fabio capello

England have booked a February international friendly against Denmark, as Fabio Capello looks for an all important warm up match before his side take on Wales at the Millennium Stadium in the Euro 2012 qualifier. It was expected that England were going to face South American side Argentina, but with the two sides being unable to work out the finer details of the date, England have decided to play Denmark instead. They will be playing at the Parken Stadium, which may be a clever tactical move by Capello, as the stadium in Copenhagen has a roof which is retractable, just like at the Millennium Stadium in Wales. There is a train of thought that it will mimic conditions in Wales. The Wales match will be England’s next competitive game, as Capello looks to secure safe passage through to Euro 2012 with an away victory, in what will be a hostile atmosphere. As so often it does, after failing to book any other opponent, history now raises its head, as back in 2005, England played a warm up match against Denmark in Copenhagen before they went to Wales to play a World Cup Qualifier. England prevailed in Cardiff on that day, after losing the friendly to the Danes.

There are still speculations of Fabio Capello’s position as manager of England, with the FA publicly announcing that Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is firmly in the running to success the Italian. Capello is contracted into the job until after Euro 2012, and while England are showing solid signs again in qualification, the real proof of the pudding won’t be until they enter tournament football again. Will Capello be there to do it? Capello has to prove that he can make amends for a woeful showing at South Africa 2010, and the FA decided to keep faith with him, after the boss vowed to look to the future with younger players. Harry Redknapp is currently 2/1 at William Hill in a position as favourite to be next England boss, while a slightly scary though of Roy Hodgson being in charge of the national side is 8/1 at Paddy Power. Martin O’Neill may be out of the running because of his nationality, but he is 11/1 at Paddy Power to follow in the footsteps of Capello. Stuart Peace, who has done a great job with the under 21s is 16/1 at Paddy Power, with big Sam Allardyce, who has just gotten the boot from Blackburn, is 16/1 at Stan James.

With all of the injury problems surrounding the status of England’s front line, with the quartet of Wayne Rooney, Bobby Zamora, Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe all missing through injury, Fabio Capello has received some good news. On the list for a call up and possible start, were Newcastle’s Andy Carroll and Aston Villa Gabriel Agbonlahor, but both were being assessed for injury after their respective weekend Barclays Premier League matches. Agbonlahor misses out on final selection for the squad, but Carroll is fit to go, and will start the international friendly match against France on Wednesday night. West Ham’s Carlton Cole, who has been struggling with injury for most of the season and has only hit one goal in eight matches for his club, gets drafted in as cover. The big surprise up front of course, has been the selection of Championship side Cardiff’s Jay Bothroyd, who is in sparkling club form, and Capello has decided to take a look at him. Andy Carroll, who is the Premier League’s top scorer so far this season with seven goals, should bring some of that old classic England centre forward style to the team, as the big lad has great aerial power, but a good touch on the ground and has the strength and muscle to unsettle defenders.

England v France Betting Odds

England to win: 13/10 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 23/10 at SkyBet
France to win: 13/5 at Totesport

The injury problems for England, combined with the meaningless nature of this fixture, which is England’s final one of 2010, have led England boss Fabio Capello to put out an experimental and young side. Sunderland’s much touted Jordan Henderson, who is supposedly going to be in a bidding war between Manchester united and Manchester City in the January transfer window, gets to make his debut in the starting eleven. Capello will also give a start to Arsenal’s left back Kieran Gibbs, who has just returned from injury. However, young Arsenal midfield star Jack Wilshere will miss his chance to run the show for ninety minutes, as he sits out through injury. Goalkeeper Joe Hart is also under watch after being injured in training, and with Chelsea’s John Terry picking up a long term injury on the weekend, England are barely scraping together a second string side, but at least it gives fans the chance to see some new blood in an England shirt. Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson, are all senior squad members who are missing through injury as well.

Anytime Goalscorer Markets

Andy Carroll: 9/4 at SkyBet
Peter Crouch: 5/2 at Unibet
Jay Bothroyd: 3/1 at Bet365
Carlton Cole: 3/1 at SkyBet

So there are going to be new faces on show, and throw in the likes of Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott and Ashley Young, and there could be an exciting flow to the game going forward for England. First caps for your country at home are big occasions, and the experience of the senior players will help a lot. The likes of Rio Ferdinand may not get the full ninety minutes in, but this exhibition match should be one which is played at pace as there is nothing to lose and everything to gain for the England rookies. Largely it will be an unfamiliar England, especially as the second half wears on and the substitutes take their places. There is a full Premier League fixture list on the weekend, and Champions League next week as well, so managers of the leading clubs aren’t going to want to see their stars get too much action. England next head into competitive action in March, when they head to Cardiff to take on Wales in the Euro 2012 qualifiers. Fabio Capello promised to turn to youth after the failings of a miserable World Cup in the summer, now he may just get the chance to go all out and throw the young lions into action against the French.

BetFred England Special

There are double and triple odds chances afoot at BetFred for the England game. Back a player as First Goalscorer with the online bookmaker and you will be in for some extra’s if they do that, and more. If any player you back scores the opening goal and then goes on to score a second, BetFred will double your first goalscorer price. If that player then goes on to hit a hat trick in the match, then BetFred will treble the first goalscorer price which you took. This is a great offer, and for what is largely anticipated to be an open game, will Andy Carroll make a big splash on his debut? Carroll is 5/1 at BetFred to score first. With the BetFred offer on the table, then it’s worth a punt!

England v France, Wednesday, November 17th – Sunderland’s Jordan Henderson could be on the brink of earning his first senior cap, as England boss Fabio Capello is leaning towards youth for the midweek England v France international friendly. Henderson has been impressing all season, and could be one of a crop of youngster who get their chance to shine at Wembley on Wednesday. The other name on the list that has gained a lot of attention, is that of Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. The striker has been enjoying a fine season as Newcastle try and secure their position in the top half of the Premier League after returning to England’s top flight this season. Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere should be in line for a start, as England may possibly field a very young side. Manchester United’s Chris Smalling also makes a surprise name on the list, and finally Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbolahor could get a proper chance after making a comeback from injury against Manchester United on the weekend, and looking good. There were hints that there would have been call ups for Matt Jarvis from Wolves and Blackburn’s Phil Jones also, but they both miss out. One surprising call up for the young England squad, is that of forward Jay Bothroyd from Cardiff. The striker is in incredible form this season, having hit 15 goals in the Championship, and with Capello leaning towards an experimental squad for this final match of 2010, Bothroyd could earn a surprise cap. While this is good recognition for a player in form, it does speak volumes about the lack of options available to Fabio Capello in England’s top flight. It is not as if Capello is blessed with a lot of choices.

England v France International Friendly Betting Odds

England to win: 15/13 at Bwin
Draw: 23/10 at SkyBet
France to win: 14/5 at William Hill

England are short on top quality strikers. Wayne Rooney is still nursing an ankle injury. Jermain Defoe and Bobby Zamora are long term absentee’s this season, and with Darren Bent missing for a few weeks as well, the main England strike force has been depleted. Who does it leave? Pretty much Peter Crouch in the squad as a senior striker with experience. So, with Capello having to dip down into England’s second tier to find quality to fill out the squad, where really does that leave the future of England’s strikers? England don’t play competitively until March when they face Wales in a Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff, so they should be at fuller strength there. While Agbonlahor, Bothroyd and Carroll make interesting propositions for England’s future, they are of course relatively untested at full international level. Newcastle’s Carroll has been knocking on the door of the England squad, after hitting seven goals in the Premier League this year, and currently being the league’s top scorer along with team mate Kevin Nolan. The likelihood is that the big striker will actually start against France in the friendly, as Agbonlahor is still working his way back to full fitness. Sunderland’s Henderson has been impressive for the Black Cats, and is part of the reason why they have taken a much better step towards consistency. A product of the Under 21 side, his name has been touted around as being a great prospect for the future in the England midfield. He could deservedly make his debut.

There is actually an exciting look about England to some degree, particularly in the midfield. While Frank Lampard is still out injured, the attacking threats from Manchester City’s Adam Johnson and James Milner, along with Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere, accompanied by Aston Villa’s Ashley Young looking quite promising and hints at a good future in that department. As for the England defence that will be on show for the England v France match, there is a little uncertainty. For a match which has no meaning, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti and Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson may be hoping that Capello leaves Ashley Cole, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand on the bench. It is quite a senior looking back line, but the surprise call up of United’s Chris Smalling, who hasn’t really made any impact at Old Trafford since his move in the summer, could hint at Capello experimenting there too. With Micah Richards, Kieran Gibbs and Joleon Lescott in the defensive corps, it could be a different looking England defence as well, perhaps even just for the second half. Capello may even take a look at Blackburn’s Jones in the back line at some point, as his rise and rise continues to unexpected levels. But up front is the area which will come under the most scrutiny of all. This is a good chance for Capello to really see what options he has beneath the established names. England need to know that they can call on depth up front when the main few fall out of form, or fall foul of injury like they have done. With nothing but pride on the line in the match against France, it makes the perfect opportunity to blood some fledglings.

England squad to play France

Goalkeepers: Ben Foster, Joe Hart, Rob Green
Defenders: Kieran Gibbs, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Phil Jagielka, Joleon Lescott, Micah Richards, Rio Ferdinand, Chris Smalling
Midfielders: Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young, Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry, Adam Johnson, James Milner, Jordan Henderson
Forwards: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Jay Bothroyd, Andy Carroll, Peter Crouch

The visitor’s Laurent Blanc’s new look France are bringing quite an experienced side to Wembley for the fixture v England. Four players based in the Premier League make the squad, with Chelsea’s Florent Malouda joining the Arsenal trio of Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri. After failing miserably as well at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, France are in rebuild mode and are sitting top of their Euro 2012 qualifying group, having won three and lost one. The defeat came in their opening match, a 1-0 defeat at home by Belarus. They have picked their form up after that though, keeping three clean sheets as Blanc starts stamping his authority and influence over the team.

England v France Statistics

There have been twenty International Friendlies between England and France
There have been seven competitive matches between England and France

Competitive Matches
England have a W3, D2, L2 record

Friendly matches
England have W13, D2, L5 record

Last 5 head to head
2008 – France 1, England 0 (Friendly)
2004 – England 1, France 2 (European Championships)
2000 – France 1, England 1 (Friendly)
1999 – England 0, France 2 (Friendly)
1997 – France 1, England 1 (Friendly international tournament)

David Beckham holds the record (jointly with Billy Wright) for the most caps for an England player versus France (5)

England vs Montenegro Euro 2012 Betting Odds and Tips

European Championship
Date: Tuesday, 12/10/2010
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Kick off 20:00 BST

England to win: 1/5 at Bwin
Draw: 5/1 at Bwin
Montenegro to win: 11/1 at Bwin

England v Montenegro Match Preview

England will take a natural advantage going into their third Euro 2012 qualification match. England v Montenegro betting will be firmly behind the home side for this one. Their opponents, Montenegro will have played a home fixture against Switzerland just a few days before, while England’s over worked stars will have had a good rest between Premier League fixtures and turning out for international duty. That, coupled with playing in front of the Wembley crowd, should ensure that England keep their strong start to their Euro 2012 qualification campaign going. England opened their account with a convincing 4-0 drubbing of Bulgaria, and then a very good 3-1 win in Switzerland. There is still some concern over whether Man Utd’s Wayne Rooney is going to be fully fit, as he was pencilled in to miss three weeks of the season after picking up an ankle injury. There has also been a question over his form and how much mental pressure and stress he is under after his personal life against hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. Rooney, who cut a disjointed figure in England’s World Cup 2010 campaign, has netted just once in his six club matches this year, and hasn’t looked like in any kind of shape to actually be picked for his country. Capello has picked Rooney though, after the decision as to whether or not Rooney will be judged fit enough to take part, was handed to England boss Fabio Capello.

England are 9/1 at Paddy Power to win Euro 2012 Outright

With Fulham striker Bobby Zamora suffering a cruel break just as he was securing a place in the squad, the other call ups are Peter Crouch, Darren Bent, while the surprise pick was Bolton’s Kevin Davies who comes from nowhere to win his first cap. With Jermain Defoe, Bobby Zamora and Villa’s Gabby Agbonlahor all down injured, and West Ham’s Carlton Cole overlooked, Capello had to look somewhere. No-one saw Davies coming though, and for a player who has only broken double figures once in the Premier League, and standing at a ripe old age of 33, it’s hard to pick out the logic. It certainly can’t be a long term choice, so has it been made out of sympathy after the player spoke at the start of the season about sadness over missing an England call up. There were calls for Newcastle’s young rough and rugged star Andy Carroll, who has 4 goals in 7 matches this year to be selected, if Capello was serious about looking to youth. Without Rooney it is still not a formidable looking pack of forwards, but England should have enough quality to take maximum points off Montenegro.

In the midfield, Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will miss the England v Montenegro match, leaving the influence of captain Steven Gerrard to drive the team forward. While England still are a long way short of being technically capable of living with the best teams in the world like your Argentina’s and Spain’s, they have to play to their own strengths. Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, who has earned another call up, certainly has some of that technical ability on the ball which is lacking, but it’s hard to see him get an extended run just yet, as he has also been named in the Under 2-1 side. England do have good options in width, and Man City’s Adam Johnson, who came on to score a cracker against a resilient Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday, is seen as a bright future, along with team mate James Milner. There are concerns that Spurs’ Aaron Lennon is not on top of his game though, and with Arsenal’s Theo Walcott out injured, England aren’t at full depth out wide. They have recalled Joe Cole who has had a troubled start at Liverpool. At the back it will be interesting to see if Capello gets Rio Ferdinand back into the line up after his return to the Man Utd side. Ferdinand has been missing for a long time, and still needs some match sharpness, so Capello will have a decision to make, over whether to put him back into a partnership with John Terry, or give Everton’s Phil Jagielka a continued run in the side.

England squad: Ben Foster, Robert Green, Joe Hart; Ashley Cole, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Rio Ferdinand, Joleon Lescott, John Terry, Stephen Warnock; Gareth Barry, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Aaron Lennon, Jack Wilshere, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Young; Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Kevin Davies,, Wayne Rooney

England have never gone up against Montenegro, who are still in the fledging part of their independent international career. Montenegro have named an unchanged squad for the two fixtures, putting faith in the players which have earned the country 1-0 wins over Wales and Bulgaria. With six points from six points and being at home, England will start the match as clear favourites on the Wembley turf. The bad memories of South Africa 2010 are slowly being pushed aside, and with another solid win, the somewhat new look England should be able to take steps forward with a younger squad. One of the nice things has been the performances of the new call ups, and no so much reliance on the older established heads in England soccer. England v Montenegro will be the last chance England fans will have to see their side in competitive action for 2010. There is just one more game after that, an international friendly against Laurent Blanc’s France in November. A win at Wembley for England v Montenegro will at least give Capello some closure on a difficult year for England on the international stage, and they will have one foot in the door for Poland and Ukraine 2012.

Online Bookmaker Bwin have been one of the first to roll out prices for the England v Montenegro match, as can be seen above. Bwin are one of the leaders in online bookmaking, and continue to deliver a fantastic service for online sports betting. England v Montenegro betting is of course, just one match in a busy few days of international European matches, as the race for Euro 2012 hots up. Bwin offer a 100% matched bonus for customers who open a new account with them, and this available up to the value of £27. Bwin really do excel with their online bookmaking services, from live streaming, fantastic stats and some of the most competitive prices around. Bwin come very highly recommended.

Switzerland v England football betting – while the media dust doesn’t seem to be settling any time soon amidst the alleged scandals surrounding Wayne Rooney, England boss Fabio Capello has to decide whether to put him in the firing line from the start in the Switzerland v England match on Tuesday night. The player himself has apparently told the England boss that he is ready to go and fully focused on the match, but all of this can’t be great for Fabio Capello as he tries to add some respectability back into English football after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Rooney was quite influential in England’s 4-0 win over Bulgaria on Friday night, even though he didn’t find the back of the net himself. It was a marked step up, playing deeper behind Jermain Defoe, from the almost anonymous appearances he put in for his country at South Africa 2010. While he remains England’s talismanic striker, how much is disciplinarian Fabio Capello willing to take. Media scandals about Rooney’s personal life is the last thing he would have wanted on his hands, after having to strip John Terry of the captaincy because of rumours over his personal life ahead of the World Cup.

England to win: 10/11 at BetFred
Draw: 5/2 at Bet365
Switzerland to win: 7/2 at Ladbrokes

England v Switzerland Anytime Goalscorer Odds
Wayne Rooney: 8/5 at Bwin
Jermain Defoe: 9/5 at Bwin
Steven Gerrard: 5/2 at Paddy Power

Will Capello act out some kind of punishment to Rooney, maybe start him from the bench in order to keep up appearances and to maintain discipline?. Certainly while some people though Rooney would remain at home to sort out his personal life, he has stayed with the squad, and Capello seems to like that. England without Rooney is a bit of an unthinkable prospect, and in all likelihood the Man Utd man will pull on his shirt for the starting eleven. This is England’s toughest match in a Euro 2012 qualification group which they are expected to win. They will need all of the craft and guile they can muster to break down a Swiss defence which doesn’t let a lot through. That is because coach Ottmar Hitzfeld likes to put out a blanket defence to moot the threat of the opposition, usually killing off games into a dull spectacle. That is the Swiss way however, and it has served them well. Their defence can expect to have to stand up to Wayne Rooney at some point, even if it is not for the full 90 minutes.

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With Fulham’s Bobby Zamora missing through injury, the other striking options which Fabio Capello has for the England v Switzerland match, is Carlton Cole, Darren Bent and hat trick hero Jermain Defoe to select from, but the coach insists that Rooney will be playing. That means England should really start with the same side which kicked off against Bulgaria, with the expectation of Spurs defender Michael Dawson who misses out through injury. There is a battle between Bolton’s Gary Cahill (Dawson’s sub on Friday), Manchester City’s Joleon Lescott or the recalled Matthew Upson to partner Everton’s Phil Jagielka in the centre of defence. England have received some good team news, in that Swiss Keeper Diego Benaglio, who impressed so much during the 2010 FIFA World Cup for his country and has attracted a lot of attention from Europe’s top clubs, won’t be between the sticks. That could have a huge bearing on the outcome of the game, and football betting on the Switzerland v England match, as he really is a top keeper. This will be Switzerland’s first outing in the Euro 2012 qualification group and that should mean England are just that little bit sharper on the night. The Swiss defence will be hard to break down in Basle, but England, especially if Rooney is in the right frame of mind and can get as much of the ball as he did against Bulgaria, should drive on to a win.

Football betting may just be wary of the possibility of a draw in this one, and the Swiss are a tough, organised and well balanced side. One football betting option worth looking at, may be an Asian Handicap result which gives some kind of coverage on a draw. Switzerland give teams a hard time, and England may not be able to create too many clear cut chances on the night, but they should be able to at least win by a margin of one goal and that is where the betting tip will rest. Check out our Asian Handicap Betting guide for more information on the benefits of football betting with it.
England -1 Asian Handicap: 67/40 at Bet365

England v Switzerland Form:
England: DDWLWW
Switzerland: DWLDWD

Euro 2012 Outright Odds: England 12/1 at SportingBet

Football betting on England suddenly looks a little more secure. After an impressive opening salvo of the Euro 2012 campaign, which saw England run out 4-0 winners over Bulgaria, Fabio Capello takes his side to Switzerland on Wednesday, hoping to secure maximum points from the first two matches. At Wembley on Friday night, England showed a lot of renewed vim and vigour as they shook off the disappointments of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe was the hero of the ninety minutes as he struck home an international hat trick, comfortably securing the home side’s victory. The crowds didn’t turn out in full force at Wembley, and Wayne Rooney in particular seemed to take the brunt of frustration from the home crowd, but on a whole, there was a new look and a new feel about the England side, which were missing several of their experienced players. To be honest, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard really weren’t missed as the new look England stroked the ball around with relative comfort and showed a lot of ambition in going forward. This was the perfect answer, the ideal tonic to the miserable directionless show that went on in South Africa.

England v Switzerland Betting Odds

England to win: 10/11 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at BetFred
Switzerland to win: 10/3 at Stan James

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With Terry and Ferdinand missing from the centre of defence, England boss Fabio Capello went with the centre half pairing of Michael Dawson and Phil Jagielka. The duo looked quick and mobile against the somewhat limited Bulgarian attack, but bad news came as Tottenham’s Dawson was stretchered off injured in the second half. Capello threw on Bolton defender Gary Cahill as a replacement, deciding to overlook the recalled Matthew Upson. Away from home against Switzerland, Capello though may rely upon the extra experience from the West Ham defender Upson, which could add a little extra security to your thoughts of football betting on Switzerland v England. With Ferdinand and Terry still missing, Capello hasn’t called up any replacement player. There was also an initial worry over Defoe who limped from the pitch after netting his hat trick goal. The signals are betting for him though, as he is expected to be fully fit again for Wednesday’s important match. The other England Goalscorer on the night was Manchester City’s Adam Johnson who was making his international debut. He weighed in with the all important third goal which put the game out of sight for the visitors. After coming on for Theo Walcott, Johnson looked lively and was another positive to be taken from the game, along with goalkeeper Joe Hart who finally added a bit of stability between the posts for England. He wasn’t threatened too much, but when he was called into action then he was there without any scares or jittery moments. After failing miserably at the World Cup, seemingly cracking under the pressure that was put upon him, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney had a good, lively game and was full of invention when dropping deep.

Switzerland v England Anytime Goalscorer Odds

Wayne Rooney: 11/10 at Boylesports
Jermain Defoe: 11/8 at Boylesports
Darren Bent: 6/4 at William Hill
Carlton Cole: 6/4 at William Hill
Steven Gerrard: 11/5 at Boylesports

So Capello looks to have delivered exactly what the England fans wanted to see. A new kit, a new approach to the game and a new England perhaps? The jury will still be out on that for a while, and the trip to Switzerland next week will prove to be a big test for them. The Swiss will be a lot tougher to break down that Bulgaria were, as they showed at the World Cup when they beat tournament favourites Spain in the group stage. The match in Basel will probably take on much of a different atmosphere, with England maybe having to be just a little more patient on the ball, but at least the post World Cup blues at first glance look to have been remedied. Of course one win doesn’t mean a complete clean slate for Capello, and now he needs to produce quality performances away from home, just like England did in the World Cup qualifiers. England, in a group with Switzerland, Wales, Montenegro and Bulgaria, will be expected to top it without suffering a defeat. England are 2/7 at SkyBet to win Group G. The away fixture in Switzerland looks to be the trickiest test though, as Switzerland are a defence first side, banking on grabbing vital goals on the break. England will have a lot of possession, and now will come the test of whether or not they can do anything with it. But, with Steven Gerrard playing in his best position, and youth on the flanks providing some inspiration and speed, the signs are once again hopeful for England’s future.

England v Switzerland Football Betting Stats

• The two sides have met 20 times but thirteen of those encounters have been friendly matches.
• There have been thirteen wins for England and just three for Switzerland in total.
• Four of the matches have ended in draws.
• England have score 47 and conceded just 16 against Switzerland in their encounters.
• The last time they met was in London 2008 friendly when England won 2-1.
• The two sides have met just twice in Euro qualifiers, with England winning one and drawing one in 1972.
• In Euro 2004, England beat Switzerland 3-0 in the group stage.

Now the big football betting question over this one, is how much England’s optimism will influence the match from a betting perspective? Frankly on paper, England have the quality to win this one, and you would expect them too. The trouble with Switzerland though, is that they are a very stubborn team. They don’t score a lot and they don’t concede a lot, and therefore the prospect of a draw is pretty good for Wednesday’s encounter. In two games since the World Cup (where they only scored 1 goal and conceded 1 goal), Switzerland have beaten Austria 1-0 and then drew 0-0 with Australia. The Swiss aren’t going to come out and enjoy a goal fest in front of their home fans, and a 1-0 win over England would be a huge thing for them. However, you have to look at the confidence England will have taken from their opening fixture, that, coupled with Switzerland not playing a competitive match on Friday, should firmly give England the edge. It may be tight, and it may simply turn out to be a war of attrition that England should eventually win. Maximum points are all that matter at the end of the day to England and Capello.

England v France
Wednesday, November 17th
Wembley

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England have confirmed that they will be taking on France in an international Friendly in November, which will constitute as their final match of 2010. For a year which will be remembered for nothing more than a miserable World Cup campaign, the time has come for England to rebuild under coach Fabio Capello, and there were positive signs that he was ready to put some trust in youngsters during a 2-1 International Friendly victory over Hungary recently. Wednesday, November 17th will see the two teams go head to head at Wembley, with England having a good head to head record against the French. England have won 16, drawn four and lost seven. There are three far more important games preceding that one for the new look England. England’s Euro 2012 campaign kicks off on September 3rd against Bulgaria. That match is at Wembley, and will be the first competitive match for Capello since crashing out of the World Cup to Germany. England then face a tricky away match against Switzerland on September 7th, before their last Euro 2012 qualifier of 2010 coming against Montenegro on October 12th. So now that the fuss and furore of the 2010 World Cup has died down, there are a busy couple of months ahead for Fabio Capello and England. They have a comfortable draw in their European qualification group, and there can be no room for error.

England are 12/1 at SportingBet to win Euro 2012

France, who suffered an even worse 2010 FIFA World Cup than England, failing to make it out of the group stage against South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay, are a team in transition themselves. Former coach Raymond Domenech, who was never popular with the French fans, has departed to make way for Laurent Blanc, who enjoyed a successful domestic season with Bordeaux. As well as not managing to qualifying for the second round of the World Cup, the squad became fractured when Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka apparently had words to say to the coach during one of the matches. Because of his supposed ill-discipline in speaking out about how poor France were doing, he was sent home from the World Cup in a cloud of disgrace. That wasn’t the end of it though, as his dismissal sparked a revolution by the rest of the squad, which resulted in them boycotting the next training session. Subsequently, Anelka has been banned for 18 matches by the French Football Federation. Similarly, Patrice Evra and Franck Ribery have also received lesser bans for apparently not fulfilling their roles as captain and vice-captain respectively. So France will be missing these banned players for the start of the Euro 2012 campaign.

France are 12/1 at SportingBet to win Euro 2012

Capello to impress with new look England

England v Hungary is more than just a football betting opportunity. It is more than just any international friendly, even though the FA slashed ticket prices for it. As it did at Sunday’s Charity Shield, Wembley may very well again ring to the sound of echoing boos on Wednesday night, as some of England’s failed stars take to the field for the first time since crashing so pathetically out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Fabio Capello promised changes to the squad and that is what he has delivered, but some of the call ups have dropped out to announcing international retirement. Top of the list was former number one goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who was hastily followed by Manchester United’s Wes Brown. Both players were left out of the World Cup squad, and whether it is injured pride or not, both have snubbed their country to concentrate on their club careers at Blackburn and Man Utd respectively. This will open the doors of opportunity to some more young players one would think, as Capello has already drafted in some inexperienced English talent. It should feel like a new beginning for England, with the next target being the 2012 European Championships. The English FA have stuck with, or have been stuck with, Fabio Capello, and now that he is staying, it at least adds a consistent base to work from. Goalkeeper Joe Hart should get a start now, with Ben Foster pulling out of the squad because of injury. With Watford’s Scott Loach and Blackburn’s Frankie Fielding in line for replacements, the issue of finding a world class goalkeeper is still an area of concern.

England v Hungary Odds

England to win: 1/3 at Bet365
Draw: 4/1 at Bwin
Hungary to win: 12/1 at Victor Chandler

Capello, ahead of the England v Hungary International Fixture, has said the disappointment in South Africa has made him a better coach. People can learn from harsh mistakes and failures, and this is the camp into which the England manager must fall. Capello has targeted the mentality of the English players too, not letting them off the hook, after being so flat footed and minded at the World Cup. England lacked any kind of spark or energy at the tournament, and one of Capello’s most important jobs as he rebuilds ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifiers, is to breathe a fresh wind through the minds of the players. Disappointments have to be left behind in South Africa, and the new look England must be given a chance by the England fans to impress, and the players and coach must deliver. For a long time, an international friendly involving England has never looked so interesting to be honest. The England which needs to show up at the England v Hungary fixture, is the energetic, confident and positive one which dominated the qualification group in reaching South Africa 2010. The personnel may be different, but a sense of fun and passion needs to be shown both physically and mentally, as England were way behind most of the other teams in the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament.

So will fresh faces and young fresh legs begin to take England in the right direction? There isn’t much time between now and September’s first Euro 2010 qualification matches, so Capello needs to use this international friendly against Hungary very wisely. He has to learn from mistakes made where he appeared to rigid and stubborn to change to a modern formation, or use players like Steven Gerrard in their strongest positions. With some irony, after being criticized for having a foreign side, Arsenal have become key in the future of England, with Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Theo Walcott all young enough to take England forward in a positive, youthful manner. With Rio Ferdinand still missing through injury, Everton’s Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill from Bolton, will vie with Tottenham’s Michael Dawson to pair up alongside Chelsea’s John Terry. Up front, with Emile Heskey retiring from International duty, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe have lost their squad places too, as Capello looks to Darren Bent, Carlton Cole and Bobby Zamora to solve the problem of lack of goals up front. Aston Villa’s youngster Gabriel Agbonlahor is a little bit of a surprise omission up front. Manchester City winger Adam Johnson, who impressed Capello with his domestic season last year, also gets a call up, as Shaun Wright Phillips and Aaron Lennon are both passed over. Liverpool’s new signing Joe Cole too, surprisingly misses out on a squad place.
 
The England which turns out against Hungary on Wednesday night, has to be a different one from the one which got drubbed 4-1 by Germany in the second round of the World Cup. England do still have a world class backbone running through the team, from Wayne Rooney up front, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrrard in the middle, and Chelsea team mates John Terry and Ashley Cole at the back. It is who Capello surrounds them with is the big question. Rejuvenation for England is the word and it has to start on Wednesday with a convincing display against Hungary. What do England fans want to see? They want to see a team comfortable in possession, a team which is hungry to get forward, a team which is adventurous and quick in getting forward, and a team which can win games and renew hopes for the future. Things do not always change overnight, but Capello can ill afford to bide his time any more. Even though Premier League bosses have cited the timing of this fixture as a little bit inconvenient, there is a much bigger picture to consider. The starting eleven should be a fair representation of the side which will start the Euro 2012 qualifiers. A solid win would start to heal over the World Cup wounds.
Expect a spirited first half, and a good win for England.

England squad to face Hungary:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Scott Loach (Watford), Frankie Fielding (Blackburn)

Defenders: Gary Cahill (Bolton), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), John Terry (Chelsea)

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Aston Villa), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)

Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Bobby Zamora (Fulham

England v Hungary Betting Odds

England to win: 6/17 at Bwin
Draw: 13/4 at Bwin
Hungary to win: 17/2 at Bwin
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The answers as to what Fabio Capello will do with the direction of the England squad may be answered when the England v Hungary international friendly kicks off on August 11th. This will be the first time that England will have taken to the field since their woeful exit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup where they were handed a drubbing by Germany. The FA got in a pre-emptive strike, expecting something of a backlash by disappointed England fans, as they slashed the cost of tickets to get into the match. Manchester City’s Gareth Barry has publicly said that he is worried about England’s failed stars getting booed on the opening day of the season, and after keeping his job, coach Fabio Capello has to decide how to shake up the squad. There has to be a fine balance now between entrusting the abilities of future stars, while still having the big match experience to safely negotiate their way through the qualification matches for Euro 2012. England have Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales and Montenegro in their 2012 qualification group, so it is not the most difficult of groups, but after the failure at South Africa 2010, there is the feeling that the time to start rebuilding is now.

There have been debates that there is not enough good youth in the England set up to come through and step up to the senior squad, and fingers have been pointed at the lack of trained coaches at the grass roots level, and the manner of the training that future England hopefuls have been getting. There has been criticism leveled at the style of the English game where young players play too much eleven a side football at an early age, and that creative talent gets trained out of them in order to cope with the physical nature of the English game. Others have pointed to the fact that there are too many foreign players in the top flight of English football, and that the most promising youngsters for England simply are not being given the chances to perform. England’s Under 19 side reached only the quarter finals of the UEFA Championships, with some of the players there coming under the spotlight for not being given a chance to have a go in the Premier League, with teams deciding to dip into the transfer market instead to fill gaps in squads.

England could learn a lot from Germany, and the large investment which they put into their youth development, and they relied on their youth to deliver, which they did to a large degree. A lot of England’s current starting eleven are likely to be around for the next World Cup in Brazil 2014, and so will Capello be brave enough to weed out the so called “Golden Generation” and put some trust in building the experience of the younger players? A lot of England fans would like to see that, as it may ease some fears over the future of the national side. While some people are worried about not enough good young players, the other side of the coin is that there is a good future, they just need to be given the chance and given the right training in things such as possession, patience and creativity.

So who may stay and who may go? Let’s analyse the England squad that Capello took to the World Cup, and see who may be around for the Euro 2012 qualifiers, which start in September for England, and who may show up for the England v Hungary match. Here are some predictions for the England squad.

Goalkeepers: David James (Out), Rob Green (In), Joe Hart (In).
This is still a problem area for England, as David James (who has just signed for Bristol City) will be out of the picture, and Joe Hart is concerned that he won’t get enough first team games. After committing the howler which led to the USA’s equalizer in their group match, his future as a number one international goalkeeper is surely still in doubt.

Defenders: Ashley Cole (In), John Terry (In), Glen Johnson (In), Ledley King (Out), Jamie Carragher (Out), Michael Dawson (In), Rio Ferdinand (In), Stephen Warnock (Out), Matthew Upson (Out)
Ashley Cole is arguably still the best left back in the country and will stay, but certainly going will be Ledley King and Jamie Carragher. Rio Ferdinand and John Terry’s long term international futures must be in doubt due to injury and poor form, and with Matthew Upson already hitting his thirties, Capello really may need to shake things up in defence.

Midfielders: Joe Cole (In), Michael Carrick (Out), Gareth Barry (In), Frank Lampard (In), Aaron Lennon (In), Shaun Wright Phillips (Out), Steven Gerrard (In), James Milner (In)
Capello needs to start grooming replacements for Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, not that Lampard has ever shown great form in tournaments, and Gerrard has pretty much always been used out of position. Michael Carrick over the last year has probably played his way out of an international future along with Shaun Wright Phillips. Fortunately there is still time for Aaron Lennon to improve, but with Capello leaving out Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott, there should be good competition still for the wide players. Perhaps a direction will be to keep the likes of Lampard in the squad, but start with some fresh blood, putting players in their best position.

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (In), Peter Crouch (In), Jermain Defoe (In), Emile Heskey (Out)
Rooney of course should stay around, but it may be in Capello’s interest to find a system which suits him best. England fans will probably be cheering at the news that Emile Heskey has retired, but who else will there be to draft in?

So, suddenly a humble international friendly England v Hungary fixture becomes very important for English football. England actually suffered their biggest ever defeat against Hungary back in 1954, when they lost 7-1. Pretty much nothing less than a convincing win against a side which failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup will satiate the fans who actually turn up at Wembley ,and who watch on the TV. This of course means that there is some good betting opportunities as a potentially new look England take to the pitch for the first time since South Africa.

Oh dear! Somebody really ought to take that shovel off poor old Fabio Capello before he digs himself a hole that the FA are unable to pull him out of! In Italy, the more controversial the character, the more people appear to love them. Let’s face it, that’s how Silvio Belusconi came to be prime minister. But the culture in England is a little different, as are the press, and they rarely miss an opportunity to drag a man down nor kick him once he’s on the floor so if Capello thought he’d got away with England‘s abject World Cup performances, think again! The much-maligned Capello Index, which Fabio presumed had been swept under carpet , reappeared this week to stamp another boot onto the Italian’s increasingly tenuous grip on the England manager‘s job. The index gives a score out of a hundred to all the players attending the World Cup, naming a team of the tournament, etc but, more importantly, it was publicised with the belief that Capello would be revealing how he rated all of those playing under him in South Africa. Now if Fabio’s son Pierfilippo, who acts as his agent, is to be believed, Capello senior has already disassociated himself from the ppotential money-making project and certainly didn’t authorise its publication. However, the family have still been forced to issue an apology having assured the FA that England’s players would not be named and shamed and the new controversy has re-ignited the betting to succeed Capello when one side or the other decides enough is enough. Harry Redknapp, who has already declared an interest, remains Skybet‘s 5/2 favourite, while England U21 manager Stuart Pearce is 4/1 with Skybet and Victor Chandler. The latter have introduced former incumbents Terry Venables and Steve McClaren at 20/1 and William Hill have included Glenn Hoddle at 25/1 to climb back into the hot seat but I don’t think even the FA could be sweet-talked into such a drastic course of action. Talking of England, Victor Chandler have a market on who will be in goal for their opening Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria with young gun Joe Hart 11/8 to get the nod over old-timer David James (10/3) and the hapless Robert Green (9/2). Green fared particularly poorly in the Capello Index so I’d probably be wanting twice those odds if that is a reflection of how he’s rated by his manager!