The dilemna for Capello is whether to ditch a system that worked very well in qualifying (in what turned out to be quite a poor group) and will probably be perfectly adequate in the Group stage, but will struggle against the stronger teams, in favour of one that is largely untested. A switch to 4-5-1 would be a gamble but one that will indicate the extent of his ambitions.

Id agree with that too,both Lampard & Gerrard have goals in them. France won a world cup without a recognised striker(who if i recall couldn't lace Rooney's boots)so try and play to your strenghs,if it doesn't work well bring Heskey or Crouch off the bench and adjust the system to 4-4-2

Bet the likes of Brazil,Spain,Germany etc are having a good laugh after that performance today

I know it is better to get the bad performance's out of the way before the world cup starts but realistically we will struggle to get past the last 16,i hope Adam Johnson gets in along with Joe Cole,i wouldn't bank on Walcott sending any decent crosses in,& how bad is his first touch?

Spain barely got past Saudi Arabia yesterday. Writing them off are you? It's a warmup game, Capello tried some stuff and we got away with a win. Doesn't mean a thing in the long run

I thought winning games while not playing well was the sign of a good team

Anyway i'll settle for 7 scrappy wins in SA if it means we win the tournament.

It might have been better if Capello had trusted his judgement, named his 23 and just used the 2 games to practice different formations. It was rather like watching The Apprentice.

Thought Huddlestone was an apprentice.

The back four looked like strangers in the first half yesterday - but then perhaps they are?

Hardly international class is he.

Based on that performance, I think it shows that Capello can't afford to pick anything other than the strongest 11 available to him if we are going to get anywhere near the final.

To be honest (and obviously I'd love to be proved wrong) I don't see our strongest 11 getting us anywhere the Final. Yesterday's back four would be considered our strongest I think and they will have to face much better opposition than those they struggled to handle yesterday.

I'm just not convinced this group of players can get much further than the Quarters. There's too many weaknesses in the England team. The goalkeeping situation is a concern and I'd personally go with Joe Hart. He's young, but his reflexes are better than David James' and he's had a far better season than Rob Green. Glen Johnson is an awful defender. I just don't think we can have him and Ashley Cole in the side against strong teams, we'll be far too exposed. Rio Ferdinand looked very edgy yesterday and I fear he's not played enough games. Ledley King is our next best choice but there are concerns over his fitness. Midfield is the strongest area, but I'm not at all convinced by Theo Walcott. The right wing spot should go to Lennon. The left wing is open I'd say, although I think Milner, Gerrard and Joe Cole are worthy selections there. Will Barry be fit? If not, who the hell plays in the holding role? Huddlestone is tidy, but looked a bit lost in there at times yesterday and you don't get the best out of Gerrard, Milner or Lampard if they pay in that role. Barry is crucial to England's balance in the midfield. Will 4-4-2 work for us? For me, we looked far more balanced when Rooney was up on his own with Cole behind and Gerrard in the middle. Heskey did OK when he came on and I reckon Capello will pick him over Bent just because he frees up Rooney. Crouch and Defoe haven't really settled alongside Rooney, so you'd have to say 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 is more suited to us, even though it's pretty untested.

My team would be:

GK - Hart

RB - Carragher (better defender and makes us aot more soild than Johnson does)
LB - Cole
CB - Terry
CB - Ferdinand (Concerned over him, but would give him another chance)

RW - Lennon (give him some ball near the box and let him get crosses in, he put in one or two lovely crosses in the 2nd half)
LW - Cole
CM - Barry
CM - Lampard
CM - Gerrard

ST - Rooney

You could alternate with Gerrard and Cole really, but for me that's our strongest line up. The left hand side isn't really filled with an out and out player, but that's our best option. Milner could also fill the left hand side as I said before, but I genuinely think that's our strongest line up. SWP did OK on the left to be fair, but I don't think he'll make the squad.

Not overly confident we have enough quality and should we lose any key players particularly Barry, Gerrard and Rooney, then we're screwed.

Not writing off Spain,i've got some money on them

. Its the performance with England fringe players thats worrying,it looks like we will have to go through the competition hoping nobody in the first eleven (and i dont think Capello knows it yet)gets injured or picks up a suspension.

I hope im proved wrong,and will be shouting and cheering them on with the best of them.

Early reports are suggesting bent is not going to the world cup.

I feel for the lad because only drogba and rooney scored more goals this season and bent was playing in a poor team.

But he's had a few chances for england and has never really done it. He had his chance against japan but the whole team was playing poorly so it's difficult.

I think the 23 man squad should be decided on before the build up friendlies.

theo walcott's not in the team.

Deserved IMO. He hasn't done it for england for ages and his form for nal has been patchy.

Agreed, Walcott hasnt been up to the job.

Let's hope he has learned his lesson.

Agreed. And it shouldn't be dripfed out via journalists either (see BBC webpage) when it IS announced

Not a Walcott fan but I would have had him ahead of SWP, he would have been useful to bring on late in the game with his pace.

Why?

Wright phillips has a better first touch, better ability to take on defenders and a better end product.

The only walcott has over his competition is finishing, he's a better finisher.

Walcott can't take on the defence. A drop of the right shoulder doesn't cut it at the top level.

Wright Phillips over Johnson who has displaced him at club level is a shocker for mine. Glad Joe Cole is going.

My starting XI if everyone fit

Hart

Johnson
Ferdinand
Terry
Cole

Barry

Lennon
Gerrard
Lampard
Cole

Rooney


Capello will probably go 4-4-2 with Green in goal, Gerrard being ineffective on the left and Heskey upfront.

England's 23-man squad for the World Cup finals:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).

Defenders: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).

Forwards: Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

Have to say I'm a bit gutted Johnson has been left out. Really rate the lad.

Wouldn't of taken SWP, Carragher or Heskey myself. Carragher hasn't been interested until Capello has told him he is definitely in the squad, surely he won't be starting. Johnson is a better option that SWP for me and Heskey is just Heskey. Couldn't get in the Villa lineup and has pretty much the same scoring record as John Terry for England. I know he's good at holding it up and all that jazz but Crouch can do that while also scoring himself.

When you look at it, it's a very structured squad. taking away the 3 goalies he's picked his 10 outfield starters and 10 direct replacements for each player. I can understand his thinking but for once, maybe a players versatilty (Walcott) may have counted against him if that's at all possible.

As sthelens rlfc has pointed out, it's a very structured, sensible squad.

Every player has a direct replacement. All selections have experience of international level. You include players like dawson, parker, johnson and you are entering into inexperienced territory.

I think the selection is hardest on darren bent.

I think the only thing that counts against him is the fact he's utter dogmuck.

Delighted that Walcott's not been given a second undeserved WC call up. Now I don't need to look for someone else to support.