Gerrard injury forces England boss Capello to try Belarus experiment
ENGLAND head coach Fabio Capello is used to being depicted as a strict headmaster, but tonight he is preparing to play the experimental scientist.
With qualification for next summer’s World Cup already assured, the Italian has promised to tinker with selection and tactics when Belarus visit Wembley.
His decision is made easier by the unavailability of top scorer Wayne Rooney and midfielder Steven Gerrard, who are both injured for the final Group Six fixture.
All the same it marks a departure for Capello who, since taking charge last year, has hit upon a winning combination and, injuries permitting, stuck with it.
A spine of eight or nine players has served the former AC Milan manager extremely well, ensuring England’s place at next summer’s tournament with two qualifiers to spare.
But Capello yesterday emphasised the need to have a variety of gameplans, and said he viewed his depleted squad as an opportunity to test other formulae.
“We will play a different style against Belarus, with some different players. It will be a very interesting game for me. From this experience I will know some players better,” Capello said.
“I have big confidence in all the players. Rooney is important because the style of Rooney is the style I like in my team. He is an important player but we have others. We can win with Rooney and without Rooney.
“We need to play other styles; style A, B, C. It depends on the opposition and the style of the game we need to play. I will do some experiments against Belarus. It’s possible to see a different style and that will be very interesting for me. For me, it is a lot of experiments.”
Gerrard, who was subtituted during Saturday’s surprise defeat in Ukraine, followed Rooney out of the squad yesterday having failed to recover from a groin injury.
Capello may also have to do without goalkeeper David James, who faces a late fitness test after missing full training yesterday.
Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbolahor, who has been tipped to start, is also a minor doubt.
Captain John Terry, however, is in no doubt as to the most significant absentee, calling Rooney “irreplaceable”. The Chelsea defender added: “He has been the heartbeat of our qualifying campaign. This is a chance to play without him and the manager to try maybe one or two other players up front.” Terry’s central defensive partner Rio Ferdinand was pilloried for his performance at the weekend, but Capello said his new-found taste for experimentation would not extend to resting the Manchester United player.
“Rio will play against Belarus,” he said. “I have big confidence in Rio. He will play and I’m sure he will get better with every game.”