Ok mate I appreciate your post.
You have many things I agree with in there.
But i'm sorry to in certain parts, there are some irrelevant arguments (albeit good ones).
I'm not being rude,- far from it.
I'll explain why I think that in some order...
Firstly I never said players should or should not go based on being international class.
But I did say that as a player Bent is not international class.
I believe Walcott is DESPITE not playing (which as you are aware does not mean nothing to me
in this case alone!!
It is because Walcott is THAT good and Bent is THAT average in my opinion.
Simple as that.
And as Kevano said, that is my opinion.
The fact that Sven has picked Bent in )squads and has not taken him at all; and has even taken Andy Johnson (who has been in no squads) and a 17 year old with NO game, must tell you how much Sven doesn't rate Bent.
Me too!
I don't care what Saudi Arabia, Argentina do. It's not them I care about it's irrelevant.
I'm talking about Walcott in this situation alone!!
This is not a generalistaion.
(Hence my comparison with Rossi & Toni and Soldado & Villa)
If it was Villa or Toni instead of Bent, then Walcott should not go... No Way!!
We have 2 unfit strikers, but by the time the tournament comes around, we will have (if Rooney doesn't make it) a fully fit Jermaine Defoe also. (Hopefully!!)
The next bit is the bit that biugged me mate.
You obviously have no idea of my football opinions (Which I suppose is not your fault

)
Who decided that 'star' meant flashy player and skillful?
Yet you have wrote the longest piece elaborating on the word 'star' under the assumption that I mean this as the flashy, skillful type of player??!!
You are so way off it is untrue mate.
I think Reyes is perhaps one of the most overrated players in the premier league. I think C. Ronaldo is vastly overrated also.
Yes I obviously admire skilful players, but only if they produce the goods!!
I loved Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Bergkamp.
You are talking to the man who's favourite football player of the last 15 years is Demetrio Albertini!!
Ask me who I think the star of spain is and I will say Xavi. Easily.
Everything you said about the type of player you labelled as a 'star' I 100% agree with.
It is just that opinions of players does not apply to me like you have made it sound.. in fact the 100% opposite
As I say, why have you defined the word 'star' to mean that?
One thing you did say was who is more likely to be the 'star'.
More likely to make things happen based on their attributes?
Walcott easily. Because we are talking about attributes. Not what they have done or how many goals they have scored.
JUST The player's ability alone.
In my opinion Walcott is better than Bent.
The people who have worked with Walcott will teall you just how good he is. Toure has come out and said how good he is.
No doubt Henry will say also.
People know how good a pleyer is. You don't ALWAYS have to see them play at the highest level. (This case with him and Bent especially).
A simple comparison would be Pique and Christian Dailly of West Ham.
Now Pique has played a few games for Man Utd so please don't be pedantic and say that matters over Walcott's 0 games.
Because if Walcott played in the CL final and 2 warm up games, does that mean Walcott's inclusion is more justified that playing 0 games?
My point being that everybody and his dog knows that Gerard Pique is better than Christian Dailly.
We don't have to see Pique play games in the premier league to know this.
(I know I have chosen a worse player in Dailly than Bent, but i'm sure you understand my point)
My point being that by what people are saying (yourself included) that someone is not qualified to say how one player is better than the other because they have not played a game.
This rule then qualifies on EVERY player who is compared by not playin a game, no matter how good or bad.
Is someone now gonna turn round and say Pique is not better than Christian Dailly just to invalidate my point??
If so, get real.
I'm glad you are with me that player's goals and figures do not always mean more compared to their actual playing abilities.
In this case you can understand me not taking to much notice of Bent's goals.
I have already mentioned that I am not basing my argument on Walcott getting goals in the World Cup... more on the overall things he brings to games. He has the ability to make something out of nothing, sacare defenders and change a game with a run, pass and assist...and maybe a goal.
I have no confidence in Bent doing this.
Nor does Sven.
Utaka is a good example. One similar could be made of Andy Cole at Manchester United.
Many people rated him because of his goals, yet he was known for having and missing so many chnaces.
On the flip side (which i'm sure you will appreciate) in my opinion many people did not appeciate his overall game and what he brought to Manchester Utd play.
His movement, link up play, his partnership with Yorke etc.
Cole got rated for the wrong things.
On Lampard there are a few things:
Firstly the thing that bugged me is the slightly patroninsing tone of 1 or 2 of your comments: The first being how I 'must be confused what World Class means'.
But in re-reading my post I may have sounded a tad confusing, so I suppose you are not too blame.
On the subject of World Class, I think that is the most overused term in football.
Oh, Wes Brown is a world class defender, Maniche is a world class midfielder etc etc.
I reserve World Class for the best.
Off the top of my head, I would say there are approximately 20 or 30 world class players in the World.
But i cannot say Lampard is not in the top 30 players in the world, that would be crazy!!
I was focusing more on him being a footballer overall.
This is where it gets important in terms of what I mean about Lampard:
If you notice, I said he is one of the best (if not
the best) at scoring goals from midfield).
But admittedly the role he plays at Chelsea, he is very fortunate to be in such a good position to constantly score.
But as a PLAYER, a footballer he is not World Class.
Gerrard is World class.
I'm amazed that people think Lampard is as good as Gerrard.
But taking everything into account including his goals maybe he is World Class.
As a goalscoring midfielder he is simply world class, but I would say as a player, he is just, just below world class.
Lampard scores plenty of goals from midfield and for that job he is World class.
So many games he goes missing and then scores a cracker and gets the headlines. (I am not here and nowhere in my posts am I implying that you make false judgements on such things mate

)
Lampard has done hardly anything since the new year. Only in recent weeks has he found a fair bit of form.
But as a footballer he is not and is not as good a player as Xavi. (Being another prime example how I never choose the 'flashy' player with the goals, and long shooting ability etc)
But this is not the point, we will have to agree to disagree here mate
So I think thats it :lol:
As you can see from my post I am not one of those people that just reads bits of posts and choose to argue!!
You are similar to me in the respect you like to be thorough (I'm sure our girls are pleased

:lol: )
And that you don't want people to make a misunderstood judgement on what you are saying.
I respect that totally dude.
Just one other thing regarding being possibly patronising:
I may have misread slightly the following phrase:
I also have more things to say like how I completely disagree when you say "Theo is BETTER than Darren Bent" and if we clearly examine the two players and analyze them in every single area (Many different attributes), you'll see what I mean and it'll become quite clear to you but I won't do that now as that'll be another long post on its own and no time or place for it here right now.
This part in particular mate:
Are you saying that I will see what you mean and it will become clear where you are coming from.
Or are you saying that after hearing more from you that it will become clear that I am wrong?
You can see how that may look.
(didn't want to comment without clearing it up with you first mate

)
Erm I think thats it.
To be honest, we could be here all week and I don't want to.
We clearly disagree and have opposite reasons why.
But that is what makes football what it is and makes it exciting to watcg.
One thing I'm sure you'll agree with is that England in the World Cup will be a lot more intersting now!!
And another thing to probably end arguments is that of course this is just my opinion.
It is not fact mate, we agree. There are little facts when it comes to what players are good, bad, better etc.
Are there facts to say Ronaldinho is best player in the world? Better than Henry? Not really , no.
(I think Ronaldinho is best player in the world but obviously again; my opinion)
In my opinion on current ability Walcott is better than Bent.
I'm not the type of guy who says:
Walcott is better than Bent. FACT.
(I fucking hate that man!! :lol
:thumbup:
(P.s: just seen 1st Walcott interview and he looks a very calm and intelligent young fella. Seems completely unfazed)