Capello keen to monitor Wilshere progress

Capello keen to monitor Wilshere progress


Fabio Capello is looking forward to watching the next stage of Jack Wilshere's footballing education.

After turning in a pleasing performance on his full England debut on Wednesday, Wilshere's attentions are now turning back to the club scene at Arsenal. And whilst the Gunners have an important Premier League encounter with Wolves to negotiate first, already attention is turning towards Wednesday's UEFA Champions League duel with Barcelona.

Few expect Arsene Wenger's men to come out on top against the team widely acknowledged to be the best in the world, even though they relinquished their European crown to Inter Milan last term. But for Wilshere in particular, it will be an opportunity to measure himself against true greats of the game such as Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi.

"Wilshere is really young. He has to learn and he has to improve," said Capello. "It is not easy to find a player who can play with so much confidence in the first game you start for the national team.

"But the games against Barcelona will be really strong. It will be really interesting for me to see what happens, just as it was really interesting for him to play against Denmark. They played a lot of passes and had a lot of ball possession, a bit like Barcelona. But the quality of Barcelona is a little bit higher."

Attacking options
Wilshere's emergence is just one of the many plus points to come out of the friendlies England played either side of Christmas. Along with Andy Carroll, he remains the most likely newcomer to force his way into Capello's plans on a regular basis but options are starting to emerge in many areas.

Even Wayne Rooney's position is no longer guaranteed following Ashley Young's second-half cameo, whilst Peter Crouch, missing with a back problem last night and someone Capello has always given the impression he would be happy to drop at the first available opportunity, is now looking very vulnerable.

Capello must wait five weeks before England reconvene, ahead of the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier with Wales in Cardiff on 26 March, and the friendly with Ghana three days later. But if he is lucky with injuries, the Three Lions chief faces a few dilemmas. And he cannot wait.

"I hope it will be difficult for me," he said. "It means there are new possibilities. It means we are really strong. It means I have decisions to make. I just want them in the same physical situation as they are now because everyone could see those who were here were in the top physical condition."