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Capello defends England's tactics

Fabio Capello believes England can have a "really good summer" at next year's European Championships © Getty Images

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Fabio Capello has hit back at claims that England are negative, insisting talent is more important than style.

England produced a brilliant rearguard display to thwart world and European champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday, but the performance was criticised by Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas, who hit out at England's defensive tactics.

However, Capello has dismissed the disapproval of his side's approach, declaring all he is concerned with is how much ability the England squad have to win matches.

"It's not important the style, it's more important the talent," he said. "It is the young players that make the difference, and I think they have got the talent. The Premier League is a fantastic league, we've got new players, young players. Next summer we can see a really, really good team.

"I think when you play against Spain, you have to have the perfect game. The style Spain use is difficult to play against. They play a lot of passes. I think Spain have a fantastic style and they are the best team in the world right now and will be for the next four or five years because the team is really young. When you play against this team you have to defend and play on the counter-attack."

A number of England's younger players stood out against Spain and Capello says he is glad the more inexperienced members of his squad had a chance to play under the spotlight at Wembley. He said: "It is really important to play at Wembley, it's difficult for some young players to play in front of our fans and against Spain.

"It is difficult to find young players who played with the confidence they showed against Spain. Experiences like this are important for players so they can improve."

Sweden lie in wait for Capello's troops and the Italian coach has warned his players to underestimate Tuesday's opponents at their peril. He said: "When you think the opponents are better than you, then you have to play at the top. Your concentration and focus is right at that level, all game.

"But what is difficult is when you play a team and you think you are better than them. Then you really need to play at the top level. This is the change we need to make. You can see if a player has the confidence in their first game with that team. That is what is so important.

"They had been in the academy before but now, with the seniors, we had to see if they could play the same way. The players who played against Spain played the same way as they do with their clubs. So I think, from my experience, they are now ready.

"Against Sweden, it will be really difficult. Their movement when they defend is very good and then they play on the counter-attack. Also, now, after we have beaten Spain, they will come here thinking we are good, so they know they will have to play better - and so will we.

"This is the next step, the really important one we have to take if we want to go forward and improve. But, against Spain, we found good players. The result was really important because of the effect on the confidence of the team. In the past, sometimes, they have lost that."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.