international friendly

Denmark v England Betting, Wednesday, February 9th: England take to the field in Copenhagen on Wednesday, as they face Denmark in an international friendly. The Denmark v England fixture came about after England failed to secure other opponents, but this will be a good game for the national side to have a work out ahead of some upcoming Euro 2012 qualification matches. England boss Fabio Capello has lost the services of captain Steven Gerrard, who picked up an injury in Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge over Chelsea on Sunday. Almost immediately, Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish withdrew Gerrard from international duties this week. With Rio Ferdinand also missing out through injury, it’ll be interesting to see who Capello hands the captain’s arm band to. It won’t be going back to Chelsea’s John Terry who was stripped of it before. Most likely it will go to either his team mate Frank Lampard, or Wayne Rooney if he is in the starting eleven. Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney has two career international goals against Denmark. One big surprise in the England squad to face  Denmark, is the call up of Kyle Walker, the young Tottenham defender who has been out on loan at Aston Villa and QPE this season. England have a few players out and some who are doubtful for the back line, including Everton’s Phil Jagielka and Manchester City’s Micah Richards. England’s first choice right back looks to be Liverpool’s Glen Johnson, whose performances this season will have sent the England management looking for better alternatives.

With Rio Ferdinand absent again, Tottenham’s Michael Dawson will most likely be John Terry’s centre half partner, with back ups coming from Gary Cahill and Joleon Lescott. Up front, there has been a surprise call for Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor, who has missed most of the season through injury, however, he has withdrawn due to personal reason. However, his new striker partner Darren Bent is quite likely to put in an appearance during the game. Peter Crouch was back in the England set up, but was sent home after a fitness test, but the return of Jermain Defoe will probably renew his partnership with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney. After the withdrawals, Capello has called up West Ham’s Carlton Cole, and with keeper Robert Green after Ben Foster pulled out as well. England have had problems up front in the last few matches because of injury, and really on Darren Bent is on any kind of form. Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale has been called up for his senior squad debut, as he plays number three behind Joe Hart and Robert Green. So, what can England expect from Denmark? Well, the last time they went to the Parken Stadium, England got thumped 4-1 back in 2005, with Wayne Rooney finding the back of the net for the visitors. The very next match they played after that, was in Cardiff against Wales. England’s next game here? In Cardiff against Wales in the Euro 2012 qualifiers.

England have actually lost on their last two matches against Denmark, suffering a 3-2 defeat against the Danes in 2003. So this could be a tough test against the Danes, who traditionally are a defence first outfit, and should be a good test of England’s creativity. England are currently ranked 6th in the FIFA World Rankings, while Denmark, managed by Morten Olson, are down in 27th. While there is no importance on the match in terms of result, with it being an international friendly and everything, there are places up for grabs in the team. After making a solid start to their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, Fabio Capello will be looking for a solid performance, and at least some initiative taken by the visitors. If England play with width and pace, then they will likely beat the Danes. However, England have lacked something of a cutting edge, and it could simply be a game of patience and taking that one chance which comes their way. England have met Denmark 17 times since 1948 and England have won ten of those encounters, drawn four and lost two. In the goal scoring department, England have hit 33 goals against Denmark, and have conceded 18, so they have a pretty good record (apart from the last two matches).

In international friendly matches, they have faced off against each other 9 times, with England winning five, drawing two and losing two. In those nine international friendly matches, England have scored 14 goals and conceded nine. The last England triumph came back in 2002 when England ran out comfortable 3-0 winners (in the World Cup Finals). A bit of Trivia for you. Which two England players hold the record for the most caps against Denmark? Well, that will be Peter Shilton and Terry Butcher. The current active player with the most caps is Chelsea’s Ashley Cole with three.

Goalkeepers: Ben Foster, Joe Hart, David Stockdale
Defenders: Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, John Terry, Kyle Walker
Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young
Forwards: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney

Denmark to win: 11/5 at Bet365
Draw: 40/17 at Bwin
England to win: 23/17 at Unibet

Check out popular online bookmaker Unibet for live streaming of a selection of this week’s international friendly matches, including the big clash in Paris of France v Brazil. There are some interesting games this week, and you can catch some of the live action with Unibet, who provide a wonderful live streaming and live in play betting service. Unibet are one of most highly ranked online bookmakers, and their website is extremely user friendly, with great features. Live betting is enhanced when you can watch the live action in the same place as you do your betting, as you can get closer to the action and get a feel for the game. Popular online bookmaker Unibet welcome new customers with a £20 no risk first bet. So even if your first bet on a new Unibet account loses, you will get your lost stake back as a free bet, up to the value of £20. Catch Unibet’s excellent live streaming service across a wide range of sports, just by being a funded account holder with the online bookmaker.

It is international football time again during midweek, and online bookmaker Bet365 are once leading the way with a plethora of live matches being streamed on their excellent website. Online bookmaker Bet365 really deliver a fantastic live streaming service across many sports (including the recent Grand Slam tennis from the Australian Open!), and their ability to stream live football matches of international friendlies from across the world, really speaks volumes about the weight they carry in this department. The Bet365 live streaming service is just one of the many stand out features on their site, and along with their new and improved live in play betting service, it is easy to see why they are one of the most highly recommended online bookmakers around. Check them out for yourself and you will see the highly competitive prices which back up all of the features on the site, all of which wouldn’t mean much if the odds being offered weren’t good. But, as any odds comparison research will tell you, they have the strength to offer odds which are incredibly competitive, and are usually among the market leaders. So, with the Premier League stars turning out for their countries, and England getting ready to kick off in Denmark as Fabio Capello gets his men ready for Euro 2012 qualification matches coming up, signing up with bookie Bet365 will give you access to live streams.

Just open an account and fund your new Bet365 account and you will be able to watch these live football streams. Bet365 really are one of the first stops on the internet for official live streams of football matches. The ability to watch the games in action on your computer, gives you an immediate advantage when it comes to live in play betting. Getting a real feel for the action while being able to see the most current and up to date prices on live betting markets, is something which should be investigated. Live in play betting opens up a whole new world of opportunities for the punter to extend their chances of winning on a certain match. At Bet365, both live streaming and live betting are run through very solid, very efficient and user friendly interfaces. So what action can you see during the week with the Bet365 live football streams? Perhaps topping the bill is the international friendly of France v Brazil. That one is played on Wednesday, and can be seen live at Bet365. World Cup finalists Holland are hosting Austria, while the Czech Republic take on Croatia in what should be a great match to watch. Check out the full Bet365 live sports listing for the international friendly matches being streamed this week.

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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.

Popular online bookmaker Bet365 are once again providing their punters with a host of live football streaming on Wednesday night. It is international football friendly night on Wednesday, including England v France at Wembley. There is a long fixture list for the friendly matches, and that will bring plenty of betting opportunities and goals as well, and along with England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are also in friendly match action. For football betting, Bet365 come highly recommended, as not only do they offer some of the most competitive prices around, they also deliver great services, as highlighted with their superb live streaming services, but also with a great live in play betting system. Bet365 are one of the most visible names in the world of online bookmaking and they are one of the most searched for providers for betting, because of their great sports book and customer service. For sports betting odds they really stand out when doing comparisons and the weight they carry allows them to continuously deliver top services to their customers.

One of the top matches of the night, is the huge South American clash of Argentina v Brazil. This is a mouthwatering prospect, even though it is a friendly. It brings together two of the best teams in the world, and should make for a great spectacle. You can get a live stream of the big match through Bet365, and their excellent streaming service. Also on the cards for Wednesday night, is the re-run of a World Cup 2010 match between Portugal v Spain. When the two sides met in South Africa, it took a David Villa goal for Spain to win the match, after labouring against a very unadventurous Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. European and World Champions Spain are running well in the Euro 2012 qualifiers, as expected, while Portugal are having a tough time of things in a race with Norway and Denmark. This friendly match should see a chance for them to cut lose and get back to their attacking best, and there would be nothing which they would enjoy more than a chance to get some revenge against Spain. This too can be seen as part of the live football matches being streamed by Bet365 on Wednesday, November 17th.

Bet365 also provide one of the most generous betting welcome offers from online bookmakers. For new customers signing up for an account with the bookie, there is a 100% matched first deposit available. You will need to be a funded account holder in order to access the live streams that Bet365 provide. So when you do, you can get up to a free £100 in a matched deposit, giving you an incredible opportunity to rack up some profit by wagering with free bets. Bet365 also provide great football betting promotions in addition to the streaming over 8,000 live football matches every year. The Bet365 Bore Draw is one of the most popular promotions at Bet365, as the bookie will refund lost bets on Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time or Scorecast bets if the match you have bet on finishes in a 0-0 draw. With Each-Way First Goalscorers paying out 1/3 odds for unlimited places in the market, there is also the hugely popular 100% Soccer Accumulator. With this on-going promotion, you can earn yourself bonuses on top of your winnings when you land an accumulator at Bet365. The bigger the accumulator, the bigger the bonus you land.

With a great list of International football coming up on Wednesday, there are plenty of betting opportunities available. Bet365’s football markets are extensive and run deep. The Bet365 Live In Play betting service also provides great chances to pick up extra odds, and when you combine the live streaming of soccer matches with live betting all in one place, then you have a great service at your disposal.

Full list of Bet365 Live Streaming Matches for Wednesday, November 17th

Montenegro v Azerbaijan
Russia v Belgium
Slovakia v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Estonia v Liechtenstein
Argentina v Brazil
Bulgaria v Serbia
Hungary v Lithuania
Luxemburg v Algeria
Switzerland v Ukraine
Austria v Greece
Poland v Ivory Coast
Romania v Italy
Sweden v Germany
Slovenia v Georgia
Portugal v Spain

More infos:
Bet365 UK

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 v France
Wednesday, November 17th
Wembley

Online bookmaker SportingBet are offering a nice return of up to £25 in free bets when you open an account with them for the new football season. The England v France international friendly is a way off, but it is as good a time as any to get on board with one of the leading online bookmakers available. SportingBet provide great coverage on their football sports book, along with providing comprehensive statistical data including form, and some wonderful live in-play betting when you want to follow the action online. SportingBet also deliver a multitude of great football betting promotions to enhance your betting experience, such as cash-back offers on Goalscorer markets, and bonuses of accumulators.

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.

England v Mexico Betting Preview: Wembley hosts the last upcoming international friendly for England in front of the home fans, before the squad travel to the African continent to vie for the World Cup. It is not something you expect from England boss Fabio Capello, but the Italian is ready to mix things up and try some experimentation in Monday’s international friendly against Mexico. The first time that any suggestion of switching from the regular 4-4-2 formation that Capello has favoured for England, was after the injury to holding midfielder Gareth Barry cropped up at the end of the Barclays Premier League season. The Manchester City midfielder was pivotal in England’s extremely successful qualification campaign, but his ankle injury has exposed England’s lack of depth, the one cloud of doubt that surrounds England’s World Cup credentials. England are still waiting on another scan on Barry’s injury, before Capello has to decide whether to take him with the squad or not.

England have been training out in Austria, to get some vital acclimatisation at higher attitudes, the likes of which they will face in South Africa. They flew home in order to take to the field at Wembley on Monday night, in England’s penultimate match before they kick off their World Cup campaign. But not everyone flew back with the squad, as the late arrivals to the training camp, namely the five who took part in the FA Cup final (Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole and David James) have remained in Austria, and will not be taking any part in the England v Mexico fixture. Capello has admitted that he knows the final 23 who will be going with him to South Africa 2010, but there is a need to look at other players in case of injury or tactical changes.

It is expected that while Capello will have to have a change of formation which will involve wing backs in a 3-5-2 formation, or, alternatively, leaving Wayne Rooney up front as the lone striker, the role he has done with such aplomb with his club Manchester United. With the possibility of changing to either of these unfamiliar formations during the World Cup itself, there are some key players who could make a huge amount of difference in an altered playing style. Here we take a look at some of the options that Capello may look at:

England Goalkeeper Options
The goalkeeping position is still one of uncertainty, and there have been rumours from the England camp, that Joe Hart may very well take over the number one role, even though he has only played 45 minutes for his country. Capello has confirmed that Hart will play one half on Monday night, with Robert Green taking the other.

England Defensive Options
At the back, Michael Dawson is likely to make his England debut, as Capello looks at his backup options to John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. Ferdinand has had a domestic season interrupted by injury, while Terry’s form has arguably not been at his best after personal issues hit the media. They are the starting choice of course, but if Capello switches to three central defenders, then someone else is going to need to come in. Matthew Upson, Ledley King, Jamie Carragher and Michael Dawson are all in line behind the starting two. Dawson will probably make his international debut in the experimental side on Monday night. King could fill in as the fifth midfielder in the holding role, if Capello goes with the five man midfield, but there are still doubts about King playing so many games in such a short space of time because of his knee problems. Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher is back from international retirement, and will probably get the right full back spot, as the only recognised player in that position is his team mate Glen Johnson, who has been injured for a large part of the season.

England Midfield Options
So Ledley King’s versatility could make him a crucial player in England’s World Cup campaign, if Gareth Barry does not make it, but there are still positions up for grabs. Michael Carrick, Tom Huddlestone and Scott Parker have played their way into the squad, and could very well be straight replacements for Gareth Barry. With Carrick out of form, both Parker and Huddlestone have been attracting plaudits. The wide positions are still coveting some head scratching, trying to decide who will work best in those positions. The right hand side of midfield in the 4-4-2 formation is pretty much down to Theo Walcott, Aaron Lennon and Shaun Wright-Phillips, all of which have their plusses and their minuses. Walcott struggled for form coming back from injury with Arsenal, while Aaron Lennon has been struggling with long injuries of his own all season. That would leave Shaun Wright-Phillips, who has shown that he may not have that vital end product to his game. One of the players who could seriously play his way into the squad, is Manchester City’s Adam Johnson, who should make his debut on Monday. After being plucked out of the Championship, winger Johnson has been earmarked by Fabio Capello as the most improved player in England over the season. According to reports from the Austrian training camp, Johnson has been giving the England defensive corps the run-around. He could really push the likes of Joe Cole as an influential substitute. One thing a 3-5-2 formation would do for England, is probably pull Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard together in the midfield. There is a train of thought that Gerrard is wasted on the left of midfield, illustrated perfectly in England’s last friendly against Egypt, where, when he moved to a central role, he was much more influential.

England Forward Options
Rooney should be fit, despite concerns over his groin injury, but the only question is who will partner him? Even though he is not the most prolific of goal scorers, and has not filled one of Capello’s main requirements of playing regularly, odds are, it will be Emile Heskey, but the last two international friendly matches Capello may well get a good look at Sunderland’s Darren Bent.

So, all in all, it will be an unfamiliar England side which turn out on the much criticised Wembley Pitch on Monday night. Mexico, of course, who have been extremely busy with international friendly matches, also have vested interest in playing their strongest side too, as they are heading to South Africa 2010 too. England’s next upcoming international friendly is against Japan on May 30, back in Austria, where the squad head back to after the Mexico match. Capello will have to name his 23 man squad on June 1st.

Match Odds
England to win: 1/2 at Ladbrokes
Draw: 10/3 at BetFred
Mexico: 7/1 at Coral

Although luck was not with the Irish in their World Cup qualification playoff against France last November, boss Giovanni Trapattoni is still confident that there are good times ahead for the Republic of Ireland. Tuesday night sees them back in action for the first time since that tragic “Hand of Henry” night, and they will be doing all they can to give World Cup 2010 favourites Brazil, a real run for their money. For Brazil, this is the last run out they will get before the World Cup in South Africa starts on June 11th.

Trapattoni has been boosted by the fact that Robbie Keane joined up with the squad ahead of the match at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, after he was initially ruled out through injury. The Spurs striker, currently on loan with Celtic until the end of the season, picked up an injury on the derby day match against Rangers, but has been declared fit. There will be some doubt over him starting though, but the temptation may be to leave him on the bench instead of sending him out up front with Kevin Doyle.

The could be some new faces on the pitch for the Irish during the friendly, as Trapattoni starts planning for an assault on qualification for Euro 2012. Brazil are travelling to London with pretty much a full squad, which includes Kaka, but there are a couple of notable exceptions. When Brazilian coach announced his squad for this match some time ago, AC Milan’s Ronaldinho wasn’t a part of it, despite being in great form for his club. Also missing from the line up will be phenomenal hot-shot, Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, who will miss the encounter after picking up an injury. The Irish defence will be happy about that, no doubt, who will be without the stabilising presence of Aston Villa’s Richard Dunne.

Match Prices:
Ireland to win: 15/2 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 3/1 at Bet365
Brazil to win: 1/2 at Totesport