Eriksson vision for World Cup takes form

But the nature of the 4-0 win over Northern Ireland suggests that Eriksson's careful team-building plans are now bearing fruit. He will keep the same side against Azerbaijan and, although the Swedish coach would never say so, this England team is beginning to have a look of exclusivity about it.

Sol Campbell is in the latter stages of his recovery and his experience demands that he be given serious consideration for a starting place. But the Arsenal centre-half will have noted that John Terry and Rio Ferdinand have a look of permanence about them at the moment.

Terry is playing with the kind of composure and unobtrusive authority that underpinned the 108-cap England career of another Barking boy - the late Bobby Moore. He considers he still has things to prove at international level but, in my opinion, he's going to take some shifting.

There are others on the fringes like Ledley King, Jermain Defoe, Owen Hargreaves, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jonathan Woodgate and Nicky Butt. Injuries permitting, they will all be in the squad but perhaps only Butt has a real chance of breaking into the team as the holding midfielder - a position Eriksson likes to give to a specialist for the big games against tough opposition.

Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard shared the central midfield responsibilities against the Irish and will do so again on Wednesday. Although not specialist tacklers, neither shirks a challenge and what they lack defensively they make up for in providing greater attacking options.

Lampard has positively blossomed under Jose Mourinho in Chelsea's centenary this season and is, quite rightly, a leading candidate for the Footballer of the Year title. He has already done enough to make himself indispensable and that is now the challenge for his Chelsea team-mate Joe Cole, who is finally beginning to fulfil the potential he demonstrated as a precocious youngster at West Ham a decade ago.

Having accepted that he cannot win matches single handed, he has learned to channel his remarkable range of talents for the good of the team.

He will be given a further chance to convince Eriksson that he's the answer to the long-standing problems on the left of midfield when England face Azerbaijan. Another dynamic, controlled performance could clinch him that role in Germany next summer.

Just a few months ago Mourinho considered him a risk. But, in recent weeks, he's been outstanding and Arjen Robben's continuing injury problems means that he can extend his first-team run unchallenged at Chelsea.

Astonishingly, it is five years since Cole made his England debut and, although he has 20 caps, he has never looked close to pinning down a regular-place - until now. He may just be the last piece in the jigsaw for Eriksson.

You can never rule out a late challenge, but the reality is that Eriksson now has 10 outfield players who are beginning to look like a proper team. All of them have played in at least one major tournament - even Cole was a substitute in the 2002 World Cup - and some have played in two or more.

It's not in Eriksson's interests to claim that he has settled on his World Cup starting line-up. He wants to keep the others on their toes and there's always a chance that another Michael Owen will suddenly pop up.

Owen, who made his England debut just four months before starring in the 1998 World Cup finals in France, said: "You can't take anything for granted just because you're in the team.

"One bad game at international level, or a couple of bad games at club level and it could all change.

"There are players desperate to get into the team and for them there's still plenty to play for."