Its decision day for fabio!!!

Fabio Capello says he knows who will be in his World Cup squad, but the old tease isn't going to tell us until Tuesday. So I am going to fall back on my old favourite - barely-informed speculation...

Here's who I think will be on the plane...with a little help from www.365football.com


GOALKEEPERS
We know the three, but who will be number one? A combination of a poor, injury-blighted season and a skittish 45 minutes against Japan surely means David James is out of the picture, so it's down to Rob Green and Joe Hart. The latter looked very, very impressive against Japan, but Green played equally well in his half versus Mexico. Does Hart's extra 45 tell us anything? We'd give the Manchester/Birmingham City man the nod, but it genuinely looks 50:50.


DEFENDERS
Interesting choice to be made here, if not perhaps on personnel, but on numbers. Glen Johnson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole will be the starting four, while Jamie Carragher and Ledley King are nailed on to be the support. Stephen Warnock's non-appearance in either game surely means Leighton Baines will be the reserve left-back, despite an unconvincing game against Mexico.

So what of Matthew Upson and Michael Dawson? The latter undoubtedly had the better season, but since neither appeared in the friendlies, are we to assume that neither will travel? Taking only seven defenders and making do for back-up is a theory that has been around for a while, and Carragher's return from retirement suggests it's a possibility, given that he will act as cover for two positions. With the injury worries of the three specialist centre-halves it's a risk, but it's a risk that Capello could well take.


MIDFIELDERS
Always the place where big calls will be made. The obvious inclusions are Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Theo Walcott (alas) and Gareth Barry, assuming he is fit, and the noises are promising on that front.

The rest present something of a quandary. Scott Parker's lack of any appearance suggests he's out, but did Michael Carrick and Tom Huddlestone really do enough to convince Capello of their worth? Based on the performances of the last few days, Capello might be tempted to leave them both at home. However, it's unlikely that he would gamble on not taking some insurance should Barry break down, and since Milner is best used elsewhere, a specialist must surely go. Carrick was dreadful versus Mexico, but Tom Huddlestone didn't exactly holler 'Pick me!' from the rooftops. With a heavy Italian heart, Fabio may go with the languid experience of Carrick.

The attacking options are interesting. If Capello really was paying attention to the friendlies, he must surely include Joe Cole. His lively 45 minutes in Graz on Sunday showed that firstly he's one of the few England players with some spark or invention, but also that there are alternatives to the 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 with Wayne Rooney playing off a big man. Gerrard was thought to be the man for that job, but Cole is another option.

So that leaves only one spot, between Adam Johnson and Shaun Wright-Phillips. While SWP was perky enough against Japan, Capello has been effusive (for him) in his praise of Johnson in recent months. A natural left-foot is a rarity in this England squad, and although he was only awarded a brief cameo in the warm-up games, he looks to be the better choice.


STRIKERS
If Darren Bent's inclusion in the starting line-up against Japan was a surprise, it would be a shock of 2006 Walcottian proportions if he made the final 23. Heskey's lack of game time either in the season gone or the friendlies might have suggested his place was in doubt, but such a radical change of plan from Capello at this late stage seems unlikely. The other three pick themselves.


THE SQUAD I THINK CAPELLO WILL CHOOSE:
Green, Hart, James; Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole, Baines, Carragher, King, Terry, Ferdinand; Barry, Carrick, Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Lennon, Walcott, Joe Cole, Adam Johnson; Heskey, Crouch, Defoe, Rooney.


AND FOR THE RECORD, THE 23 I WOULD CHOOSE:
Green, Hart, James; Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole, Baines, Carragher, King, Terry, Ferdinand, Dawson; Barry, Huddlestone, Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Lennon, Joe Cole, Adam Johnson; Heskey, Crouch, Defoe, Rooney.