Paul Robinson’s fragile hold on the England No 1 jersey appeared weaker than ever last night after an apparent lack of confidence in yesterday’s training session spread panic among Steve McClaren and his players. McClaren is giving serious consideration to handing a competitive debut to Scott Carson in tomorrow’s crucial European Championship qualifying match against Croatia at Wembley and, even if Robinson keeps his place, it may prove to be only a stay of execution as first-choice goalkeeper.

Although he has kept clean sheets in all but two of England’s 11 qualifying matches, Robinson’s form has failed to inspire confidence and, after an erratic display at London Colney, the Tottenham Hotspur player’s position is under serious threat. McClaren intended to restore the 28-year-old against Croatia after taking a look at Carson in the 1-0 friendly win over Austria in Vienna on Friday, but that is no longer certain as the head coach ponders the merits of the Aston Villa goalkeeper.

It is one of several difficult decisions that McClaren was left to sleep on after a lengthy meeting with his coaching staff at the squad’s Hertfordshire hotel last night. He was also wrestling over whether to persist with David Beckham on the right-hand side, with Shaun Wright-Phillips offering far more pace and penetration, and whether to use Gareth Barry or Owen Hargreaves as the holding midfield player in the expected 4-1-4-1 formation.

The Beckham conundrum was said to be too close to call, but Barry was last night considered slight favourite to get the nod over Hargreaves, whose fitness is a cause for concern after his recent knee injury.

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McClaren may say that he is still learning. I would say that he is still making mistakes yet he is hardly new to the job

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BACKGROUND

• Robinson suffers crisis of confidence

• Crouch must respond to taller orders

• England’s case for the defence

• Fail or succeed, McClaren must go

BACKGROUND

• Ever-changing world of England line-ups

• Beckham the man Croats fear most

• Cole ‘rewards’ Israeli team-mate

• Pearce aims to show seniors how it is done

Related Links

• Crouch must respond to taller orders

• England’s case for the defence

• Fail or succeed, McClaren must go

Even if Robinson is preferred, with England needing only a point to secure qualification, his long-term prospects appear increasingly bleak. It was partly by default — David James suffered a brief loss of form when it mattered — that he kept his place for the critical matches in September and October and, while McClaren may be inclined to go with Robinson’s experience against Croatia, the head coach is prepared to look for a new first-choice goalkeeper once the qualifying campaign is over.

Carson, 22, is in pole position, having impressed with Villa since joining the club on loan from Liverpool, but McClaren would also consider the merits of Ben Foster once the 24-year-old has returned from a long-term knee injury at Manchester United.

Robert Green has been critical of McClaren’s reluctance to consider him after a fine start to the season with West Ham United, but he may come back into contention.

A reliable goalkeeper will be required tomorrow, given the inexperience of a back four that is likely to be without Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Ashley Cole. Sol Campbell, at 33, can hardly be accused of lacking experience, but he will be joined in the back line by Micah Richards and Joleon Lescott, who respectively have ten and three caps, and Wayne Bridge, who is again likely to be preferred to Cole at left back because of concerns about his Chelsea colleague’s fitness.

In attack, in the absence of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney because of injury, Peter Crouch appears likely to start as a lone striker. Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole would offer more attacking impetus in midfield, leaving the vexed issue as to whether Beckham retains his place on the right-hand side ahead of Wright-Phillips, who is fit again.