Sub Heskey Gives Capello Food for Thought

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Emile Heskey is undoubtedly a firm favourite of Fabio Capello's, but the striker's lack of first-team action could be a major problem for the England boss in the months ahead.
Heskey has become a regular in Capello's World Cup qualifying campaign and started the 5-1 demolition of Croatia last week, however his place in the Aston Villa side is far from assured.
The striker was an unused substitute in Villa's 1-0 win over Birmingham on Sunday and the 31-year-old has only started one game for Martin O'Neill this season - the 2-0 home reverse by Wigan on the opening day of the campaign.
O'Neill has been employing a 4-5-1 formation and Gabriel Agbonlahor has been given the nod in the last three games.
It's a situation that could well pose a problem for Capello, especially if Heskey's lack of action continues into next year.
The England chief has made it clear that reputations do not concern him, just ask Michael Owen, and that he picks his squad on form alone.
Capello said: "Owen has to play. If he doesn't it's impossible to pick him. Heskey is important for the system we play. He opens the door for others."
At the moment Heskey, along with Wayne Rooney and Jermain Defoe look nailed on for a place in Capello's 23-man England World Cup squad, with Peter Crouch and Carlton Cole likely to battle for one place - if Capello selects four strikers. However Heskey's lack of game time could well open the door for both Cole and Crouch and it is certainly a conundrum that Capello would not have envisaged.
It is a interesting scenario and Capello might be tempted to try out a different combination of strikers in the two remaining qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus.
The Italian coach is eager to make it 10 wins from 10 en route to South Africa and is unlikely to make wholesale changes in the next two games, but pairing Defoe with Rooney for example might just be on the agenda.
It's one of a handful of posers that Capello will have to deal with before next summer, but so far the former AC Milan chief has not put a foot wrong and you would certainly back him to do the right thing once again.

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