Emerging talent on show for new boss

And with injuries having deprived Peter Taylor of up to four of what was already a youthful intended line-up, it is a side which could be picked apart mercilessly by critics, let alone Euro 2000 finalists Italy.

However, the caretaker England coach remains unrepentant about the over-riding aim that he is pursuing ahead of tonight's friendly in Turin.

That is to give Sven-Goran Eriksson a taste of the emerging talent which will be available to him, not simply to reinforce what he already knows in a match where the result should not overwhelmingly matter.

So now it is up to the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Emile Heskey, Gareth Barry and Kieron Dyer to start living up to their international potential, but without fearing that they will be judged only on this game.

''Of course I understand that we could do with an experienced Martin Keown, Tony Adams or Teddy Sheringham at times alongside younger players to help them on their way,'' explained Taylor.

''But I still honestly believe that you wouldn't have learned any more if Martin Keown had been here and headed every ball away and won every tackle.

''It still wouldn't have been new to Mr Eriksson. I thought it was worth looking at something that might be new to him.''

Rejecting the idea of this team marking a 'fresh start' as he was not the permanent boss, Taylor added: ''Whenever I saw England friendlies, I always thought we should play younger players and give them a chance.

''If I said that when I wasn't England manager and then I didn't do it when I was England manager I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I have to do what I think is right.''

Tactically at least, it is certainly as if the 18-month reign of Kevin Keegan had never really happened and that the mantle of England coach had passed directly on from Glenn Hoddle to his protege.

For Ferdinand and captain David Beckham will be the lynchpins of a 3-5-2 formation with split strikers in Heskey and Nick Barmby.

Ferdinand has been given the chance to prove that he can become a genuine sweeper for England by bringing the ball out of defence with assurance.

There will be mistakes along the way, that much is certain for a 22-year-old and especially one given so few England chances by Keegan.

However, Ferdinand will not learn or improve by sitting in the stands or being lambasted for those errors, and he might just solve the legion of distribution problems in the long-term if he is actually given a run in the side.

''As soon as I got this opportunity, I said to myself that I wanted to play Rio,'' said Taylor, of a defender who went to the 1998 World Cup but has since actually gone backwards in international terms by missing out on Euro 2000.

''I'm sure he's been frustrated at not playing so many games. But now he's going to get the opportunity. Now it's up to him.''

Ferdinand will have two experienced figures alongside him in Gareth Southgate and Gary Neville, while the oldest member of the squad David James is in goal.

Taylor has been conscious of ensuring some experience in the side, even though Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and Wes Brown have all been ruled out of the starting line-up through injury.

With Michael Owen and Alan Smith also pulling out, Barmby has come into the role designated for Scholes just behind Heskey, while Nicky Butt starts in midfield and Darren Anderton may have lost his place to Ray Parlour.

With Parlour and Barry as wing-backs, it is hardly a team that looks as if it has goals flooding out of every pore. Barmby has actually scored half of the overall total of six, with only Beckham, Heskey and Southgate also having found the target for England.

Sunderland's Kevin Phillips could certainly feel aggrieved at being left out but Taylor insisted: ''He's a good lad and a good pro and while I'm sure he's disappointed, he'll get on with it and be as helpful as ever.''

The key was that the Leicester boss wanted to employ the split-striker system that worked so well against France in Keegan's one experiment with it, when Scholes played behind Andy Cole.

''We're asking Nick to make a front two but he has got the licence to have a bit more freedom,'' said Taylor.

''He's in good form, he's looking very fit and he played in that position quite a bit at Tottenham. He's also an experienced and very intelligent player.''

Whatever else happens, the formation should at least ensure England are not over-run in the midfield areas where they were so exposed in a 4-4-2 line-up at the Euro 2000 finals and against Germany last month.

''I said at the time that when we played against good midfielders in Euro 2000, those were the games we struggled in,'' recalled Taylor.

While much of the scoring onus will fall on Heskey, who has been in superb form with 10 goals already this season, a huge measure of responsibility will also lie with Beckham in the central role he prefers.

''He's an important part to Manchester United and England. He's one of the world's best players and there's a great quality about his game,'' said Taylor.

''I just go back to 1998. He got a lot of stick then and how he handled it was first-class.