Picking a team to win

Listening to Fabio Capello refuting claims that England squad players have come to blows in training makes the average England fan start to sit up and take notice.

Matthew Upson/Gary Cahill vs Gareth Barry (dependent on who you listen to) is something you've never seen or heard before in an England training camp.  It seems a strange thing to say but it's starting to seem like England players actually want to contest a shirt.

We're going to have a change of keeper.  Thankfully.  Rob Green deserves his chance for 2 excellent seasons; Paul Robinson will hopefully get back to being one of the best in the world, but Scott Carson needs lessons in concentration. Seems like a decent contest with 3 great keepers stopping David James ever filling that gap again.

Centre half will also be different; Rio Ferdinand seems never to be 100% fit these days, which will eventually allow either the admirable Phil Jagielka (long term after current knee injury), Cahill (for now?) or more likely Joleon Lescott to play alongside Terry. Full backs offer the now much more relaxed Ashley Cole, or Wayne Bridge (who seems to have regressed at City), with the Glen Johnson project, which still offers doubts, ahead of Gary Neville's steadiness.

The midfield picks itself; Beckham, Lampard, Barry, Gerrard.  Gareth Barry being totally wasted but effective in a holding role; with Steven  Gerrard being allowed to play wherever he wants.  David Beckham is still the best English right sided midfielder, with the athleticism to track back, and the desire to do so.  Frank Lampard's drive as Chelsea vice-captain will mean that we have 5 Captains on the field, which is something Manchester United sadly lacked recently.

Up front, Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch should be pairing number 1, rather than Crouch being plan b) long ball, as under previous managers.  Capello is brave enough to change his mind about Crouch and vocalise his new opinion.  Rooney having the freedom to run off Crouch's hold-up ability should really make England's link play prosper.

I'm still optimistic that England under Capello can still improve the way they keep possession. The way England pass the ball and don't give it away for the first half hour is starting to look superb. What we need to learn is how to do the same whilst killing off a game. Then we might win something, with a proper manager involved.