ENGLAND v UKRAINE:FABIO CAPELLO has been forced to turn to his fifth-choice striker, Peter Crouch, to lead the line in this evening's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine, with his players guarded against complacency as they try to extend the Italian's perfect competitive start with a fifth consecutive win.
The England head coach broke with tradition yesterday by confirming that Crouch would start alongside Wayne Rooney, who earns his 50th cap, after Darren Bent, who might have been preferred otherwise, hobbled out of the warm-up in training at London Colney after damaging a tendon in his knee.
The Tottenham striker had only joined the squad as a replacement for the injured Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole, who had suffered hamstring and groin injuries respectively in Saturday’s 4-0 friendly victory over Slovakia, before succumbing to the “virus” Capello cited as having stripped him of forward options.
Gabriel Agbonlahor has been called up and will begin on the bench with Capello, having opted against turning to Michael Owen, placing his faith in Crouch as his only alternative.
“My first idea was to have a forward who is fast and has movement,” said Capello.
“Now it’s another style with Crouch. He is not Bent, not Heskey, but we have to play with Crouch because he’s now the best we have who can play.”
The Portsmouth forward proved a prolific scorer under previous England managers but has failed to convince Capello of his prowess. This will be the 28-year-old’s first start under the current regime and he has begun up front with Rooney only twice: an ignominious goalless draw at home to Macedonia and the subsequent 2-0 defeat in Croatia in October 2006.
“This is a big opportunity for him and for us,” added Capello.
The irony is the rest of the first team will learn only this evening whether they are to play, with Rio Ferdinand following Frank Lampard’s lead by admitting no one feels certain of their place these days.
“You can’t say anyone in this team, really, is guaranteed to be in the side whereas, if you look back over the last 25 years, there have been four or five players who would be in even if they were playing poorly,” said Ferdinand.
The Manchester United centre-half has recovered from a groin complaint and should start having fretted through Saturday’s friendly fearing he may have surrendered his place.
“If you’re not fit enough, not playing games, or not on form, you won’t get in the squad. And rightly so. You don’t win what the manager’s won by having a lot of sentiment. His approach keeps the hunger in your belly, the desire and the passion,” said Ferdinand.
Victory this evening would establish a five-point lead over the Ukraine and maintain the sense of optimism currently enveloping the England set-up, though Capello still urged caution.
He stressed the outside world “are waiting for a mistake”, while Ferdinand added: “It’s a work in progress.”
Guardian Service
