England Football Betting
This England football betting preview takes us through a new era for English International football under new manager Capello. A friendly against lowly Switzerland has been billed as the watershed of English football, as fans and critics desperately search for a new light at the end of a tunnel which does not lead to Euro 2008. Playing the 44th best team in the world at Wembley may not fully test the reserves of Fabio Capello's new look England side, but on recent form any victory for the hosts could provide a welcome shard of success and allow dreams to grow around the new coach.
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England (4/9) have reportedly been whipped into shape by a highly disciplined training set-up that is the hall-mark of the Italian's managerial style. But against the Swiss (11/2), supporters will get the chances to see whether England's passing and movement is as slick as the suits that Capello has them wearing for breakfast. After naming a controversial squad that omitted David Beckham, Jermaine Defoe and Paul Robinson, the Italian has seen his young side beset by injury worries. Two of the five strikers named, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey have pulled out injured, while winger Sean Wright-Phillips missed training yesterday and could well be out of Wednesday's tie. Jermaine Defoe has since been called up – receiving a call from Capello that explained his original omission – and will now vye for inclusion against Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Peter Crouch. A special could now tempt punters to back the Portsmouth man for a goal (15/8), while a start is also a tough call (9/2).
Capello is not known for making the cavalier choices that characterised the reign of Steve McLaren or predecessors such as Kevin Keegan – but a friendly could provide a prime opportunity to allow Scott Carson another start in goal and a chance to exorcise the demons of Croatia. Solid shot-stopper David James is favourite (1/4) to take the jersey, but a special has the relative inexperience of Carson (4/1) or even Chris Kirkland (7/1) as potential starters. And the opposition hardly boasts a bastion of top European club experience: injury-hit FC Basle striker Marco Streller will be replaced by his club companion uncapped 19-year old Eren Derdiyok. With fellow striker and captain Alexander Frei also out, the youngster joins Hakan Yakin, Daniel Gygax and Johann Vonlanthen as 16/1 joint favourite to worry the Wembley crowd with an opening away goal.
The two sides have often met at international tournaments, with the Swiss only winning three of 19 encounters, the last being a 2-1 victory in 1982. Last time out in Euro 2004 England scored a 3-0 victory, by virtue of a Wayne Rooney brace. His goal-scoring may have dried up lately, but the United hitman is 4/1 joint favourite (with Michael Owen) to open the scoring again, while a repeat 3-0 triumph is 10/1. But at Wembley in Euro 96 the Swiss held the hosts to a disappointing 1-1 draw: the same result (11/2) or a drab 0-0 draw (6/1) could put a big damper on Fabio's future hopes. With England likely to be going all out to impress their new manager, a repeat of recent frantic performances could be on the cards - especially as players seek to establish a rhythm in the first half. A stalemate at half time but victory by the end is 7/2. Uncapped newcomers David Bentley and Ashley Young could be among the most eager to net first should they start, and both are 12/1 to do so.
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