England Squad Preview: Final World Cup Qualifiers

Fabio Capello names his squad this weekend, as England prepare to round off a successful World Cup Qualifying campaign in their final two fixtures.

The Three Lions will first travel to Dnipropetrovsk to take on Ukraine next Saturday before finishing their campaign at Wembley against Belarus on the following Wednesday.

The Italian has so far led England to eight wins out of eight in the group and will seek to maintain the one hundred per cent record as the fight for places on the plane to South Africa heats up.

Portsmouth goalkeeper David James will be hopeful of a recall having missed out on the past three squads through injury.

James has played in all of Portsmouth’s games since missing out on last month’s games against Slovenia and Croatia. He looks set to return to the squad in place of Blackburn’s Paul Robinson.

In James' absence Rob Green has done little wrong, starting the last five games for England. He will be anxious to see whether Capello re-installs James as first-choice or whether he keeps faith with the West Ham stopper.

Ben Foster should retain his place in the squad despite his recent errors for Manchester United.

Rio Ferdinand, who has also returned from injury will be recalled, as he looks to improve on his recent international record. This has seen him play in only two of England’s past nine games.

Matt Upson has deputised for Ferdinand in most of these games but the West Ham centre-back is doubtful after limping out of his team’s defeat to Liverpool. He lasted 25 minutes in that game and then missed the loss to Manchester City on Monday night.

Capello will most likely wait and see whether Upson features this weekend before naming him in his squad. If he fails to make it, Bolton’s Gary Cahill is favourite to receive the call-up, having been watched by Capello during Bolton’s win at Birmingham last weekend.

Cahill was a late call-up to the squad as an injury replacement for two of the past three squads and looks set for his first selection proper if Upson is indeed ruled out.

Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge will be the chosen at left-back but it remains to be seen who Capello will select as back-up to Glen Johnson on the right-hand side.

Wes Brown was chosen last month but since then has only featured in Manchester United’s Carling Cup game. He does, however, remain the favourite to be named especially given that Micah Richards was dropped for Manchester City’s last two games after his performance in the Manchester derby.

In midfield Theo Walcott is set to return for Arsenal against Blackburn this weekend and will be pushing for a recall to the squad. Competition for wide roles is fierce with Lennon, Beckham, Milner, Wright-Phillips and Ashley Young all named last time out, even though Steven Gerrard currently occupies the position on the left.

If Walcott is recalled then one of the above will make way, with Ashley Young’s place most under threat.

Joe Cole has finally returned from a long lay-off and will provide further competition for future squads but not for this one as he seeks to rebuild his fitness.

Michael Carrick might find his place in doubt as he has struggled to nail down a regular place in the Manchester United midfield this season. He did however score the winner in front of the watching Capello on Wednesday night.

It should be enough to keep his place in the squad, given that there is not exactly an abundance of competition in this area of the team.

Up front Jermain Defoe has been ruled out of Spurs’ trip to the Reebok Stadium on Saturday but his hand injury shouldn’t keep him out of the international picture.

Capello is expected to keep faith in Emile Heskey who has found himself marginalised at Aston Villa, being limited to substitute appearances in the last two league games.

Carlton Cole will push Heskey hard for a starting role with Peter Crouch looking to hang onto his place in the squad. Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor are pushing hard for call-ups after both scored in each of their past three league games since the last international break.