Fabio Capello Recalls Agbonlahor and James for Final World Cup Qualifiers

(Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images)

Fabio Capello handed recalls to David James and Gabriel Agbonlahor as he named a 24-man squad for England’s upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus.

James comes back into the squad after missing the past five matches through injury in place of Ben Foster. The Manchester United keeper, who was at fault for Sunderland’s second goal on Saturday, has been left out due to injury, although none was apparent during the weekend’s game and the exact details have yet to be confirmed.

Gabriel Agbonlahor profits from Jermain Defoe’s hand injury which has ruled out the Tottenham striker and will look to win his first cap since February.

Theo Walcott was not selected, despite scoring on this comeback against Blackburn yesterday, and Ashley Young finds himself dropped from the squad having now been overtaken in the pecking order by club teammate James Milner.

Rio Ferdinand also returns to the squad despite only being on the bench in Manchester United’s draw with Sunderland at the weekend. His injuries have meant he has played in only two of England’s past nine games.

Capello, who was present at Old Trafford on Saturday night would have seen Darren Bent open the scoring with his seventh goal in eight games but found no room in his squad for the in-form forward.

Bent famously missed out on the 2006 World Cup despite finishing the season as the highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League and has only made one substitute appearance under Capello to date, as his chances of going to South Africa appear to be linked more with injuries to those ahead of him rather than how many goals he scores.

Wes Brown is again picked as back-up at right-back to Glen Johnson, despite not featuring in any of Manchester United’s league games since August.

By the same token, Emile Heskey is also retained despite only featuring twice as a substitute in Aston Villa’s last three games.

David Beckham is also kept in squad, despite still playing in MLS, although rumours abound that he is edging closer to agreeing a deal to return to AC Milan come January—a move that Capello insists on the player making, should he want to be considered for the final World Cup squad.

24-man England squad to face Ukraine and Belarus

Goalkeepers:  Rob Green (West Ham United), David James (Portsmouth), Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers)

Defenders:  Wayne Bridge (Manchester City), Wes Brown (Manchester United), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), John Terry (Chelsea), Matt Upson (West Ham United)

Midfielders:  Gareth Barry (Manchester City), David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)

Forwards:  Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

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