It becomes a familiar refrain from many club managers: "My player is the cure-all to England's problems."

Wayne Bridge's injury while playing for England against Uruguay on Wednesday night highlighted a dilemma for Sven-Göran Eriksson, the England coach.

Who to play at left-back?

Ashley Cole's injury nightmare continues so there is no solution from among the Arsenal ranks at the moment.

But Bryan Robson yesterday reiterated his belief that Paul Robinson may be just what the England manager requires to shore up the left side of defence.

The West Bromwich Albion manager concedes time may be running out for Robinson but he still holds out hope that he may catch Eriksson's eye before the World Cup finals.

"Paul Robinson does not really get skinned by any wingers in the Premiership," said Robson yesterday.

"His composure on the ball has become better. He is quick aggressive and is a good player.

"I look at other English footballers around this country and do not think there is much better than him.

"Ashley Cole, when he is fit is terrific, but I don't see many more better than Paul."

Despite England having played the last of their friendly internationals before Eriksson names his World Cup squad to go to Germany, Robson thinks a late call-up for Robinson remains a possibility - albeit a slim one.

"The people who are in the squad at the moment have obviously got a better chance," said Robson.

"Jamie Carragher is a centre-half and he likes to play centre-half but what Paul's got to do is just keep playing the way he is playing for us. He can't do any more than that and if he keeps playing to that standard he might just get a call."

West Ham United manager Alan Pardew might be touting Paul Konchesky for the role but Eriksson had not included him in the squad for Wednesday's game. The player, a £1.5 million signing from Charlton Athletic last summer, had been given just 45 minutes to prove himself in the previous friendly, the 3-2 victory over Argentina in November.

Konchesky's only other cap had come while he was at Charlton.

Robson believes it is the goals Albion concede rather than their place in the Premier League table that contributes to Robinson not attracting the attention he deserves. It is not a case of the Baggies being an unfashionable club from outside London.

"If a team are at the wrong end of the table they [the England selectors] tend to think they are conceding a lot of goals so there can't be a good defender in there," said the Baggies manager.

"But you can only judge someone like Robbo by the way he performs as an individual, not on the team [performance]."