Capello's Spain & Sweden Squad

The dust settled on another crazy weekend in the Premiership and Fabio Capello finalised his squad for the two friendlies against Spain and Sweden.

Firstly lets get the Wayne Rooney issue out of the way. Until his three game suspension has been reduced or the appeal is turned down then Capello is quite right to try other options in this squad. Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck deserved their chance after the U21 tournament in the summer and Agbonlahor and Zamora have been in good club form this season while Darren Bent will always score goals provided the supply is good enough.

England need to play to their strengths and most clubs are more familiar with the 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 system and that is the one Capello has been forced to field and has proved more successful than trying to accommodate the 4-4-2.

I would go 4-5-1 against the Spanish to begin with. This allows a trio in midfield of Scott Parker and Gareth Barry/James Milner with Frank Lampard and Theo Walcott and Gabby Agbonlahor in the wide areas. For their hold up play I would start with Bent or Welbeck up front.

In defence if you are looking at current form then Kyle Walker and Phil Jones should be immediate starters and but for an injury setback many would have started Shawcross ahead of John Terry.

The nation gasps in amazement. How could we survive without John Terry. He may well be a leader for his club. But without a world class centre back alongside him Terry's lack of pace has been shown time and again for England. In Shawcross and Jones I see a potential partnership for years to come. Another loss to this Capello squad was Chris Smalling but his amazing performances can't go unrecognised for long and he just needs a run of fitness. I did think it strange that Micah Richards did not warrant a place ahead of Glen Johnson.

The only area you can pick selection holes in is in goal. For a while I have been banging on about who replaces Joe Hart? If Capello's choice is Scott Carson then I do fear the worst. It's not out of the realms of impossibility that in the tumble of the Premiership that a goalkeeper can get injured. While David Stockdale has been in good form in the Championship you wouldn't want to throw him into a major tournament and was there an argument to pick Ben Amos even just for the experience of being with the squad.

With Rooney suspended and Ashley Young and Tom Cleverley both injured and Capello omitting Richards it is still a strong first XI but overall a weak squad. This won't be the squad that starts the European Championships that much is sure. Those 4 players not in this squad should walk into the European Championships provided they are fit, eligible and playing well for their clubs.

Hopefully the final squad will be picked on form alone and the likes of Gerrard, Terry and Lampard are not taken ahead of more deserving players. That will be when we will need our manager to show some real backbone because if England are to perform it has to be now as I don't see any success in the next two World Cups. The only way forward is to leave some of the golden generation at home and send some of these bright young exceptionally talented players instead. I mean what would you rather happen? Lose with the same old boring excuses or by trying something different that may last for years to come? We have the players to revive England's floundering international record but they lack experience which they will only get by playing.

Personally I say lets cut everyone over 30, do like Wales and make Phil Jones captain and start from there. Any objections?