Really, there shouldn’t have been any overwhelming surprise in the ease with which England breezed past the challenge of Bulgaria at Wembley.

Ok, the South African campaign was nothing short of disastrous, the Three Lions imploding at every given opportunity, but Fabio Capello’s record in qualifying is undeniably impeccable.

The passage to the World Cup was secured with ease, but perhaps in hindsight they shouldn’t have bothered, and so the fine form at Wembley continued with a highly convincing victory over a supposedly well organised unit.

Add into the equation the number of injuries that snagged the Italian’s plans, and the manner of victory is even more impressive.

Yes, the performances in South Africa hurt, England were abysmal for the majority of the tournament when so much hype was built up, but surely it is now time to move on, look to the future? Capello’s tenure was very much up in the air in immediate aftermath, but now is the time to through full support behind the Italian, after he got it tactically spot on at Wembley.

Injuries are looked upon as a negative aspect of the game, but those sustained by the Chelsea duo who continually disappoint in England colours may well have been a blessing in disguise.

England looked fresh on Friday, the relatively inexperienced pairing of Phil Jagielka and Michael Dawson were solid until the latter’s unfortunate injury, being replaced by the equally impressive Gary Cahill, all of whom could hold the key to any future England prospects.

Capello now has a decision to make, and the game against Switzerland on Tuesday will play a big part in helping him come to a conclusion. Once John Terry and Frank Lampard are fit again, will they simply slot back into the starting 11, or will they be frozen out in favour of the individuals who secured three points in what was perceived as a potentially tricky opener?

Dawson - the future?

Terry has been shaky ever since the World Cup, raising questions about his ability to perform at the highest level. Perhaps he felt begrudged after losing the captaincy following his personal discrepancies, but the petulance he displayed during the time in South Africa, completely undermining the manager by publicly airing his opinions personal views on decisions which didn’t concern him, was completely unnecessary, and in doubt stuck another nail in his country’s lowering coffin.

How many times will it be said that Lampard and Gerrard just aren’t compatible in the middle of the park?
There seemed to be a real balance to the midfield, Gerrard pulling the strings in the middle alongside Gareth Barry, whilst Theo Walcott played like a man with a point to prove, looking dangerous on the right hand side. A fresh impetus can often prove beneficial, perhaps bringing younger players into your 5-a-side soccer or 6-a-side football Leisure Leagues has proved fruitful..

So why bring Lampard back into the set up? Sure, he is too good to freeze out completely, and would provide a further option, but use him as cover for Gerrard, the latter of whom has consistently demonstrated that he is the superior player for his country.

Capello has received ample criticism in the aftermath of the summer’s events, and perhaps correctly so. Some of his tactical decisions raised eyebrows, the general atmosphere in the England camp was questioned, with players publicly citing boredom at the Italian’s regime. Certain newspapers and journalists have been calling for Capello to be ousted, but now is the time to throw the support behind the whole squad once again.

Let’s take the positives, which isn’t difficult, from what was a very impressive display, and here’s hoping that Capello confides in the latest crop of youngsters who hold the future in their hands, rather than reverting back to individuals who fail to perform time and time again.

Alex Z