While the critics have started to pick holes in what turned out to be a clinical victory by Euro 2008 winners Spain over Capello's improving England side, the Italian remains calm about the date when his team need to deliver.

Providing England pass their major tests, the next of which comes against the Ukraine at Wembley on April 1, Capello can handle the kind of setback suffered in Seville on Wednesday, content in the knowledge he is learning about the abilities of his squad.

"I am focused on World Cup qualification," he said.

"If we qualify, we have time, a year and a half, for some of our younger players to get better.

"Our pool is wider now. The important thing is what the form of the players will be like before the next game. That is very important."

It is important because form will be the basis under which Capello selects his squad.

Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott are virtually guaranteed to return providing they prove their fitness while others such as Wes Brown may also force their way in.

But at least a dozen members of the squad that travelled to Spain need to maintain their present standards if they are to retain their places.

Unlike Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren, Capello has kept his distance from all the players, so much so that he found the need to correct an inquisitor over potential challengers for David Beckham's position.

"I don't understand what the Beckham position is," he chided. "The position is right wing."

In handing Carlton Cole his debut and watching James Milner in training, Capello has given himself another couple of options and in pointing out his team was playing 'left, left, left' throughout the first-half he has started to correct a technical flaw that proved to be England's undoing.

"You can't score goals against a team like Spain when the ball is going left 80% of the time and you never switch it," he observed.

"It is not easy to play against Spain, who have only one forward and a lot of quick players in midfield.

"We changed in the second half and were much better as a result."

Now comes the worst time for an international manager, the five week gap before another squad is named.

It is a period filled with European ties, FA Cup ties, a Carling Cup final and a series of important Premier League games, all of which bring the prospect of injury and disruption to Capello's plans.

However, at least it offers a cooling off period for Martin O'Neill and a chance, if he believes it is necessary, for Capello to explain why he handed Emile Heskey a starting place against Spain when his club manager clearly felt the striker was not fully fit.

Certainly there is no anti-Villa feeling on Capello's part judging by the way he assessed the Midlands outfit O'Neill has carefully moulded into challengers for a Champions League spot.

"Of course I must be neutral but Aston Villa are playing well and their position in the Premier League is very important to us," added Capello.

"The Champions League is a different level. You have to play against teams with very important players who have a different style."

He would never say so publicly of course but getting Villa into the top four would provide his squad with additional experience - Theo Walcott apart - that cannot be matched by Arsenal in the same position.

Providing O'Neill can be pacified, Capello will look towards the Ukraine, which is preceded by a friendly against Slovakia on March 28.

The fixture list ensures a 10-day build-up to a game where three points could virtually assure the Three Lions of their place in the final 32 - and potentially another meeting with Spain.

"I will study what happened on Wednesday and hopefully we will play Spain again at the World Cup," he said.

"By the time we play against Slovakia and the Ukraine I will know what the physical condition of the players is, which will be very important.

"It is possible if we play Spain at another time in the season we can be fresher than we are now and get different result."