It's Capello the tinkerman as Fabio ponders going 3-5-2

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The dramatic switch has been forced upon the England coach because of Gareth Barry's ankle injury.

Capello has only two more friendlies against Mexico at Wembley on 24 May and Japan in Graz six days later to finalise his plans before England's opening game at the World Cup against the USA in Rustenburg on 12 June. There is now a real possibility that England could line up with a 3-5-2 formation for the first time in a World Cup since 1990.

The Italian revealed his plans to members of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team as they were inducted into football's Hall of Fame yesterday.

Capello has based his entire qualifying campaign since taking over in 2008 on playing with a flat back four, protected by holding player Barry. He told the heroes of 66 that none of the other midfielders in his provisional squad of 30 are able to fulfill the same role as they are all attacking players and that, as a consequence, he will employ three central defenders if the Manchester City star is ruled out.

It could be a huge gamble for Capello to start tinkering with his team at this late stage. The news comes at the end of a week when the coach's judgement has been called into question after he was forced to postpone the "Capello Index" of player ratings.

The 63-year-old also tried and failed to get Paul Scholes to come out of international retirement.

If he changes tactics, history is not on Capello's side. The late Sir Bobby Robson did lead England to the World Cup semi-finals in 1990 using Mark Wright, Terry Butcher and Des Walker after injury ruled out Bryan Robson.

But Graham Taylor's back three of Walker, Tony Adams and Gary Pallister flopped in qualifying in Oslo in June 1993 losing 2-0 and Steve McClaren used the same system with Jamie Carragher, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in Croatia 13 years later ending in the same result.

England lost 2-0 in Zagreb as Paul Robinson, looking ill at ease with the formation, missed a back pass from Gary Neville that ended up in the net.