Fabio Capello would be delighted if a member of his depleted England squad secured a place in the team on a regular basis.

The Italian spent more time discussing who had not made the trip rather than who had ahead of the friendly with Germany in Berlin - and then saw Theo Walcott become the latest player to be ruled out after suffering a dislocated shoulder in training.

Capello has confirmed a new get-tough policy regarding injured players that should remove any doubt over their availability.

Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard were the first to submit to this new regime, with Capello insisting he has discussed the matter with England's leading club managers, including Liverpool's Rafael Benitez.

Amid all the furore, it seems to have been forgotten what is at stake for those who are involved.

And, after watching Walcott announce his arrival so dramatically with his hat-trick in Croatia two months ago, Capello feels opponents as strong as Germany offer another major chance to impress.

"These players can do the same thing. Why not?" said Capello. "I would be happy if that was the case.

"Tomorrow will be a very hard game, which gives me the chance to check the confidence and value of these players."

With Capello confirming the best youngsters such as Gabriel Agbonlahor and Michael Mancienne can hope for is a run-out after half-time, the spotlight will fall on players like Michael Carrick.

The Manchester United midfielder has not figured for his country since the last meeting with Germany at Wembley in August last year.

For Capello, at least, the extended absence is solely to do with injury.

"Carrick was always in my mind," he said. "We put him in provisional squads but he was always injured.

"He has started to play the last three or four games consecutively for United, so he is in. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League."

Whether Carrick would make the cut if Gerrard and Lampard were available is open to debate. Including Owen Hargreaves, it could be said England will be missing eight of their first-choice players tomorrow evening.

Yet Capello seemed genuinely non-plussed by the eruption of such a fierce club-versus-country debate.

As a former manager of AC Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid, it could hardly be claimed he has not suffered with international friendlies before. But in this instance, Capello felt the situation was quite straightforward.

"It is clear," he said. "It is impossible to put in those who have not played the previous weekend."

That statement accounted for half a dozen absences, including Manchester United pair Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney.

But what of Lampard and Gerrard? They were called to England's Hertfordshire base on Sunday when, in Gerrard's case, he had already been ruled out by his club with a groin strain.

"Our doctor found the (rib) problem with Lampard, not the club," said Capello. "To play tomorrow he would have needed an injection.

"Gerrard had been examined by his club. We checked him as well and reached the same conclusion so, like Lampard, we sent him home."

The inconvenience of Gerrard making a 400-mile round trip from Merseyside seems to be little more than a minor inconvenience.

"In Italy, the players always have to go and get checked," said Capello. "It is the best way. It avoids arguments and misunderstandings."

The instigation of such a policy was described as a 'new protocol' by a senior FA official, who found himself caught in the crossfire, which Capello had no difficulty dodging even when quizzed whether the two players under discussion would have been available on a Champions League night, or at the weekend.

"Gerrard and Lampard could not possibly play tomorrow, 100%. It would not make any difference what competition we were in," he said.

"I don't know if they'll play on Saturday or Sunday but Gerrard would probably need an injection."

As Gerrard played for England quite recently with an injection, it seems harsh to suggest the Liverpool captain decided this was a game he would prefer to miss.

It is not lost on anyone there will be 7,000 English fans at the game, confirming Germany remain opponents to be taken seriously at any time given the history that has grown around meetings between the two countries.

"I know the supporters do not look upon this as a friendly, I feel the same way," said Capello.

"Germany have won three World Cups and the European Championships.

"They are always one of the big teams in the world."