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TERRY HAILS HARGREAVES INFLUENCE

John Terry has compared the impact being made by Owen Hargreaves with England to the influence Claude Makelele has in midfield for Chelsea.

Hargreaves has gone from being bit-part player to one of the first names on the team-sheet after being one of England's few success stories at the World Cup finals.

The Bayern Munich midfielder again showed his mettle in the 5-0 win over Andorra at Old Trafford with some crunching tackles against opponents not afraid of physical contact.

His presence has also given Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, now operating on the right flank, licence to roam forward.

England skipper Terry said: "I think Owen Hargreaves has slotted in perfectly. You can compare Owen to 'Maka' at Chelsea. Like Maka he breaks the play up brilliantly.

"If anyone gets past him, then they still have us to beat in the defence but he is certainly not easy to get past!

"I think the attacking midfielders in the England side appreciate having Owen in there as well, knowing he will sit back if we are on the attack."

The appreciation now being shown Hargreaves by the England fans is in stark contrast to the boos which greeted his appearance as a substitute against Hungary and the World Cup opener with Paraguay.

Lampard said: "Owen is playing very well. He is full of confidence. He is carrying on where he left off at the World Cup. He is breaking things up but also had a couple of shots on Saturday when he might have scored.

"It is great to see a player playing with confidence. You can see the confidence in him around the place, just coming from the way he is playing.

"I knew he was a good player. We've all been there early in our England careers when you are in and out of the team and you can't quite show what you want to show.

"Maybe he has had that scenario but he has kept his head down and I think you've got to give credit for the way he handled himself when people were against him and when he got his chance he really showed how good he was.

"When you have trained with him every day, and I have seen quite a lot of him over the years, you see what a player he is."

Gerrard will win his 50th senior cap when England take on Macedonia in Skopje on Wednesday evening.

By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.

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