The Capello Index, awful World Cup displays and now injuries aplenty. The problems continue to mount for England boss Fabio Capello - and the hostile media won't let him forget it.

Yet, as ever, England are skinny favourites to win a home international ahead of Friday's Euro 2012 qualifying opener against Bulgaria.

It doesn't matter that a number of first-choice players, notably Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Frank Lampard, are absent - the hosts are still set to go off around the 3/10 mark.

At least this time there hasn't been a media frenzy whipped up about the crowd booing and the team captain basically agreeing with them.

Still, the pressure remains very much on with expectation levels remaining sky high.

It's understandable England start favourites against the Bulgarians, whose current side is a far cry from the one which reached the World Cup semi-finals 16 years ago.

Yet surely only the big-hitters want to get involved at prices like the 3/10 knocking around.

Instead we need to perform our regular move and head away from the outright market when England are involved.

First up, consider the goalscorer markets.

Many will gravitate towards Theo Walcott, for out of all the England players the Arsenal man has started the new campaign the best.

At 3.00 to score at any time, he'll certainly have his backers but that's not for us, primarily because he's regularly been played as an out-and-out right winger for England by Capello. Expect the same again with Walcott in the role of creator.

For those seeking some value, we'd recommend Phil Jagielka in the goal markets.

The Everton centre-back looks too big a price to net against a side who have not kept a clean sheet in their last nine outings.

Georgia, Poland and Belgium have all put two past Bulgaria during that run and Jagielka can make them pay at Wembley.

For while the former Sheffield United star managed to stick one in his own net in last month's friendly win over Hungary, he also was unlucky not to net at the other end.

Jagielka was a constant threat at corners in that match, with Capello clearly telling him to get forward for all the set pieces.

The problem with this bet at time of writing is that Jagielka is doubtful with an ankle knock, but of course if you back him in this market and he doesn't play stakes will be refunded.

With many of those corners coming during a good start for England against Hungary, we'll back Jagielka each-way in the first goalscorer market to small stakes. totesport offer 21.00 here with each-way terms being a generous any goal in the match.

Talking of clean sheets, with England's defence set to be much-changed - if Jagielka is ruled out it looks like Gary Cahill and Matthew Upson will play in the middle - another good bet looks to be backing Bulgaria to score.

One of England's disappointing traits under Capello has been a lack of clean sheets - one area Steve McLaren's teams did well in.

Last season five of the six Wembley visitors managed to find the net, including Slovenia and Egypt, while Hungary managed it last month as they went down 2-1.

Bulgaria have scored in 12 of their last 15 games, including away to the Republic of Ireland and Serbia, and should get a chance or two against a makeshift backline.

As already pointed out, we're confident of England finding the net - they usually do at Wembley - so we'll back both teams to score at 2.10 with totesport, although some may be tempted by England winning 'not to nil' at 1.80 with Bwin.

Looking elsewhere, it is Wales' trip to Montenegro on which we are going to focus.

Don't be fooled by the hosts coming out of the bottom pot of seeds in the draw.

Wales' David Edwards was spot on this week when he explained: ''They are the bottom-seeded team but there is no way they should be. It is just because they are a new nation."

Yes, Montenegro used to be part of Yugoslavia and even following that country's break up in the 1990s, they were playing alongside Serbia until just three years ago.

In their early history as an independent team, the captial Podgorica has already proven a tough place to visit - only Italy won here during World Cup qualifying, with the Republic of Ireland failing to beat them here or in Dublin.

In addition, Northern Ireland were beaten here in a friendly 2-0 only last month, while Wales themselves went down 2-1 in August 2009.

Welsh away wins against decent sides have been thin on the ground of late.

Critics will point out that they have won in Liechtenstein and Azerbaijan fairly recently but neither of those sides is ranked as high as Montenegro, whose star man on Friday is likely to be Roma striker Mirko Vucinic.

With his Serie A reputation, he'll have his followers in the goal markets, but we're going to try a play on his likely striker partner Radomir Djalovic.

With Stefan Jovetic, another Serie A star, out injured, Delovic is set to get his chance to add to his six international goals in 15 appearances.

He's part of a NK Rijeka side which has made a flying start to the Croatian league season and with confidence high, he may well cause a Wales defece shorn of Danny Gabbidon problems.

We suggest you back him and a home win - the latter being an 10/11 shot.

PICKS:
Radomir Djalovic to score at any time v Wales at 3.10 (at Bet365).
Montenegro to beat Wales at 1.80 (at Bet365).
Both teams to score in England v Bulgaria at 2.10 (at Bet365).
Small stake on Phil Jagielka to be the first goalscorer in England v Bulgaria at 21.00 (at Bet365).