Germany v England:THEO WALCOTT has been ruled out of tonight's friendly after dislocating his shoulder in training. The Arsenal youngster was taken to hospital where the shoulder was put back into place.
Arsenal have been kept fully informed about the 19-year-old's treatment, with England manager Fabio Capello naturally disappointed.
"Our priority is Theo and making him as comfortable as possible before he returns to England," he said. "We are all very disappointed but the important thing is for Theo to travel home and make a quick recovery."
Tonight's game will have no enduring relevance, but it could go down as the match that made Capello vacillate. At the weekend, he was off-hand about the meeting with Germany. "I think this will be a friendly game," he said suavely. By last night, he was paying lip service to the aura of significance that envelops any encounter between these nations.
"For me," the manager declared, "it's not a friendly either."
That was a prudent declaration of affinity with 7,500 England supporters who have gone to the trouble of travelling to Berlin. Nonetheless, it is Capello's obligation, in the end, to live by his own priorities. This game will certainly matter to him, but not for the entry it leaves in the record books.
Despite his intention to assess the quality in the recesses of his squad, he may not have intended to send out quite so experimental a team. But it makes sense the Italian, with four consecutive victories in the World Cup qualifiers, should let his thoughts roam from the current, preferred line-up.
He will need alternatives over the long phase that culminates with the finals of the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
The impact of the attack against Germany is not academic. Wayne Rooney is missing but the absence of Emile Heskey, who seems the ideal foil for the United forward, gives real pause for thought. It would make no sense to count on a striker with a lengthy injury record being in ideal shape at the age of 32 in the 2010 finals.
There will, accordingly, be a keen interest in the form of Darren Bent, who has struck such potent form with Tottenham. There is sense for the manager too in observing whether Jermain Defoe or Peter Crouch would be the correct foil for him.
Capello went to some lengths in his effort to reject the notion that this match is a run-out for the also-rans.
Michael Carrick, a Champions League winner with Manchester United, may look as if he has been called upon only as a last resort. The England manager, though, hailed him as "one of the best midfielders in the Premier League".
The Italian did envisage this game as a potentially telling moment for those about to receive their opportunity.
"I can check the confidence and performance of these players" against "a big team", he explained.
Germany, it is true, may be taking a slightly keener interest in this friendly than has been suggested. Seven of the side who started in the last competitive match, a 1-0 victory over Wales in Monchenglad-bach, are expected to be on the field at kick-off.
The quota would have been larger had it not been for the unavailability of injured left back Philipp Lahm.
The manager mentioned in passing that the reliable Everton player Phil Jagielka is regularly in his thoughts, but his preference this time has been to call up Michael Mancienne, a 20-year-old Chelsea defender who has never appeared for that club but is currently on a brief loan to Wolves. His inclusion is ascribed to the recommendation of the England Under-21 coach, Stuart Pearce.
It seems an almost whimsical policy, but it may be that there is little left for Capello to learn about someone like Jagielka. Mancienne brims with the unknown and there could be promise within it.
Capello is intrigued, too, by Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor. By late tonight, he will have a clearer understanding of all the alternatives that are open to him.
