City Holding Their Own In State Of The Nation

With Michel Platini monitoring developments the Premier League maintains an intention to see England benefit from rule changes. VMC addresses the State Of The Nation...

The naming of the first ever Premier League 25 man squads is imminent and we can expect an intriguing week of activity across the country as management teams, boardrooms, agents and hacks shuffle their respective packs of millionaire playing cards.

So two games into the new Premier League season, where are we at from an English point of view?

The beleaguered Fabio Capello and Stuart Pearce opted for experience at the World Cup only to put together the most turgid English tournament performance in decades.

So who are the rising stars, where are they coming from and dare we look towards an English future in the most exciting league in the world? A league repeatedly criticised as being one dominated by foreign mercenaries built upon a gargantuan platform of Murdoch money.

Of course, our own Manchester City, pulled back from oblivion in 1999 and re-energised by His Highness Sheikh Mansour in 2008 have come under daily fire for 'ruining English football' with UEFA President Michel Platini being an open critic.

VMC has run a spot check across the Premier League starting XI's that took to the field in the second round of Premier League games this past weekend.

With the naming of those 25 man squads and the European Championship Qualifiers drawing nearer, it's fascinating to see where the top flight manager's thoughts are right now.

The results certainly make for interesting reading and will doubtless stir debate.

Deeper into the season and post squad transition, VMC will run another analysis in search of impact.


English Players In Premier League Starting XI's:
FA Premier League Games 21st-23rd August 2010

- 83 English players started out of a possible 220 positions -

The St George Cross Table:

1. Newcastle United, 8 players

Harper, Perch, Williamson, Routledge, Smith Barton, Nolan, Carroll.

=2. Aston Villa, 6 players

L Young, A Young, Clark, Warnock, Albrighton, Downing

=2. Birmingham City, 6 players

Foster, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Gardner, Jerome

=2. Manchester City, 6 players

Hart, Richards, Lescott, Barry, Milner, Johnson

=2. West Ham United, 6 players

Green, Upson, Dyer, Parker, Noble, Cole

=2. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 6 players

Foley, Craddock, Jarvis, Henry, Jones, Ebanks-Blake

=3. Sunderland, 5 players

Onuoha, Bramble, Richardson, Henderson, Campbell

=3. Tottenham Hotspur, 5 players

Crouch, Dawson, Huddlestone, Jenas, Lennon

=4. Blackpool, 4 players

Gilks, Baptiste, Evatt, Harewood

=4. Bolton Wanderers 4

Knight, Cahill, Robinson, Davies

=4. Everton, 4 players

Hibbert, Jagielka, Baines, Beckford

=4. Fulham, 4 players

Stockdale, Murphy, Konchesky, Zamora

=4. Stoke City, 4 players

Shawcross, Collins, Whitehead, Etherington

=5. Chelsea, 3 players

Terry, Cole, Lampard

=5. Liverpool, 3 players

Johnson, Carragher, Gerrard

=5. West Bromwich Albion, 3 players

Carson, Morrison, Thomas

=6. Arsenal, 2 players

Wilshere, Walcott

=6. Blackburn, 2 players

Robinson, Jones

=7. Manchester United, 1 player

Scholes

=7. Wigan Athletic, 1 player

Kirkland

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