Lampard and Gerrard to take centre stage to add pace to script

The conundrum of how to get the best from England's finest two attacking midfielders proved beyond predecessors Sven Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren.

Capello discovered the answer immediately, shifting Gerrard forward to play behind Wayne Rooney, while deploying a holding player whose presence let Lampard cut loose from further back.

Yet, less than two weeks before England go into battle for the greatest prize in the game, Capello finds himself in the delicate position of having to wind the clock back.

The problem has been created by a combination of a long-term injury to Owen Hargreaves, Capello's first-choice holding player, a more short-term problem for Gareth Barry that should at least allow him to make it to South Africa but not face the USA, and Michael Carrick's loss of form.

Twice in the past week, against Mexico and Japan, England have been in trouble until Gerrard was switched into central midfield and, on both occasions, the improvement was instant.

Now, after spending so long pursuing another idea, Capello must decide whether it is worth resurrecting the Lampard-Gerrard axis.

"I know the history," Capello smiled. "This is a big question for you always? Can't play together?

"Probably both were too young. That was a joke. I hope that they can play together. I have to decide whether to try."

Capello likes to play his cards close to his chest and rarely reveals everything about any particular subject.

Clues can be found, though, and by highlighting how quickly England began to move, both with their passing and their feet after half-time against Japan, Capello intimated he feels he will pair Lampard and Gerrard together in Rustenburg.

"Good players can move positions," he said. "Frank and Steve are used to going forward because they have a holding player alongside them.

"If they play together one will have to stay at different moments.

"The most important thing I saw against Japan was when these players got the ball they played it really quickly.

"The passes through the Japan defence were really good."

Capello will not start formulating his plans until he receives the latest medical bulletin on Barry this morning.

He expects to be told the Manchester City midfielder will be fit enough to train properly immediately after the United States encounter and therefore pass his minimum requirement for a place in the 23-man squad.

Once that information has been digested, Capello can begin the difficult task of making seven phone calls which will inform the unlucky recipients their services are no longer required.

Scott Parker, Stephen Warnock and Michael Dawson will surely be out, so too Tom Huddlestone and Darren Bent.

To an outsider, the main problem is whether Capello utilises the guile of Joe Cole at the expense of the pace provided by either Adam Johnson or Shaun Wright-Phillips.