Shortage of options could mean striking role for Carlton Cole

David Beckham expects to be a history-maker this evening by equalling Bobby Moore’s outfield record of 108 England caps, but the feat has already been met with indifference by Fabio Capello. Rather than stopping at milestones, the England manager is seeking to drive his team forward and, to that end, the more significant appearances could be debuts for James Milner and Carlton Cole.
Both would hope to come off the bench on a night when Capello will use his maximum six substitutes, but the sight of Emile Heskey sitting out last night’s training session in the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán stadium to protect his sore Achilles tendon has raised the prospect of Cole starting alongside Gabriel Agbonlahor.
It would be a partnership with just one cap between them — from the Aston Villa forward’s bright debut against Germany in November — and England’s striking options, or lack of them, may seem stark when set against those of Spain, the European champions, who have Fernando Torres and David Villa.

In the absence of Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch is another alternative if Heskey is forced to sit on the sidelines, but it was Cole and Agbonlahor who were paired in training yesterday. And if Cole does not get his chance now, on the back of good form for West Ham United, he probably never will.
At 25, it is quite late for Cole to be making his senior debut, but then he did choose a roundabout route, with loan moves to Charlton Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, after he failed to make the grade at Chelsea through lack of application.
He is playing well under Gianfranco Zola at Upton Park, although his performance against Manchester United on Sunday, in front of Capello, showed both his physical attributes as he brushed off Rio Ferdinand but also the lack of killer instinct as he attempted to score with an overelaborate chip.
Agbonlahor is certain to play some part, and, even without Heskey, there could be an attacking trident made at Villa, with Ashley Young and Milner also hoping to be involved.
“They have a lot of good young players,” Capello said, when asked if he had been keeping a close watch on the side threatening to break up the Barclays Premier League’s “big four”. “They’re in a good position in the Premier League. I’ve followed them and they are very interesting players for me.”
After 40 caps for the under-21s, and the initial disappointment when he was named in the junior squad this week before a late promotion, Milner will feel as though he has served his time. A hard-working, teetotal winger, he has excelled under Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, on the right flank, but he has strong competition from Beckham and Shaun Wright-Phillips. As someone who can play on either wing, Young will be hopeful of winning his fifth cap.
Capello said that he would take into account the wishes of club managers, although he denied that he was being forced to make compromises. “I know the problems of the managers at the clubs because I was one,” he said. “I can help them. I hope they help me when I need them.”
While Capello concentrates on events on the field, officials from the FA and Uefa, the European governing body, will be sensitive to the behaviour of the crowd after the racist chanting that disfigured England’s last trip to Spain in 2004.
“The referee would have to step in if it gets as bad as it was last time and make a decision,” John Terry, the England captain, said. “If he decides to lead both teams off the field, we’ll have to support that. It’s not nice, but I’m behind my team and my players.” Both camps are confident that it will not come to that.
SOURCE:THE TIMES