WORLD CUP 2010 qualifying: England v Kazakhstan- Wembley 5.15pm: FABIO CAPELLO has called on his England side to spark a "new era" at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium against Kazakhstan today as he addresses the problem of getting the best out of Steven Gerrard on the international stage.
The Italian will send his side out for the first time in a competitive fixture at England's redeveloped national stadium with an appeal to home supporters to rally behind the team having seen discontent flare up during his three friendly fixtures at the arena. None of those matches was lost, yet England were hardly scintillating and their stuttering display against the Czech Republic in August prompted grumbling discontent, with Frank Lampard booed when substituted in the second half.
"After winning in Croatia last month we are a more confident and compact team and I hope now to start a new era for the home games at Wembley," said Capello.
"I am sure it will prove that way. I remember the atmosphere at the old Wembley when the crowd helped the team. When we have played here, there have been problems if things have not started well. This is a very important game and I hope the fans don't boo us after 20 minutes if we haven't scored by then. That is very important. Don't boo. They have to have patience. It's very, very important for the players to be able to play, so we have to ask the supporters to help us.
"But I think the games in Andorra and Croatia helped us change a lot of things in the minds of the fans. We will find out now. After we lost out in qualification for the European Championship the team was playing with fear. That is the worst thing you can have. That is why I said it was better for us to be playing away from home ahead of the last two qualifiers. There's a big expectation now but we have to play better than we have done here before and with confidence. I expect us to do that against Kazakhstan."
There will be an emphasis on attack to Capello's selection against opponents ranked 131st in the world, yet it remains to be seen just how he confronts the long-standing issue of the midfield partnership of Gerrard and Lampard.
Gareth Barry is expected to anchor the centre and, with Lampard in fine form at club level, Capello said he would play Gerrard in what he considers to be his "best position". Yet, with the Liverpool captain pining for a central berth alongside a defensive midfielder, the head coach fell short of confirming that their assessments of his best starting position were the same.
Gerrard has played five times for the Italian, though only twice as a conventional central midfielder and, more often, tucked inside from one of the flanks. That prompted him to admit last month that: "I've played in my favourite position for England five times in 68 games. What can you do?"
He may require less discipline than normal today, given that Kazakhstan are expected to sit deep braced to defend, though some evidence of an understanding with Lampard - with whom he has featured 20 times for England in the middle but rarely clicked - will be required as an indicator of further progress.
"Steven Gerrard is a fantastic player and the position he plays against Kazakhstan will be a very important position on the field," said Capello. "It is the position I see him in, long-term. He is a player who can play in two or three positions but I think I know the best position for Gerrard. You will see it. He has always played as a midfielder for me [as opposed to a winger], and I've always played him where I think is best for him.
"He has to play like he does when he is with Liverpool. Certainly, if Gerrard tucks in then Ashley Cole is good going down the left flank and is playing very well at the moment, like a left-winger. I hope I can make the Lampard-Gerrard partnership work. I've seen it happen [when players do not click] before - at Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid - but always with forwards, not midfielders. Fantastic players like them have to be able to play together, and I don't know why they haven't worked before. But the past is not my problem. I think only about the future."
Emile Heskey is expected to partner Wayne Rooney, who has shaved his head - "It surprised me," said Capello - in attack and Rio Ferdinand will take the armband in the absence of the injured John Terry, who is still hopeful of playing a part in next week's trip to Belarus. "In the past we've played very well during practice but not during games," added Capello. "But after Croatia the mood is upbeat. We've trained really well this week - better and with more confidence. I hope we will now see that taken on to the Wembley pitch."
Guardian Service
