Filed under: Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Liverpool, Sunderland, West Brom, West Ham, Euro 2012, Ipswich, Football, Team Of The Week, England Football
England put a week of controversy and pressure behind them as they strolled to victory in their Euro 2012 qualifier in Wales at the weekend but there was only one name who dominated post-match chatter.The make-up of England's midfield has been a touchy topic for years - generations, or so it seems - and it is no exception under Fabio Capello in 2011.
But while Scott Parker, whose form has barely dipped for struggling West Ham in the league this season, did his chances of establishing himself in the England engine room no harm, it was his partner Jack Wilshere who really caught the imagination.
The 19-year-old won his third cap in Cardiff but played with a maturity far beyond his years and experience. In a week Capello would rather forget after his botched handling of the captaincy issue, Wilshere finally gave the Italian some good cheer.
Wilshere and Parker were two of five England players who made our special FanHouse Team of the Week from the home nations' friendly and Euro 2012 qualifiers that were played out over the weekend.
With the clean sheet, it was no surprise that full backs Glen Johnson and Ashley Cole joined the England contingent in the International TOTW, voted for by our reporters at all the games.
And Darren Bent was another big winner over the weekend as he helped himself to one of his country's two goals in Cardiff. If Wayne Rooney is guaranteed a start in Capello's first-choice line-up, perhaps the Villa man is emerging as his first-choice partner.
The Republic of Ireland were slightly less convincing than England in collecting their weekend win, a 2-1 victory over Macedonia, and three of the Dublin line-up make TOTW.
Old faithfuls Damien Duff, with a man of the match performance, and Robbie Keane, who put an indifferent club season behind him to grab one of the goals, continue to be key personnel for the Irish.
But 24-year-old centre half Darren O'Dea, currently on loan at Championship side Ipswich from Celtic, was a new name in the frame - not only on his country's team sheet but also in TOTW.
Not that he was Ipswich's only representative in TOTW. His club mate, centre half Gareth McAuley, stood out for Northern Ireland as they went down 2-1 in Serbia on Friday, notching a nine-out-of-ten, making him the only player apart from Wilshere to hit that mark this weekend.
Northern Ireland midfielder Chris Brunt was another player who did himself credit in a losing effort.
The same could be said of TOTW goalkeeper this week, Scotland's sole representative Allan McGregor of Rangers who let in a couple in the 2-0 friendly defeat to Brazil at the Emirates on Sunday but did his reputation no harm with his performance in keeping the South Americans at bay.
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