Sven-Goran Eriksson claims the puzzle of England's holding midfield role will eventually be solved by Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard.

The England boss expects Lampard, 27, and Gerrard, 25, to adapt into more defensive players when their attacking instincts are drained by age.

Eriksson said: "Gerrard and Lampard are two extremely intelligent football players who, in the future when they lose a little bit of energy, could play extremely well as sitting midfielders. I'm sure about that."

The Swede does not see that happening yet, however, and insists he will not shirk the decision to drop one of his star midfielders in the World Cup finals.

Gerrard and Lampard are two of the world's best midfielders with both featuring highly in FIFA's World Player of the Year poll, in which Lampard was second only to Ronaldinho. But the Eriksson is ready to axe one of them if he thinks he needs a deep midfielder like Michael Carrick to screen his back four.

Eriksson said: "Maybe in some games I would pick Carrick ahead of Lampard or Gerrard in order to have a real sitting midfielder.

"In some games we will meet a team with two strikers and a player like Zidane behind them and you have to think about what to do."

Eriksson tried Ledley King in that role against Argentina in November but the Tottenham centre-half may have talked himself out of the job by insisting he is not comfortable in midfield.

King's Tottenham team-mate Carrick impressed the England manager with a quietly composed performance against Uruguay on Wednesday.

But England's midfield for the first game of the finals against Paraguay will be David Beckham, Joe Cole, Gerrard and Lampard if they are all fit.

Eriksson must now keep his fingers crossed and hope all his players emerge unscathed from the final two months of the season.

His main concern at the moment is at left-back, where the cover is thin if Wayne Bridge and Ashley Cole cannot beat their injury problems.

Eriksson said: "Let's hope that doesn't happen. There is Paul Konchesky and Jamie Carragher, who played left-back for a season, a couple of years ago.

"Wes Brown has played left-back now and then and we have Kieran Richardson who has played left-back for United.

"But we have two very good, natural left-backs who are good at defending and going forward. That's Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge.

"I can't just go out looking for left-footed players. They must also have the quality to play international football.

"In some ways it's better to choose a right-footed player and Carragher gives you an enormous guarantee defensively."

Sol Campbell must also prove his fitness if he is to make the final 23 but Eriksson admits a player like Michael Owen may be a special case.

The Newcastle striker is still out with a broken foot and is targeting the FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea on March 22 for a possible comeback.

But Owen is so vital to England that his World Cup place will be held open, even if there is a setback on the road to recovery.

Eriksson said: "If the doctor is telling me he thinks Michael Owen will be ready for the friendly games, I would probably take five strikers and take a risk because Michael Owen is our best goalscorer."

Eriksson has friendly games planned against Hungary on May 30 and Jamaica on June 3. FIFA want the countries to name their World Cup squads on May 15 but there is a campaign to delay this date.

England are also exploring the idea of organising a B international for some of his fringe players to have a game in London on May 25.

Eriksson said: "The league finishes on May 6. We have two friendly games but I'm not sure how many substitutes we will be able to use in those games.

"If it's only six then the risk is that players will go to the World Cup who haven't played football since May 6. So I think it's a good idea."