England coach Sven Goran Eriksson has named the squad to play in the two FIFA World Cup Europe Zone qualifying matches, against Northern Ireland and Wales. The squad named is full of the normal ever-presents, Beckham, Owen, Terry, and Steven Gerrard amongst others.

The absence of Manchester City's goalkeeper David James, after his truly disastrous performance against Denmark, is proof that the players International days may well be over. Sven has always been a huge admirer of James, and the fact that he has been playing for the first team for so long, with other talented goalkeepers around, goes to show the trust that the England manager has, in the past, had in him.

Whether James was to be included or not is a different matter. Spurs keeper Paul Robinson has been in fine form of late, and with the importance of these games, tied with Robinson's class, his place in the first team is virtually undeniable.

Also omitted was Chelsea's Glen Johnson, to be replaced by Charlton Athletic's Luke Young in defence, alongside Liverpool's Stephen Warnock, who has become a first-choice for Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez.

Also called up is Charlton Athletic's on-form striker Darren Bent, who has started the English Premiership this season with a hat-full of goals, along with Crystal Palace's Andrew Johnson, and another call for Kieron richardson, who also, has been showing his talent this season.

The group is still wide open for England, with Poland currently top of Group 6 with 18 points, and although England are only 2 points behind, and with a game in hand, the two home ties will both have to be won, and won emphatically.

The game against Wales will be played this coming Saturday (3rd September), in the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, with another away game against Northern Ireland four days later on the 7th.

To assume that either of these ties will be easy wins, especially after our woeful performance in the recent friendly against Denmark, would be madness. Wales, now only playing for pride, are playing at home in the Millennium Stadium, and have proved that, on their day, they can match anyone there, a 2-1 win over a strong Italian side being one such victory.

Squad to be chosen from:

Goalkeepers:
Paul Robinson (Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Kirkland (West Bromwich Albion (on loan from Liverpool FC)), Robert Green (Norwich City).

Defenders:
John Terry (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Matthew Upson (Birmingham City), Phil Neville (Everton), Ashley Cole (Arsenal), Luke Young (Charlton Athletic), Stephen Warnock (Liverpool).

Midfielders:
Jermaine Jenas (Newcastle United), David Beckham (Real Madrid), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Michael Carrick (Tottenham Hotspur), Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Kieron Richardson (Man Utd.)

Strikers:
Andrew Johnson (Crystal Palace), Michael Owen (Real Madrid),
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Darren Bent (Charlton Athletic).

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