Holland 2-2 England - Goal Highlights


                                                    England 2-1 Slovenia - Jermain Defoe Goal

However, Capello may be tempted to stick with his "tried-and-tested" partnership of Heskey and Rooney, and pundits have asserted that the movement of the England players is generally better with Heskey leading the line. The Aston Villa forward's performances for the national side have been impressive of late, especially in England's 4-1 demolition of Croatia last time round. However, I am a staunch advocate of rewarding player form, and if Capello were to pick his side on the basis of form alone, Defoe would and should be the first name on the list.

Advocates of Heskey will point to Defoe's impact as a substitute, and Heskey's working relationship with Manchester United Wayne Rooney, but the question remains whether that is enough justification to start with a player who can't even get selected for his club.

Also pushing for a starting place will be fellow Tottenham team-mate Aaron Lennon, who combined with Defoe to set-up the striker for the goal against Slovenia, and who has also been in good form for his club side.

England go into the match knowing that a win or a draw will guarantee the team qualification for the World Cup in South Africa. However, should Croatia emerge victorious, it would provide for an exciting run-in to see who grabs the automatic qualification spot, and who will have to battle it out in the play-offs.

Pre-match Questions:

What is England's ideal starting line-up?
Who should lead the attack?
Should Gerrard continue to play out on the left?
What are your predictions?