Capello to Persist With Problematic Midfield Duo

The England manager Fabio Capello intends to solve the conundrum of whether Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard can play together, despite the pair failing to click once again during England's victory over the US.

The midfield duo will be separated for this weekend's fixture against Trinidad and Tobago, with Lampard rested following his appearance in the Champions League final, but Capello was pleased with their first showing together since he took over.

Gerrard fulfilled an unusual attacking role on the left against the US, while Lampard played in his favored position in the centre, alongside Owen Hargreaves. Concerns over Gerrard and Lampard's effectiveness caused problems for both Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren, but England's Italian coach appears confident that the combination can work.

"I think this because in this position Gerrard is a very dangerous player for the opposition and he is free for every movement," he said. "He does not always come back into defensive positions but he does that sometimes as well. I was very glad for his performance.

"Lampard always plays well. They are very good players and very important players for me. I think the good players can be played together in the same team."

Similarities in the players' styles - with both preferring the freedom to attack from midfield - have led to questions over their compatibility. And Capello gave weight to such concerns when he began describing the qualities of the Chelsea midfielder, before correcting himself as he was actually referring to Liverpool's skipper.

However, after Gerrard's man-of-the-match performance, Capello can concentrate for the moment on another quandry - that of who will become England's permanent captain. Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry have worn the armband in successive friendlies, and Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry has been widely tipped to stake his claim against the Caribbean side on Sunday.

"It's not an easy decision, we have good captains, and even in my own mind I do not know what the decision will be," Capello said. "But I will make my mind up and when I decide I will talk with the players."

Capello was impressed by Wayne Rooney's performance in his role as the second striker. "I talked with him after the game. He didn't score but he played very well, which is important for the team," the manager said.

And there was praise for former captain David Beckham, whose free-kick led to Terry's opener at Wembley. "Beckham for me is not important only for free-kicks and corners," said Capello. "He is an important player for other parts of his game."