Agbonlahor and Crouch to start for England

England boss Fabio Capello will turn to Gabriel Agbonlahor and Peter Crouch against Belarus when he experiences his first World Cup qualifier without Wayne Rooney.

Rooney has played all nine of Capello’s competitive matches but has a calf strain for the 10th and is joined on the sidelines by Steven Gerrard, whose groin complaint has given the Italian another reason to experiment with systems and fringe players in the dead rubber.

With a place in South Africa secured, Capello wants to look at “plan A, B, C”, which on this occasion means being without Rooney, just like Sven-Goran Eriksson was for an hour against Portugal during the quarter-finals of the last World Cup.

Against the same opponents at the same stage of the European Championships two years earlier, Rooney limped off after 26 minutes and England were defeated on penalties – so Capello is aware there needs to be an alternative way to success.

“The two forwards will be Crouch and Agbonlahor,” Capello confirmed.

“We need to play other styles, style A, B, C. It depends on the opposition and the style of the game we need to play. We played always more or less the same style in all the games we’ve played.

“Sometimes, during the friendly games, we’ve changed it. But we need to practise other styles. I want to see some players in different positions.”

Some previous England teams have been accused of lacking plan A, let alone B or C, but Capello insisted: “When I decide the squad, I decide always different styles that I can play with it with the players who will be with me. Why wouldn’t they have that capacity?”

Rob Green is suspended after his red card against Ukraine at the weekend, but David James’ return has been complicated by a knee complaint. The Portsmouth goalkeeper will need a late fitness test.

Gerrard’s absence could give James Milner an opportunity on the left wing, Agbonlahor and Crouch will lead the attack, while Rio Ferdinand will get the chance to atone for his mistake in Dnipropetrovsk that led to Green’s dismissal.

Capello has talked to Ferdinand about his error and insists he has total confidence in the Manchester United centre-back.

“I spoke with Rio, on Monday and this morning, and I will speak also with some other players,” Capello said. “We will see the DVD of the game to understand what happened, and I will see the mistakes.

“I spoke with him about the moment, and different things. It was only about the last game. He’s a good man, a big man, an important player for England and United.”

Despite backing Ferdinand, Capello has stressed there are no “untouchables” in his squad – Gareth Barry was dropped against Ukraine and David Beckham did not make the bench.

Capello, explaining why Beckham did not make the matchday squad, said: “He arrived and was tired in training. I spoke to him in training and asked why you are not good? He has got better.”

Beckham was looking to impress at Arsenal’s London Colney on the eve of the Belarus clash, with James missing the session and Gerrard heading to the dressing room after starting in a 10-v-10 practice match.

“We spoke after the game against Ukraine and Steven thought he’d be fit, perhaps for this game,” Capello said. “He practised with us but, after 10 minutes, he felt it.

“It’s not a big problem. He’ll be fit in two or three days but their manager will decide as they have the Champions League afterwards.”

Eager to avoid a row with Liverpool, Capello added: “He decided to stay here. We asked him what he thought, and he thought he’d be fit. If he’d not been fit, he’d have gone home.”

Gerrard will be among the players invited to watch the match in a Wembley box, with all those involved in the current qualifiers offered the chance for a get-together.

Some players may not make the trip, depending on training schedules, and they will not be paraded at half-time – that will be done by the England Women’s Under-19 and Senior teams after their recent success.

Capello’s message is that his England team have achieved nothing yet.

“Nothing.” he said. “I hope they celebrate in July. Next year.”

He may need plan A, B and C on the way.