Has Capello stumbled across a 52-year old answer?

What struck me most about England’s two games in the past week was their lack of stars.



No Wayne Rooney, no Steven Gerrard – yet England still won.



But did England win because of this, as Fabio Capello’s hand was forced into picking what ended up being the best team when his best 11 players weren’t available.



I stumbled across a programme from 1959, a game between England and Scotland held at Wembley – and coincidently Billy Wright’s 100th cap. In it, Harry Homer (aka Marksman) who was also the Arsenal programme editor and coined the club’s motto wrote the following:

And this problem has been as relevant with this current England generation as it was for Wright and co. How often have you heard debated on 606 or in the pub that Gerrard and Frank Lampard can’t play together, yet they are both squeezed into the starting 11.

Over the past two 90-minute periods of England football, Scott Parker (for one) has shone, as Capello has put out a starting XI with structure, and mentality which has all pushed all in one direction.



Guess what, it worked.



Well, Spain did draw with Costa Rica after England’s titanic victory against the world best (but let’s gloss over that).



But what will happen come June? It seems Rooney will miss a couple of matches at the moment, but Gerrard will probably be fit. Does he go in alongside Lampard? Do you drop the midfielder who scored that goal against Spain?



That decision is yet to be made, but what has been proven is to win at international football in major competitions you need to pick the best team – and if that means leaving Gerrard at home then so be it.



Reference Greece in 2008, and the Marksmen’s words in 1959 – if England wants a chance in Poland and Ukraine, players like Scott Parker are the cornerstones which will win the competition.



As for Gerrard and Lampard – one of you might be okay.



For the other one – you’ve had your chances.