Fabio Capello turns to Peter Crouch, England’s last man standing

Fabio Capello demonstrated his growing confidence yesterday by confirming that Peter Crouch will spearhead England’s attack in tonight’s World Cup qualifying tie against Ukraine.
The Italian conceded that Crouch was his fourth choice to lead the line after injuries to Emile Heskey, Carlton Cole and Darren Bent, but after four victories in four group six matches, Capello felt sufficiently buoyed by England’s form and progress to break with his usual custom and reveal that the Portsmouth striker will be in the starting line-up.
Bent had earlier limped out of training with a knee injury. Gabriel Agbonlahor has been called up from the under-21s as cover and will be on the bench at Wembley.
Crouch will take heart from having scored on his previous competitive appearance at the national stadium, a well-taken volley in the 3-2 defeat by Croatia 16 months ago, even though his elevation to Capello’s line-up for the first time has come by default. Crouch, 28, has benefited from injuries to others and Capello’s commitment to a system spearheaded by a physically imposing single striker, which gives Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard the freedom to attack from deeper positions. My first idea was one style and one particular forward, fast and with movement,” Capello said. “Now it’s another style with Crouch. I’m sure he will play a good game because he is in a good moment of form. He has a different style. He is not Bent, not Heskey, but we have to play with Crouch because he’s now the best we have who can play.
“My idea was to pick one forward for the movement into space without the ball, like Heskey, Agbonlahor or Bent, but also Crouch. I think he can do the job, but the most important thing is the movement of Gerrard, [Aaron] Lennon or David [Beckham] and Rooney. This is very important, the movement near Crouch.
“He can’t do the same movement as Heskey, can’t press like Heskey, but it will be very important for the movement of the others around him. We have to play like a team, like a group. Not individuals.”
Capello had considered playing Rooney up front and may do so if Crouch fails to make an impact, but the manager has concluded that he should build the team around the 6ft 7in forward’s unique talent. Such is his faith in Rooney that Capello compared him to Raúl, with whom he worked in two separate spells at Real Madrid, and repeated his belief that the Manchester United striker could go on to captain his country.
The Italian was so relaxed that he related a conversation he had with Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, shortly after Rooney’s move from Everton 4½ years ago, in which the Scot expressed concern over a transfer fee that has risen to £27 million.
“Rooney is one of the best players in the world,” Capello said. “He played the last 20 minutes against Slovakia very well [as an out-and-out striker on Saturday] and scored goals. I think he can play first forward, second forward and left back. I don’t know about goalkeeper, but his best position is second striker because he’s free. He runs a lot. He needs to touch the ball, to be in the centre of the team’s movement.
“Rooney is most like Raúl. For the movement, for the passion, for the leadership on the pitch. He’s very similar because when I started the first time in Madrid, Raúl was 19, but he was a leader in the team. Can Rooney captain England? Why not?
“I remember when Sir Alex bought him. I saw him at a Uefa meeting in Nyon and he said, ‘Fabio, I am crazy. I have just spent an awful lot of money on a very young player.’ Now he is happy because he has spent a lot of money on a very important player.”
Rio Ferdinand came through training unscathed yesterday, leaving the only other selection issue for Capello a straight choice between Lennon and Beckham on the right. The Tottenham Hotspur winger’s pace should be enough to win him another start, although Beckham is likely to come on at some stage to win his 110th cap, particularly if England have a lead to protect.
Source:the times