Capello a chance gives Agbonlahor to stake his claim.

Byline: John Curtis 

GABRIEL Agbonlahor claims he is in the best form of his career and is determined to convince Fabio Capello he should be part of his World Cup finals plans.

The Aston Villa striker has been recalled to the England squad for the qualifiers with Ukraine and Belarus after scoring in five successive matches for his club. Agbonlahor believes Capello is looking to decide who will be the best back-up strikers to the likes of current first choices Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey to take to South Africa.

And the 22-year-old, whose last action for his country was against Spain in Seville eight months ago, is hoping to show the Italian he has a key role to play. Agbonlahor said: "The England recall means a lot to me. I've been disappointed I've not made the last two squads so I'm happy to get back in. Just to get in front of someone like Darren Bent, who has scored seven goals, means he (Capello) is appreciating what I'm doing at the moment.

"I just have to try to keep it up and stay in the squad. I knew that if I got back to my best I was in with a chance of getting in there.

"The manager has given me a chance so hopefully I can reward him if I get an opportunity to play in either of the two games coming up."

Agbonlahor knows the competition to be on the plane to South Africa will hot up with Capello having four games to decide before having to announce his provisional squad for the finals.

He said: "If the likes of Wayne Rooney or first choice strikers were to get injured in the World Cup, the manager wants to know who can replace them.

"I think that is what he is looking at now. Hopefully I will get my chance in the next two games and show him I can do the business.

"I'll do my best to try and impress him in training and try to get on in the games." Agbonlahor added: "Have I ever been playing better? No, I don't think so. But I have to give credit to my team-mates as well who are setting me up with the chances.

"I think I am getting better game by game but I have to try to continue that. I think I've been improving every year and I'm always looking to improve even further." Villa boss Martin O'Neill believes Agbonlahor has matured as a player and last season he impressed when operating as the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation when John Carew was injured and before the arrival of Heskey.

But Agbonlahor knows that ultimately he will be judged on how many goals he scores and each full season with Villa he has improved with 10, 11 and 13 respectively. He said: "I've always been conscious of doing as much as I can for the team and working on other aspects of my game and I'm always happy to get back and help out defenders whenever it is needed.

But, for a striker, it's all about goals. Even if you are working hard in other areas, you are judged by how many goals you score.

"At the moment things are going well for me, my confidence is high and I'm certainly not complaining about scoring in five successive games!

"But I always try to keep my feet on the ground because I know there will be times during the season when I am not scoring.

"That's when you have to get your head down and work at things but I try not to worry if things aren't going so well."

While there is plenty competition in attack, England World Cup winner George Cohen believes Capello has more or less settled on his defence for South Africa - and believes Glen Johnson can make the right-back slot his own.

Cohen, who turns 70 later this month, was part of Sir Alf Ramsey's back-line alongside legendary captain Bobby Moore, Jack Charlton and Ray Wilson. The former Fulham defender believes a solid rearguard is key to success at next summer's finals.

"Fabio Capello has still got to bring some more players into his squad, but he should know what his defence is now," said Cohen.

"Alf Ramsey had the same situation - the defence was marked out nine months before the World Cup finals, which was tried out against very good teams.

"We beat West Germany twice, Portugal, Spain, all those top teams before we actually won the World Cup, playing with a defence which was settled."

Much has been made of whether Johnson, 25, is up to the task at international level. The full-back, who left Portsmouth for Liverpool in a pounds 17m summer move, has at times been caught out of position when linking up with the England attack.

Cohen believes the former West Ham trainee can be a potent weapon going forward - but should not forget his main duties at the other end.

"Johnson has got a lot to think about," reflected Cohen. "He has got to get forward, and he is pretty good at that, he has got good distribution is fast and strong.

"Perhaps his positional play is not what it should be, but he should be learning all this right up until the day you finish playing football.

"As a youngster, I was taught through the old 'WM' formation, where you swivelled around just one centre-half, in what ever situation. But you go back, up, over and across as a team, keeping width and depth.

"Johnson does get caught out occasionally, but he will learn and learn very fast."

Cohen added: "The idea is to make sure the ball is in front of you and make sure you know where your man is.

"You are a defender first, and if an attack breaks down because of you, you are responsible and have to get back -Johnson is strong enough and powerful enough to do that."

GREEN LIGHT FOR ROBERT TO TARGET ENGLAND JERSEY ROBERT Green was the only England goalkeeper training on the first day of preparations for the World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus after Paul Robinson's withdrawal and David James being treated for a knock.

Robinson's hip injury led to Fabio Capello calling up Joe Hart, while Joleon Lescott misses the double-header with a calf problem he picked up in Manchester City's draw at Aston Villa and has been replaced by Bolton's Gary Cahill.

West Ham goalkeeper Green has started the last five England games and has mounted a challenge for James' number one jersey, having taken advantage of the Portsmouth goalkeeper needing a shoulder operation and suffering a knee injury. Ben Foster's omission from the original squad was explained as a chest injury.

James and Ashley Cole were present at Arsenal's London Colney complex but received treatment for their knocks and are expected to train today.

Capello's other 22 players trained, with Hart and Cahill travelling south to join their team-mates.

Hart has been rewarded for a solid start to his loan period at Birmingham from City, while Bolton centre-back Cahill is looking for his first England cap after travelling to Kazakhstan in June.

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott, meanwhile, will be back with Stuart Pearce's England Under-21s this week after being overlooked for senior duty due to a lack of match-fitness.

Walcott has only just returned from a side strain and Capello, despite the 20-year-old scoring against Blackburn on Sunday, opted not to recall him for the World Cup double-header, with England already qualified for South Africa. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was upset over Walcott playing for the Under-21s in the European Championships in the summer but was happy for his player to go on international duty this week and spoke to Pearce about a call-up for the qualifier against Macedonia on Friday.

"This is the perfect opportunity for the Under-21s to support the senior team," Pearce said. "I spoke with Arsene Wenger yesterday and we both agreed it would be right for Theo to come and join the squad."

CAPTION(S):

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Gabriel Agbonlahor, right, is determined to give Fabio Capello, left, food for thought. BEARD IT LIKE BECKHAM David Beckham runs with John Terry during England training yesterday.