England head coach Sven Goran Eriksson has today said that, in his mind, there are still at least three spaces up for grabs in the final England squad that he will take to the World Cup in Germany next summer.

With England's opening game, against Paraguay on the 10th of June, now just six months away, Eriksson says he is sure of 20 of the 23 players, barring injury, that he will select to take to Germany next summer for the World Cup finals.

But with the official England squad list not needing to be submitted to FIFA until mid-May, he is keeping his options open and is looking for players on the periphery to impress and force their way into the squad.

"I could pick at least 20 players now, then I have to start thinking harder. Maybe, I'm just looking for a fourth striker, perhaps one full-back and the third goalkeeper," said Eriksson.

"I'm very open-minded. You always hope some new player will come on. But what is important is that I pick the 23 best players."

Eriksson, who is also preparing England to play Leo Beenhakker’s Trinidad and Tobago’s Warriors, and to yet again face his home nation, Sweden, in the final match in Group B on June 20th, has pointed to several players in particular who could still make the squad.

"Darren Bent is one of the leading under-21 players and Kieron Richardson too. Aaron Lennon and Nigel Reo-Coker are not too young," he added.

"You look at Wayne Bridge and question how many games he will have for Chelsea, Jonathan Woodgate too, what will happen with him from now to the summer? There's plenty to think about."

Of these players mentioned, Chelsea FC's left-back Wayne Bridge appears the likeliest to find himself in the squad due mainly to England's lack of options in that position, although Arsenal’s Ashley Cole will have returned from injury by then.

However, injuries and the players form will be the things that ultimately decide the squad, and Eriksson will be hoping his chosen players stay injury free up to the World Cup kick-off.

Sven’s possible 23-man England squad:

Goalkeepers: Paul Robinson, Robert Green, David James.
Defenders: Gary Neville, Luke Young, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, Ledley King, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge.

Midfielders: David Beckham, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Scott Parker, Owen Hargreaves.

Forwards: Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch.

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