Playerwatch 2005: England

By Paul Saffer

When this piece was written 12 months ago, there was little doubt which young player was emerging to dominate the English scene - Wayne Rooney.

Prodigious striker
Since then the prodigious striker has starred at UEFA EURO 2004™ and earned a €29.6m transfer from boyhood team Everton FC to Manchester United FC - having only turned 19 in October. However, Rooney is not the sole callow talent winning plaudits in the Premiership.

Defoe move
Most notable is his sometime England striking partner Jermain Defoe. A year ago he was increasingly unsettled at West Ham United FC, with whom Defoe was relegated in 2002/03. This January, though, Tottenham Hotspur FC snapped him up for €10.2m, and 13 minutes into his top-flight return Defoe scored in a 4-3 win against Portsmouth FC.

England debut
As the goals continued to flow from the pacy forward, Sven-Göran Eriksson handed him his full England debut 12 minutes into a friendly in Sweden after Darius Vassell was injured. Defoe put on a superb performance in an otherwise disappointing 1-0 defeat.

Joy in Poland
He missed selection for EURO 2004™, but when a Rooney injury ruled him out of the opening FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Poland, Defoe impressed as a substitute in the former and gained his first start in the latter, scoring in a vital 2-1 win.

New formation
His performance was such that Eriksson changed the formation to accommodate Defoe, Rooney and Michal Owen when the United forward returned. Speculation has now started about the once unthinkable - Owen being sidelined.

Dizzy ascent
But even Defoe could find his place under threat if Andrew Johnson continues his dizzy ascent. A Birmingham FC product, Johnson only really found his feet after joining Crystal Palace FC in 2002.

Free-scoring form
Having not scored in his final 22 Birmingham appearances, he struck an extra-time winner for Palace in a League Cup tie to open his account. In his second season he claimed 32 goals in all competitions as Palace came from nowhere to win promotion.

Eriksson impressed
Could Johnson adapt to the top-flight? His immediate prolific form declared "yes", and Eriksson has hinted that he may call the former youth international - also eligible to represent Poland - into the squad for February's friendly against the Netherlands.

Downing the answer?
Admittedly, Eriksson is not short of strikers. Left-sided midfield players are at a premium, however. But Middlesbrough FC's Under-21 international, Stewart Downing, may be the solution.

Impressive performances
Downing came through the ranks at the north-eastern club and last season became a regular. Since his 20th birthday in July he has really shone, scoring at Manchester United FC and opening Middlesbrough's UEFA Cup group stage account with the only goal at Egaleo FC.

Taylor praise
He was not promoted to the full squad for England's friendly in Spain, but national U21 coach Peter Taylor declared: "I have got no doubt in my mind that he is eventually going to get into the senior squad."

Arsenal talents
Of course, the club that dominated 2004 in England was Arsenal FC, Premiership champions and completing a record run of 49 league games unbeaten. While Justin Hoyte and Jermaine Pennant have shown that Arsène Wenger's squad does boast homegrown talents, two young Spaniards have caught the eye.

Spanish sensations
The highest-profile is José Antonio Reyes, a €25.6m purchase from Sevilla FC, but equally impressive is Cesc Fabregas. The 17-year-old is now a regular in the Arsenal midfield, having helped Spain to the UEFA European Under-17 Championship final this summer, scoring a last-gasp semi-final winner against England.