the past few months, whereas a sudden slight limp and a passing reference to groin strains sees Stevie G sidling back to Anfield to prepare for the coming week’s domestic hard graft without encumbrance. The real point to be made here though is that Capello must have got to know the level of Gerrard’s commitment by now and, when you compare the treatment of both players, it only adds to the doubt surrounding Ferdinand.

A forum search for exactly how his decline affects Chelsea in anything other than a positive way is hard to find and whilst none of us will look too hard for it anyway I’m guessing that it will not be long before our club’s performance domestically will be affected by Ferdinand’s situation in one very important way. The workload for JT as captain of England was always going to be high, but he could do without the additional uncertainty over who is to be paired with him in South Africa. He has had fitness concerns of his own, albeit dealt with in his own inimitable style, and there will be no let up if Ferdinand doesn’t make it because the forthcoming warm up games will have to be used to try different partnerships. Alternatively, I’m not sure how Chelsea fans would react to JT becoming a workhorse on all fronts should Rio, supposedly a supportive vice captain, be given cotton wool treatment by Fabio, creating a situation no doubt endorsed by a club manager who couldn’t give a toss about any of his senior players going to the World Cup now that Scotland is out.

What also worries me is that Capello may be tough as teak, but, after a promising start, even he will find it difficult not to end up pandering to the silly Media obsession of reporting in red ink on all matters relating to the England camp. Over the last few years this has manifested itself in a contrived debate over whether Frank and Stevie G could play together - instigated solely to compare the attributes of the two and pronounce the Scouser infinitely better, despite damning evidence to the contrary - and then on Fabio’s arrival there was the re-championing of Rio’s claims for England captaincy under the new regime, which was no more than a shameless attempt to either ignore JT’s superior leadership qualities altogether or somehow link him to Steve McClaren’s tainted term of office.

So far the wily Italian has countered the hacks by brooking no argument over JT’s captaincy and installing Frank in a pivotal role in the team. Quick to acknowledge status within the squad, he has consigned Gerrard to the left flank almost by [attacking] association with Rooney alone, a tenuous grip on a place if ever there was one, bearing in mind the counter claims of James Milner and our own Joe Cole, and this leads me back to the pandering point I’m labouring to make. Capello has already stated that you have to be fit and ’in a good situation’ to be in his plans so, if he was to be true to his word and picking his squad tomorrow, there would be an inordinate number of United players left at home. For example, Foster is struggling to nail down the third goalkeeping spot, Carrick can’t keep a regular place in his club side and in any event will probably be up against Hargreaves for a midfield place with the latter still to prove his fitness for club, let alone country, and Wes Brown has never been described as super fit or anything but a make-do-and-mender whenever Ferguson feels inclined to tinker with his first choice eleven.

All very depressing should you follow the red half of Manchester, be a SSN reporter, Andy Gray, or write for a Murdoch newspaper for a living. Also, if you add to this the distinct possibility that Ferdinand is seriously crocked - is it me, or does he appear slower and look weaker framed these days? - all the aforementioned group might have going for them in South Africa next summer is the wunderkind Wayne Rooney. To my mind, such a scenario has already dawned on the more fatalistic journalists within the breed, resulting in early stage damage limitation and in eccentricities like the [united associated] old flame that is David Beckham being refused permission to die of natural causes just yet awhile, despite his bearded recognition of the passage of time. This is when and where Fabio must remain strong and why he must stick to his stated principles - no preferential treatment for Rio [good start over the last fortnight] no automatic recall for Hargreaves without Premiership proof of form and fitness, nor for Carrick or Brown either…and yes, the same must go for Joe Cole too.

Good post DForset, his performance for England against the Ukraine was one of the worst I've ever seen from an England international. He should have been hooked off at HT!

As Duran Duran used to sing: 'His name is Rio, and he should be in the stand'

Thing is, whats the alternative? Lesscot? Upson?

He's there to stay.

Thing is, whats the alternative? Lesscot? Upson?

He's there to stay.

That is the main concern for me as well. Rio is clearly nowhere near his best however if he can get back to being near his best then he is easily good enough to perform at the highest level. I don't think a single one of the alternatives is good enough at the highest level even when they are at their best.

If we had Upson at the back in South Africa with Johnson at right back then I will be scheduling my holidays to coincide with the second round matches!

Thing is, whats the alternative? Lesscot? Upson?

He's there to stay.

I'd rate Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, and even Steven Taylor ahead of Ferdinand. Hell, I'd rather have Frank Sinclair then Ferdinand!

And I don't think Ferdinand's problem is one of form, he's been a liability for years - it just gets overlooked because he's a favourite of the pundits and plays for United. If Ferdinand must play for England, then I'd put him in as defensive midfielder - he reads the game well and his distribution is good, but as a defender, his growing collection of glaring errors would frighten the life out of me if I were an England fan.

That is the main concern for me as well. Rio is clearly nowhere near his best however if he can get back to being near his best then he is easily good enough to perform at the highest level. I don't think a single one of the alternatives is good enough at the highest level even when they are at their best.

If we had Upson at the back in South Africa with Johnson at right back then I will be scheduling my holidays to coincide with the second round matches!

I think Upson goes as cover regardless of Rio’s fitness and between now and the end of the season Lescott, Woodgate, Jagielka and possibly Cahill will fight it out for one or two places, dependent on Capello’s assessment of Ferdinand. He does have Brown as additional cover, but he is no real improvement on the names mentioned. Lescott is probably the leading candidate because he can cover for LB as well, although the mere fact that Fabio tried Milner in that position on Wednesday suggests that he’s either keen to get him in somewhere without disturbing the precious Gerrard/Rooney attacking option or he doesn’t really have faith in Lescott doing that job. Either way I’d be worried if I was in Bridgey’s boots.

I think you are right that lescott will go due to being able to provide cover in multiple positions. Jagielka I doubt will be on the plane as he has missed too much football and when he did get a chance at international level, albeit a very limited chance, he was found wanting.

If Cahill is a serious option then he is going to have to be given some playing time in the friendlies between now and South Africa as we have no idea how he will perform at international level. It also smells a bit of knee jerk stuff with Cahill as well. he has had half a good season in his whole career and certainly he is being talked about as a real talent - England has been guilty of this too many times and I wonder if Cahill is going to be another example.

The other problem we have, or Capello has, is deciding how many strikers ot take. Normally we only take four but I wonder if he may look to take a fifth one as the talent at his disposal is limited and he may feel he needs different options. If he was to take 5 then he will surely drop a defender to accommodate this in the 23.

The other problem we have, or Capello has, is deciding how many strikers ot take. Normally we only take four but I wonder if he may look to take a fifth one as the talent at his disposal is limited and he may feel he needs different options. If he was to take 5 then he will surely drop a defender to accommodate this in the 23.

Agreed - and another reason for Bridge to be worried.

I'd rate Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, and even Steven Taylor ahead of Ferdinand. Hell, I'd rather have Frank Sinclair then Ferdinand!

And I don't think Ferdinand's problem is one of form, he's been a liability for years - it just gets overlooked because he's a favourite of the pundits and plays for United. If Ferdinand must play for England, then I'd put him in as defensive midfielder - he reads the game well and his distribution is good, but as a defender, his growing collection of glaring errors would frighten the life out of me if I were an England fan.

Spot on Bluebeard.

As defenders go, Lescott is twice the defender Rio is, perhaps not twice the player, but a much better all round defender. He always manages to keep Drogba quiet for long spells whenever he marks him.