England qualifier abandoned and rescheduled due to rain -- Fergie won't be pleased

England's World Cup qualifier versus Poland in Warsaw was abandoned earlier today due to heavy rains making the pitch an unplayable surface. The stadium does have a roof and there was the option to close it earlier in the week but that obviously did not occur. Some journalists on site revealed on Twitter that there were rumblings that Poland struggled in a closed stadium -- with breathing apparently due to lack of quality air -- this past summer due to the roof being used in a Euro 2012 match versus Greece. Who knows.

Three Manchester United players -- Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, and Tom Cleverley -- were set to start and because the game will be pushed back a day to Wednesday (4:00pm BST, 11:00am EST), that might possibly infringe on some of manager Sir Alex Ferguson's plans for squad rotation. It's not a huge deal but the margins of rest can be important when players are asked to play key roles for both club and country. Fergie has claimed in the past that he often plans out his lineups 7-8 games in advance, tentatively of course, so that he can balance the need for rest and for enough quality for each key match. United have three key ones coming up in a span of nine days -- home to Stoke City, home to Braga next midweek in a European tie, and away to Sunday the following weekend -- so this match being moved back a day will likely annoy the gaffer. The rescheduled match being on a less than optimal pitch tomorrow won't help his concerns.

Rooney, Carrick, and Cleverley were likely to be candidates to play in all three upcoming club matches and these circumstances will factor into the consideration for that. In addition, Fergie has generally liked to give the likes of Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez (Chicharito) rests after their long journeys from the Americas during these international breaks. I feel for whoever's ear that Fergie gets into tonight and tomorrow.