Soccer: Terry's injury adds to England defensive woes

Fabio Capello's bad luck with injuries to his key defenders continued when it emerged that John Terry is likely to miss tomorrow's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro with an injury aggravated in training yesterday.

Terry has not played for Capello since the friendly against Hungary on 11 August. Rio Ferdinand is fit and - barring an accident - certain to start tomorrow. But on Friday, Capello also lost Everton's Phil Jagielka with a hamstring problem, just when it looked as if the player had advanced a good case to be picked ahead of Ferdinand.

The injury to Terry is thought to have originated in a clash with Carlton Cole when the West Ham striker landed on Terry during a game at Upton Park on 11 September. The problem has been managed until now but the discomfort is such that Terry needs to rest.

Terry missed the previous Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland with a hamstring problem picked up in Chelsea's game against Stoke on 28 August. He has since played six times for his club, having made his comeback just after the last international break.

Should Terry be ruled out of the game tomorrow it means Capello will have little choice other than to go with Joleon Lescott and Ferdinand in central defence against Montenegro. That will be the fifth consecutive game he has had to start with a different defensive pairing, demonstrating how hard it has been for the England manager to achieve any consistency in that position.

Capello has already called up Gary Cahill as cover for Jagielka. If he loses Terry, he may have to bring in another defender as cover. Matt Upson, who played against Slovenia and Germany at the World Cup, has been ignored since South Africa and is an unlikely candidate. Beyond that, Capellois options are limited.

Darren Bent has emerged as the favourite to partner Wayne Rooney in attack at Wembley on Tuesday. Capello is also without the long-term injured Jermain Defoe and is leaning towards using the Sunderland man in that position. Bent scored his first international goal against Switzerland in Basle last month.

The England manager is not thought to have an issue with goalkeeper Joe Hart over the News of the World's reports that he was drinking in a bar in Spain last Tuesday night. The night out - captured on a camera phone, the bIte noire of Premier League footballers - was during the four days the England players had off duty before the squad met on Thursday ahead of tomorrow's game.

Capello will announce today whether he intends to stay with Steven Gerrard as England captain or reinstate Ferdinand, who has not captained the team since his pre-World Cup injury. Ferdinand is fit and is understood to have been impressive in training. The Capello camp insist the decision was already made some time ago. All will be revealed when the captain gives his traditional pre-match press conference this lunchtime.

The players and staff have had no clear guidance as to which way Capello intends to go on the matter. Ferdinand was given the job when Terry was sacked in February, although there was little fanfare by the time injury first allowed him to assume the role in May against Mexico. In Capellois view, Ferdinand picked up the job automatically by dint of being vice-captain to Terry.

Gerrard has captained the team for the last seven games and is the more likely of the two to be fit and available over the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign. However, it would be a big move to sack his second captain within the space of 10 months.

Gerrard was among a group of England players including Lescott, Ashley Young and Shaun Wright-Phillips who visited the children's ward at Watford General Hospital yesterday, which is near to the teamis Grove Hotel base in Hertfordshire. Gerrard said: iFootball sometimes seems like the most important thing in the world, but when you see children like this in the hospital it puts everything in perspective.

iIf you can make even just a small impact on someone's life, give them a boost, it's completely worth it. You see the kidsi eyes light up when you walk in, it gives you a great feeling. It was also nice to see the nurses and hospital staff who do such an incredible job for the children,i Gerrard added.

(Corporation Mark) THE INDEPENDENT

All rights owned or licensed to Independent Print Ltd