England v Brazil in Qatar – Capello Fights Injury Woes Ahead of Friendly

Brazil v England
Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar
Saturday, November 14
Kick-off: 5pm GMT

England head into their friendly against Brazil on Saturday, with an unfamiliar looking line-up. Because of all the injuries that have besieged the England camp ahead of the game, it will not be the game which Fabio Capello quite wanted. Capello wanted his best to face up against the best, but now with the treatment room full, there is going to be a very different England taking the field on Saturday evening. All throughout the team as England continue building for the World Cup 2010, there are absentees, with Capello struggling to find cover particularly at full-back.

Best Match Prices for Brazil v England
Brazil to win: 11/10 at Totesport
Draw: 5/2 at SkyBet
England: 14/5 at Blue Square

Let’s take a look at the England starting team that isn’t:

Goalkeeper:
David James: May not have started, but who knows. He’s been struggling to keep fitness up to make it through a game.

Defence:
Glen Johnson: Found himself as starting full back, but picked up a knock in Liverpool’s last Premier League fixture.
Rio Ferdinand: has only pulled on his boots a couple of times this season and there is no apparent improvement in his condition yet
John Terry: Will he or won’t he? The turf fouled captain Terry in training on Friday, as the Chelsea skipper was running by himself and twisted his ankle. May not be risked for the friendly.
Ashley Cole: played through the pain barrier to help Chelsea beat Manchester United last weekend. Out for at least a couple of weeks now though.

Midfield:
Aaron Lennon: Tottenham’s winger picked up an injury over a week ago, and has not travelled with the team.
Steven Gerrard: We all know of Gerrard and Liverpool’s woes at club level. The big man wasn’t selected for the squad, and won’t be until he is fully healed.
Frank Lampard: Out for three weeks now with a torn muscle in his thigh. He crocked himself during England training, and if Terry joins him, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is not going to be best pleased.
David Beckham: Hurt his back guiding LA Galaxy to the MLS Conference finals, but is still on duty for his club at the important juncture of their season.

Forwards:
Emile Heskey: Out of the squad because of injury.
Theo Walcott: Again, perhaps not a starter, but someone England hope will be fit for the World Cup.

Subs:
Joe Cole: Still playing his way back to full fitness for his club Chelsea.
Carlton Cole: Three Cole’s out of the match, as West Ham’s striker is injury. He is also being head-hunted by Manchester United apparently, for January’s transfer window.

If John Terry is not risked, then Gareth Barry and Wayne Rooney will be the only regular starters making the first eleven on Saturday. Rooney will be named as captain if the Chelsea man doesn’t make it. On the positive side of all the injuries, it will allow Capello to look at some youngsters, as injuries are bound to happen ahead of, and during World Cup 2010, and he will need to know that fringe players can step up to the plate. Sunderland’s Darren Bent is really knocking on the door of getting himself a starting place on Saturday, with his fine goal scoring form for his club. This is an ideal chance for him to stake a claim for himself, along with the likes of Wes Brown, James Milner, Stephen Warnock and Ashley Young.

With all of the injuries, the Qatari hosts probably won’t be very pleased that England’s B team will be taking the field. There has also been some furore that England were refused permission to land on a special runway at the airport, and England retaliated by saying they would withdraw from the game if they weren’t allowed to. It will not be the big superstar spectacle at the Khalifa Stadium, as the organisers would have hoped. The likes of Gerrard, Lampard and especially David Beckham would have drawn a lot of ticket sales. All of these injuries will have affected betting odds for an England win too, especially as Brazil are almost at full strength. Manchester City’s Robinho is with the squad, but City boss Mark Hughes insisted that the forward, who is only just returning from injury, does not partake. Ronaldinho is not playing in the match either, with gives Porto striker Hulk a first call up to the senior squad. They still have Kaka and Luis Fabiano though to cause more than enough damage to an inexperienced England squad. Maybe the injury list will help Capello narrow down his squad better by having a good look at players. This is the penultimate friendly before naming his World Cup squad.

Selection of Betting Coverage:
England Draw No Bet -13/8 at Bet365
Away Team (England) To Score=No – 24/13 at Expekt
Brazil to win by 2 goal margin – 6/1 at SkyBet
Correct score 1-1 draw – 6/1 at Bet365