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"WOW!" (or words to that effect not publishable here): the words on everybody's lips when Steven Gerrard's injury time strike from thirty five yards hit the back of West Ham's net in the 91st minute in Cardiff to seal extra time for Liverpool and eventual victory for the Red half of Merseyside. Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)
 While much has been made of this being the best FA Cup final of recent memory, the implications for the World Cup were striking and would have caused Sven Goran Eriksson an uncomfortable drive back from Cardiff.
First of all Steven Gerrard's performance was magnificent. He is a truly world class player as time and again he delivers when it really matters for Liverpool. The scenario now is that it really matters for England that their most dynamic player, aside from the injured Rooney, makes a similar contribution to England's World Cup campaign. Gerrard has all the attributes to play in Rooney's position. His technical abilities are second to none while he has a big heart and bags of courage that will see him make that extra effort. Were Gerrard to play off Michael Owen in Germany it would allow Eriksson to remain faithful to his beloved 4-4-2 formation as he could play Carrick as a holding midfielder or move Beckham inside and utilise Lennon's exciting pace down the right hand side. Another factor that might point to the utilisation of Liverpool's "Captain Marvel" in a position where he could add to the 25 plus goals he has already scored in what will be a mammoth season for him (it began on 13th July 2005 in a Champions League Qualifier). While the length of the season and number of games Gerrard will have played by the time he arrives in Germany will surely be the longest and quite possibly the largest of all of the 736 players to make there way to Germany, the Scouser is part of a squad that is also unique in another way. It is a point made in this column last week, but one which raises even more questions today as the other nations laid bare their squads for Germany. Of the major nations only England are going to the World Cup with 4 strikers: holders Brazil, hosts Germany, dark horses the Czech Republic, perennial underachieved Spain all have five strikers. Italy, Holland and France all have six. The point still stands will four strikers - even if Rooney and Owen were totally fit - be enough for England? According to Pinnacle Sports, it could be - England remain fourth-favourites at 8/1 behind the holders, the hosts and Argentina. Intriguingly, the other manager of note to have settled for just four strikers is Bruce Arena of the USA. If the USA's progress to the quarterfinals in Korea/Japan (compared to their dismal performance in France) were to be replicated or bettered by Eriksson, his gamble may well be considered to have come off. The build up to a World Cup takes on many forms (not always positive: the amazing amount of tack that companies will produce just to get themselves known as a World Cup Brand; or lawful, if news of Polish/Dutch/German and somewhat inevitably English hooligan message boards are to be believed) but the World Cup does produce a special feeling - unique amongst sport - that
can whip up a nation. That special "World Cup Fever" can grab a nation: think British Prime Minister Harold Wilson's Glorious summer of 1966, the throngs that gathered on the Champs-Elysées in the aftermath of French victory in 98. Yet this fever doesn't restrict itself to winners. Who could forget the thousands of South Koreans who adorned the streets of every major city when their team was playing, and if ever you want to party just being in Brazil during the World Cup gives meaning to the world. Speaking as a fan of the world game: in the words of Peggy Lee's classic, World Cup: "You give me fever".
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