Capello: England playing to win
Capello looks to maintain 100 per cent record in Dnipro tonight
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By inthenews. |  |
Saturday, 10, Oct 2009 08:00
By Michael Younger (editing by Alistair Potter).
Head coach Fabio Capello says England will "play to win" against Ukraine at the Dnipro Stadium later tonight, despite having already qualified for the World Cup finals next summer.
The Three Lions will definitely top group six, no matter what happens in their remaining two qualifying matches.
However, Capello is keen to continue his 100 per cent record and avoid criticism from Croatian pundits, who have suggested they could lose out on a playoff place if England do not field a full-strength side against their rivals for second place tonight.
"This is not a friendly game, we have to play the same as we did against the other teams," Capello said.
"I will choose my best first XI. I expect a tough game we have to play very well, but we will play to win."
However, Capello also said the remaining games of the qualifying campaign and the programme of friendlies leading up to next summer's big tournament in South Africa "are not all about winning".
"I want them to show the same spirit, group spirit and style," he continued.
"We have to improve in movement with and without the ball and we always try to do better with this."
Earlier in the week, Portsmouth goalkeeper David James said he hopes to start for England in Ukraine this evening, but has admitted that winning is the priority.
A shoulder injury has kept James from representing his country since April, with West Ham's Robert Green taking the number one jersey.
And during the midweek press conferences, James said: "I'm in the squad so I've got a chance to play."
He added: "I want to be the one who starts but, if I'm not and we win, happy days.
"As with any successful side, competition, as long as it's fair and healthy, is good.
"I want to win the competition obviously. If I didn't think that [I could get back in] I wouldn't be here, England don't need hangers on."
Other players hoping to feature in Dnipro tonight include Manchester United's Michael Carrick and Bolton's Gary Cahill, who is looking to be awarded his first cap after being called up as cover for injuries.
Aston Villa's in-form hitman Gabriel Agbonlahor will be hoping to make a rare start for England, although it is likely that Capello will stick with a strong squad - meaning Wayne Rooney, the leading scorer in the European qualifying rounds with nine goals to his name so far, is likely to start alongside Emile Heskey.
Ukraine will be without injured defenders Dmytro Chygrynskiy and Andriy Rusol, while Vitaliy Mandzyuk is suspended.
Taras Mykhalik and Oleksandr Aliev return to the international fold, while former Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko is set to lead the line up front for the home side.