England v. Slovenia: Match Preview

England face Slovenia for the first time in their history at Wembley Stadium on Saturday in a friendly international.

The match will serve as a warm-up for Fabio Capello’s side before they take on Croatia on Wednesday night in a World Cup Qualifier, where a win would guarantee their place at the World Cup in South Africa next year.

The Three Lions have won five of the nine friendlies played under Capello and the Italian will no doubt have the players on their toes with the Croatia game only four days away.

Slovenia played their first match as an independent nation in 1992 after the split of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia the previous year.

They qualified for Euro 2000 by overturning Ukraine in a play-off, and two years later competed at their first ever World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea after defeating Romania, once more in a play-off. On both occasions they failed to make it past the initial group stage.

Slovenia currently sit third in their tightly contested World Cup Qualifying group, behind Slovakia and Northern Ireland, but ahead of Poland and Czech Republic.

They face a crucial home qualifier against Poland on Wednesday night in Maribor, a game which will go a long way to determining whether they can sustain their challenge for a play-off, or even automatic qualification place.

In terms of team news Fabio Capello faces a dilemma as to whether to select John Terry or not. The England captain did participate in training yesterday but is still believed to be struggling with a groin injury and with the more important Croatia game only four days away Capello might deem Terry’s participation in a friendly match an unnecessary risk.

If Terry does not play then Joleon Lescott is expected to come in to partner Matt Upson in central defence, with Gary Cahill now more likely to make his international debut as a substitute at some point during the match.

Steven Gerrard will captain the side in place of John Terry if the Chelsea man is ruled out. Vice-captain Rio Ferdinand is already missing from the squad with a back injury.

In goal, West Ham’s Robert Green is expected to start his fourth consecutive game for his country, but Ben Foster will most likely feature in the second half.

Jermain Defoe is pushing hard for a place in the starting line-up after scoring twice as a substitute to rescue a draw for England in Amsterdam last month. Capello may well feel Defoe deserves his chance to partner Rooney from the start, especially in a friendly.

Defoe and Rooney have started five previous games together for England, the first back in October 2004 against Azerbaijan when Rooney started in an advanced midfield role behind both Defoe and Michael Owen.

Each of the last three times have been under Fabio Capello but on each occasion Defoe has been substituted, twice at half-time.

Overall they have played in 12 games together for England, but only once for more than an hour (against USA in May 2008 under Capello). Defoe’s first goal against Holland last month is the only goal scored by either of them in any of those 12 matches.

Possible England line-up v. Slovenia

Green; Johnson, Terry/Lescott, Upson, A. Cole; Lennon, Lampard, Barry, Gerrard; Rooney, Defoe.