Capello plans to experiment

FA Cup finalists to miss out against Mexico

Last updated: 23rd May 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Capello plans to experiment

Capello: Experimenting

Fabio Capello intends to look at some of his fringe players against Mexico after deciding to rest those involved in the FA Cup final.

The England manager has been working with his provisional World Cup squad at a training camp in Irdning, Austria, over the past week.

They will jet back to Wembley for Monday's friendly as Capello begins to contemplate who he will select in a final 23-man party that must be announced by 1st June.

But the Italian will not call on any of his four Chelsea players, or Portsmouth goalkeeper David James, after they were given a few days' extra rest following the FA Cup final.

Joe Cole will therefore have to wait for a chance to impress, while his club-mates John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole will also sit out.

"The Chelsea players and David James will not play against Mexico," confirmed Capello.

"I needed them to train and stay with us. I also needed to check their physical situation so these five players won't play."

Important

Capello is keen to assess the form of his key men but also knows that he must give opportunities to other players further down the pecking order.

The likes of Adam Johnson, Michael Dawson, Ledley King and Jamie Carragher could therefore feature, while Capello may decide to test out a different formation as well.

"I will experiment against Mexico," he said.

"It is important to see how some of these perform on the pitch."

Capello insists there are still places up for grabs, although he has a good idea of the squad he will be taking to South Africa next month.

"In my mind I more or less know the names of the 23 players who will be with me," he said.

"But we have to wait because you never know whether someone gets injured."

Penalties

Capello's methodical preparations for the World Cup may already be in full swing but he admits there have been no penalties practised as yet.

"It is too early to practise penalties," he reflected.

"In any case, you could prepare for penalties and practise every day in training. But in a match it is different.

"Shooting to win is not the same as shooting in training.

"In training, the keeper is not very big. When you need to score to win, the keeper is really big and the goal is very small."

Comments (8)

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T G (Blackpool fan) says...

Josh.. are you mental!! Lampard and Milner as holding mids?? Lampard is the highestscoring mid in europe and you want him holding?? thank god you aren't england coach....

Posted 07:53 24th May 2010

Ahmed S (Arsenal fan) says...

Not a bad tactic mate! well thought out... but i think he will go for 2 strikers

Posted 05:03 24th May 2010

Chris Nash (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I agree apart from I'd include Huddlestone for the warm up match along with Milner

Posted 04:20 24th May 2010

Rinaldi Jofika (Chelsea fan) says...

Formation 4-5-1. England starting XI: James, Johnson, Ferdinand, Terry, Cole A, Walcott, Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Lennon, Rooney.

Posted 03:19 24th May 2010

Keith Shine (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan) says...

I like the formation. Very good choice Josh. Although i do like Milner, I probably would prefer Barry, however im sure Milner would do an excellent job.

Posted 23:52 23rd May 2010

J Max (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Lampard isn't a holding player - so that's really not a good plan. Carrick and Barry would be pretty solid though...

Posted 23:07 23rd May 2010

Arup Ghose (Chelsea fan) says...

I feel the 4-5-1 formation is probably the best. I don't rate any of the other England strikers except Rooney on the international scene. I think the team should be James, A Cole, Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, Lampard, Milner, Lennon and J Cole with Gerrard just behind Rooney although there isn't a defensive midfield option with that formation therefore Milner may miss out for someone more defensive minded. I don't think Crouch, Defoe or Heskey should start. Defoe and Walcott could come on as impact players with their pace.

Posted 21:34 23rd May 2010

Josh Hunt (Manchester United fan) says...

I'm hoping he'll play a 4-5-1 with Walcott and Lennon on the wings, lampard (although he is being rested against Mexico) and Milner holding and Gerrard playing the role he does at Liverpool. That'll give us an abundance of pace and creativity in Midfield and may allow for us to finally use Gerrard in a far more effective position. With two holding mids in the form of Milner and Lampard you've got a good combination of work rate and creativity with the ability to feed our lightning quick wingers. I think that'll be the perfect formation for the world cup and will cause any defence on the planet to have nightmares whilst still giving us enough protection at the back.

Posted 16:54 23rd May 2010
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