England coach Capello revelling in guessing games

Let The Games begin. Not the Olympic Games but the Guessing Games that will keep this England squad on their toes until the World Cup qualifying campaign is under way in Andorra next month. There is tension among the England players ahead of this evening's friendly at Wembley against the Czech Republic. All are hoping Fabio Capello calls their name before they board the bus.

Taking the lead: Rio Ferdinand is at the front during a training run

This is the last chance to impress this forthright Italian before the World Cup campaign begins against Andorra on September 6 and the trip to Zagreb four days later. Ah, Zagreb.

Steve McClaren. The infamous decision to play 3-5-2 in October 2006. Paul Robinson's calamitous air kick. The advert of Borat grinning inanely behind him in the Maksimir Stadium. Not again.

That is why Capello must fine tune the team and his tactics this evening against a team who performed so limply at Euro 2008.

Capello cannot afford to lose in Croatia next month and the odds are that he will not.

England's head coach has built a spine - David James, Rio Ferdinand, captain John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney - that should be able to withstand some of international football's more accomplished teams and a spirit that suggests this squad can bond on their way to the big tournaments.

Elsewhere, they are jostling for position. Heskey, such a destructive force in England's 3-0 victory over Russia at Wembley last year, is battling with Defoe for a starting place.

'I saw Heskey two or three times last year and he wasn't fit,' said Capello. 'I saw him play against West Ham and he did well. He's an interesting player.'

Interesting enough for Capello to sacrifice Peter Crouch, 14 goals in 28 games for England, but none of them under Capello. With Michael Owen and Dean Ashton also in the frame, Crouch remains vulnerable.

'For me, all the players are important,' claimed Capello. 'It's the last friendly match before the World Cup qualifiers and I will decide the first choice team after that.'

It is a straight fight between David Beckham and David Bentley. Bentley was forced out on the left for Tottenham against Middlesbrough on Saturday and it did not work.

For that, he does not expect to make the cut this evening.

Stewart Downing, impressive for his country against Trinidad and Tobago in June, is suddenly neck and neck with Joe Cole. It is another key decision for Capello. He also has the Gerrard/Lampard dilemma. Here we go again…

Lampard was named England Fans' Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, yet few players' performances for their country have been scrutinised in the same manner as the Chelsea midfielder.

They had the audacity to tell the Wally With The Brolly that they could not adapt their games to play together, but it will be a brave man who knocks on Capello's hotel room door to deliver that kind of message.

'I want to see England play like a team, with spirit, without fear and with big personality,' added Capello. 'This is very important to me. I want to see another step forward.'

They can take that step this evening. They can save the giant leap for Croatia.