What happens if Joe Hart loses his form? Will Rio cast aside the captaincy nonsense? Will Parker be fit? Will Capello play Villa's front three? Questions, and hopefully answers, this way...
Joe Hart
There's a fair amount of pressure on Hart at the moment. Paul Robinson and Ben Foster have rather haughtily declared themselves unavailable, Rob Green basically had to be dragged kicking and screaming back to cover for David Stockdale (who himself has only played eight Premier League games), and Green hasn't exactly been a world-beater this season himself. Beyond that...Scott Carson? Frankie Fielding? Fraser Forster? They sound like they could all be music hall stars, but international goalies?
So there are plenty of eggs in Hart's basket. Firstly, he absolutely must not get injured. Even then, that will at least force Fabio Capello into some form of decision.
But what if his form disappears? What if he becomes a gibbering wreck of a man and starts throwing goals in? At what point does Capello decide he is a liability and gets rid? Hopefully that won't happen, but this is the first game that Capello is essentially working without a goalkeeping net, if you'll excuse the semi-pun.
Rio Ferdinand
Rio talks a good, mature game these days, and if he is indeed as disappointed not to be England captain anymore as the papers claim, he hasn't said so publicly.
Without wishing to speak for the whole nation, I suspect that most people outside of Fleet Street give not a single hoot about who wears a bit of essentially inconsequential elastic around their arm. What they do care about is their centre-half playing well. If Ferdinand ensures the nonsense surrounding the captaincy doesn't affect his international game, everyone will be happy.
Scott Parker
A chance to nail down that holding role? While we aren't privy to his levels of fitness, we can assume that, as West Ham didn't even gamble on starting their captain even when they were absolutely desperate, he probably isn't in tip-top shape.
Still, if Capello continues with the 4-3-3 formation deployed to some success against Wales, it's tricky to see who else will play in the centre of midfield. And not just this weekend - Michael Carrick doesn't have the authority, Gareth Barry is...sigh...Gareth Barry is achingly average, Owen Hargreaves could do with a new set of legs as well as a new club, and Jack Rodwell isn't ready yet.
Any suggestions?
Frank Lampard
Again, in that 4-3-3 England will play Parker/whoever else emerges as a realistic holding alternative, Jack Wilshere and AN Other. Lampard will probably play at Wembley, but he must put in a convincing showing to persuade Capello he is the man to stay when Steven Gerrard returns.
Ash Young, Adam Johnson, Stewart Downing and Theo Walcott
With Wayne Rooney unavailable, the chances are Capello will send out two genuine wingers either side of Darren Bent.
So that's two from these four, five if you include James Milner. It would be harsh to drop Young, and while Capello is clearly a fan of Walcott, there is a case to be made for an all-Aston Villa front three, with Stewart Downing taking up the role that he has been so good in for his club.
It would be a slight worry to field a striking trio from a club that scored 48 goals over the Premier League season, but it looks the best option at present.
Darren Bent
The established centre-forward in the England team? It's taken him five years, but Bent might well be England's number nine at last.
Andy Carroll looks to be the only serious threat to the Villa forward, but in the short-term he is not fit, while looking further ahead he doesn't play in the system that Capello seems to have settled on. Bent does, and appears to be flourishing in it.
A few goals against the Swiss wouldn't hurt, either.
Fabio Capello
'This is a Euro 2012 qualifier that could cost Fabio Capello his job if England slip up,' wrote the ever-dramatic Henry Winter in The Daily Telegraph on Thursday.
Even if England lose, Capello probably won't be sacked, but it will make for an extremely uncomfortable few weeks, even months, for the Italian. With no other domestic football to speak of until August, the frothing columnists of Fleet Street will have a couple of months with nothing but transfer speculation and exactly why Capello is the worst manager of all time to write about.
For a quiet summer holiday as much as anything, a comfortable win would do very nicely for Capello.
Fleet Street
If anyone from any of the big dailies is reading this, a plea for you.
Should England lose, or draw, or win in a manner that you do not deem satisfactory (i.e. not 5-0), please do not treat this as the end of days. Switzerland are a perfectly capable football team, as Spain will tell you. They are not clueless, dribbling clowns.
One reporter asked Joleon Lescott on Wednesday if complacency was the biggest danger for England, as if the Swiss were a sub-San Marino collection of part-timers. Lescott played a straight bat, but the question was slightly disrespectful to Saturday's visitors. Sure, England should probably win at Wembley, but all of the Swiss squad played in the top divisions of Europe last season, including 14 in the Premier League, Ligue 1, the Bundesliga and Serie A.
So calm thyselves. Do not call anyone a jackass, or a wally, or Photoshop them as any form of root vegetable. Criticism is fine, frothing and demanding Italian heads on spikes is not.
Joe Hart
There's a fair amount of pressure on Hart at the moment. Paul Robinson and Ben Foster have rather haughtily declared themselves unavailable, Rob Green basically had to be dragged kicking and screaming back to cover for David Stockdale (who himself has only played eight Premier League games), and Green hasn't exactly been a world-beater this season himself. Beyond that...Scott Carson? Frankie Fielding? Fraser Forster? They sound like they could all be music hall stars, but international goalies?
So there are plenty of eggs in Hart's basket. Firstly, he absolutely must not get injured. Even then, that will at least force Fabio Capello into some form of decision.
But what if his form disappears? What if he becomes a gibbering wreck of a man and starts throwing goals in? At what point does Capello decide he is a liability and gets rid? Hopefully that won't happen, but this is the first game that Capello is essentially working without a goalkeeping net, if you'll excuse the semi-pun.
Rio Ferdinand
Rio talks a good, mature game these days, and if he is indeed as disappointed not to be England captain anymore as the papers claim, he hasn't said so publicly.
Without wishing to speak for the whole nation, I suspect that most people outside of Fleet Street give not a single hoot about who wears a bit of essentially inconsequential elastic around their arm. What they do care about is their centre-half playing well. If Ferdinand ensures the nonsense surrounding the captaincy doesn't affect his international game, everyone will be happy.
Scott Parker
A chance to nail down that holding role? While we aren't privy to his levels of fitness, we can assume that, as West Ham didn't even gamble on starting their captain even when they were absolutely desperate, he probably isn't in tip-top shape.
Still, if Capello continues with the 4-3-3 formation deployed to some success against Wales, it's tricky to see who else will play in the centre of midfield. And not just this weekend - Michael Carrick doesn't have the authority, Gareth Barry is...sigh...Gareth Barry is achingly average, Owen Hargreaves could do with a new set of legs as well as a new club, and Jack Rodwell isn't ready yet.
Any suggestions?
Frank Lampard
Again, in that 4-3-3 England will play Parker/whoever else emerges as a realistic holding alternative, Jack Wilshere and AN Other. Lampard will probably play at Wembley, but he must put in a convincing showing to persuade Capello he is the man to stay when Steven Gerrard returns.
Ash Young, Adam Johnson, Stewart Downing and Theo Walcott
With Wayne Rooney unavailable, the chances are Capello will send out two genuine wingers either side of Darren Bent.
So that's two from these four, five if you include James Milner. It would be harsh to drop Young, and while Capello is clearly a fan of Walcott, there is a case to be made for an all-Aston Villa front three, with Stewart Downing taking up the role that he has been so good in for his club.
It would be a slight worry to field a striking trio from a club that scored 48 goals over the Premier League season, but it looks the best option at present.
Darren Bent
The established centre-forward in the England team? It's taken him five years, but Bent might well be England's number nine at last.
Andy Carroll looks to be the only serious threat to the Villa forward, but in the short-term he is not fit, while looking further ahead he doesn't play in the system that Capello seems to have settled on. Bent does, and appears to be flourishing in it.
A few goals against the Swiss wouldn't hurt, either.
Fabio Capello
'This is a Euro 2012 qualifier that could cost Fabio Capello his job if England slip up,' wrote the ever-dramatic Henry Winter in The Daily Telegraph on Thursday.
Even if England lose, Capello probably won't be sacked, but it will make for an extremely uncomfortable few weeks, even months, for the Italian. With no other domestic football to speak of until August, the frothing columnists of Fleet Street will have a couple of months with nothing but transfer speculation and exactly why Capello is the worst manager of all time to write about.
For a quiet summer holiday as much as anything, a comfortable win would do very nicely for Capello.
Fleet Street
If anyone from any of the big dailies is reading this, a plea for you.
Should England lose, or draw, or win in a manner that you do not deem satisfactory (i.e. not 5-0), please do not treat this as the end of days. Switzerland are a perfectly capable football team, as Spain will tell you. They are not clueless, dribbling clowns.
One reporter asked Joleon Lescott on Wednesday if complacency was the biggest danger for England, as if the Swiss were a sub-San Marino collection of part-timers. Lescott played a straight bat, but the question was slightly disrespectful to Saturday's visitors. Sure, England should probably win at Wembley, but all of the Swiss squad played in the top divisions of Europe last season, including 14 in the Premier League, Ligue 1, the Bundesliga and Serie A.
So calm thyselves. Do not call anyone a jackass, or a wally, or Photoshop them as any form of root vegetable. Criticism is fine, frothing and demanding Italian heads on spikes is not.
Nick Miller http://www.football365.com
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