Kamikaze Japan Save Kamikaze England's Blushes

Well that was awful! It wasn't so much a case of trying to play yourself into the squad as doing your best to ensure you have the summer off! We weren't just poor, we were dire!

Where to begin? Well let's start with the 7 who definitely will not now be going to South Africa. Warnock hasn't kicked a ball and we don't need three left backs so he can book a fortnight in Cyprus. Parker hasn't had a sniff either so presumably he can spend some quality time with the family, although Huddlestone and Carrick have both done their level best to play Scotty into the squad by default. Surely Huddlestone won't go. This was his big chance and he looked utterly disinterested, ambling around the pitch as if he was having a round of golf! Presumably Dawson isn't going either. If he figured in the plans, he would surely have been given 45 minutes at least. I think the guy is VERY unlucky. That's four down, what about the next three?

Well Johnson doesn't look as if he's done enough. That's a shame in my book. I like the look of the guy because he can use both feet and is comfortable on the left. But Capello preferred Lennon on the left and he is, as I said before the game, as effective on that flank as Stanislas and Spector. What is it with these Italians? Why do they pick players on the wrong flank? On the left, Lennon is hopeless; on the right he is dangerous. Lennon will go, but I'm not sure about Walcott. He was crap again today. The boy has unquestionable talent but even Wenger has not been able to shape that raw ability into the real deal. I think Theo became a no no today. So, that's Parker, Walcott, Johnson, Huddlestone, Warnock and Dawson all heading for an all inclusive break in the sun at their own expense. Who is the last of the unmagnificent seven?

I reckon Upson may just be on the plane by default. Ferdinand, Terry, Carragher and King are all injury prone or out of form. Upson aint any great shakes but Capello knows his strengths and weaknesses so I reckon he will get the nod. So, the last of the losers is between Bent, Defoe and Heskey. Defoe will surely go and my guess is that Capello will opt for Emile over Bent, although after both missed easy headers today, Fabio must be regretting not including 'Arry's wife in the 30!

So much for those who are not going, what is worrying is those who therefore will make it on to the plane! Wright-Phillips? Really? He isn't going to win us a World Cup is he? Carrick? How ordinary has he looked since Christmas? Heskey? He hasn't scored a goal since February! Upson? Has Capello seen our goals against column? It is worrying.

Most worrying of all though is the form of Rooney. True he played in Lennon in the first half and nearly scored with that beautiful curled shot in the second, but I can't remember seeing him give away the ball so often. He is jaded and he is not at peace with himself. He didn't touch the Jap with that "rake" but if he does that in the World Cup, he's off, contact or no contact. He shouldn't have been on the pitch today, he should have had his feet up getting a breather.

The only good thing about today was seeing Joe Cole back on the pitch and having a hand in both goals. Surely that has booked his place; he has much more quality than Walcott and Wright-Phillips rolled into one!

So, is Capello now going to switch to 4-5-1, with Cole, Lampard, Gerrard, Lennon and Barry (when fit) accommodated? Or will Crouch start up front with Rooney, with that awkward Lampard and Gerrard centre midfield pairing with Cole out left? In truth, after the two friendlies, we have learned nothing about our ideal first 11. Let's just hope the players were keeping something in reserve, saving it up for the games that matter.

And, of course, there is one other consolation: we won - yet again!