Did Capello make the right calls?

The new England manager Fabio Capello made several surprising decisions for the 2-1 victory against Switzerland, his first game in charge. Which did you think were correct? We want to know.

There is certainly much to discuss. Was Capello right to drop Michael Owen and to play five across midfield? What about the omission of Micah Richards? Did Wes Brown prove a better choice?

What of Matthew Upson? Did he justify his selection of Jonathan Woodgate in central defence? Could he even rival John Terry when he returns from injury?

Few expected Jermaine Jenas to start ahead of Owen Hargreaves but the Tottenham midfielder played well and scored. Does Capello deserve credit for that?

Before the game the Italian promised to prioritise victory over performance and was prepared to win ugly. Did we see evidence of that approach and, if so, did it work?

These are only a selection of talking points but we want you to vote on them here. Justify your decision in the comment box below and feel free to bring up other talking points there, too.

ROBERT DINEEN

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Comments

[Dedo Digital]

Hey! But this is England or Italy?...ajajaj...Is a joke!!!
;-)
Ciao dall'Italia.
Go England!!.

[Bob Yule]

Capello deserves a bit more credit than he seems to be getting in the media at the moment. He's trying to get the team to play in a more modern, sophisticated way, and getting them out of the straitjacket of a rigid British-type 4-4-2. So many times, I've seen England teams roll over weaker teams, only to come unstuck in major tournaments when they have to raise their game to beat class opposition. The new system isn't going to flow straight away, but there were plenty of times last night when we were using the ball very well.

The better players will thrive, and the lesser ones (Ashley Cole, Brown) will get found out. I think Owen will be in the latter category, but the team is more important than the individual.

[Timothy Tanner]

Well first game in charge against a formidable Switzerland side and we beat them. Not only that but we looked to keep the ball on the floor, to pass it around rather then launch it, if Capello can install that into the team over time then our chances of matching Sven's achievements or even going further becomes far more likely. Thought it was a good performance overall, once the players had got used to the system and the idea of playing a passing game, felt we were the better side.

I don't trust Brown or James but they deserved to play on club form, I wouldn't leave Rooney alone up front but it worked very well. I may disagree with Arsene, Pearce or Capello on something before a game but I know that ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they will prove me wrong. Capello will have learnt a lot from the players that started the game and hopefully they will have learnt from him, it was a worthwhile friendly for us and it certainly seems he made the right calls.

[Mark Stares]

I hope Capello continues to manage as he see's fit. Not just with the way the team plays, but with the way he conducts all England team business.
It was reassuring to hear him say that England should not expect miracles, that things will take time. I just wish that the press and so-called 'England fans' would appreciate this also. I was disgusted by the booing during the 1st half, but glad to see the players ignoring it and producing a decent chance when it was at it's peak.
The performance last night was admittedly not a vintage one. However, it showed the way that Capello is heading, and in the 2nd half when the team nerves had settled some of the football was better than I'd seen in some time.
So, why don't we just get behind the man and the team, SUPPORT them and help instil some of that confidence back into the team.

[Tom]

I haven't voted as I think we should allow Mr Capello room to conduct his business without constantly second guessing him - there will be time for post-mortems in due course, when the stakes are higher and he has had time to adjust. Let us remember that Steve McClaren's best team selection occurred by chance through injury - Fabio Capello deserves the room to pick and choose as he sees fit rather than be bullied by the press into a populist selection.

[max]

capello will cope with taking u to d final world cup that u will loose with italy! but u'll have to thank him cause a second post for england is not bad after all...ciao

[Elias Bjorn Karason]

Winning ugly is acceptable when you know where to look for beauty:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X1GP4GOoo0

[Savo]

Last coach created concept of brainless game for national team. Before him Swen was doing same what he is doing now at City - playing just to play.
Yesterday was the first time after many years (and coaches) that national team was thinking how to play and trying to work as a team. It will get only better.

[James]

Capello did well, the one thing that struck me was that when the Swiss drew level, the England players began to press for a second goal. That is the winning mentality Capello was talking about and that is more encouraging than the standard of play, which in my view was ok. Things can only improve.

[tony]

Capello made the right calls. However if Rooney does not start scoring soon Man Utd will not be winning the Premier League but Capello's England will always find a scorer.

[Christian P.]

did capello make the right calls?
Can we not just wait before judge?
He has spent 2 days with the team..2 days!!What were we expecting?A brilliant victory with a team that keep limping since 2 years ago?We've to let him works..'cause Rome hasn't built in a day...a word to the wise!!

[Adam Michie]

I hope Capello sees enough sense to drop players whose minds may not be on the gane. Ashley Cole was woeful last night and should have been taken off sooner. Joe Cole was the only man on the field looking to run with the ball and for me he was man of the match, not Gerrard. Stevie G was far too deep in the first half. He even took the ball from the toe of Matt Upson just in front of his 18 yard box at one point. Get up the pitch Gerrard, Leave that to Barry, that's his job to be back there!

[Guido]

Hi English people. Be sure, Capello is a great coach. Be sure, Capello don't like football stars that play better outside the "field" than inside. I thinks that generally players don't like very much Capello, he is like a dictator, a very aggressive one. But if players give their support to him, he will win and he demonstrated it many times. I think Capello is a great chance for England. Good luck. (sorry for my bad english...)

[LUCIANO PILOTTI]

Yesterday I have seen a good game in the second half meanwhile the first one it has been "explorative" in all senses (for players, Capello and supporter). Anyway "Muscles" was been substituted with "mind". We have to do a chance to Capello because changes was necessary and also for victory (in international soccer is not bad !) ! By now the work will be hard and performances will arrive because Capello is one of the three best coach in the World and with England Team I think a fantastic matching for next years!
LP

[James]

Stu is right - the most obvious change from the McLaren/Eriksson era is that the ball wasn't hoofed up the pitch as the first option. Even on one of the occasions in the first half that Brown gave the ball away near the penalty box (resulting in a shot), at least he was trying to pass it out rather than smashing it aimlessly. Capello said he can't work miracles but clearly something he has worked on stuck in their minds

[Stu]

I liked his approach of building offences from the back rather than the long punt ball up front/midfield from the keeper.I get so tired of seeing this. It is soo predictable and difficult to control for the player being fed. Football should be played `on the ground`. We need to encourage our players to build, be patient and run at defences albeit from wide situations or through the middle.

[Jonathan Watt]

A English supporting Scot saying that Capello is the way forward and anything is better than the last one.

[Stu]

I liked his approach of building offences from the back rather than the long punt ball up front/midfield from the keeper.I get so tired of seeing this. It is soo predictable and difficult to control for the player being fed. Football should be played `on the ground`. We need to encourage our players to build, be patient and run at defences albeit from wide situations or through the middle.

[rotolo salvatore]

I hope Capello Cappello Cappella etc...will never manage to learn enough english to read the inspired comments that some of the journalists are making. He might be tempted to leave you with your sour humour and sore h...s!