'A point to prove'

England Women's Head Coach Hope Powell is confident her side will qualify from the toughest of groups at next month's World Cup Finals in China.

Despite being pitched alongside holders Germany, as well as Argentina and Japan, she believes her team are capable of making it through to the knockout stages.

Powell, who announced her squad of 21 players on Wednesday, said: "The first thing you want to do is get out of the group, but we first have to deal with those teams.

"We know what we are up against. We've had Japan watched four times and I've seen Argentina twice and they are what you would expect, technically very sound.

"We know Germany very well and the challenge they will present, but I'm sure we are up to it."

Powell claims her side learned from the experience as the host nation for the 2005 European Championship and believes they can now progress further in the World Cup.

She added: "The experience of the European Championship two years ago and the feeling those players had after that, which was not nice for us, left us with a point to prove.

"The experience we gained when there were 29,000 people watching us at Manchester City will help us.

"Some of the players froze back then, but there were 19,000 there when we qualified against France and the players are now equipped to deal with that."

As well as the high level of opposition her side are set to face, the players will also have to cope with harsh conditions in the Far East, but Powell believes her players will be able to acclimatise.

She said: "We fly out Macau in a couple of weeks and we are due to play a friendly there.

"Although the conditions were a lot cooler then than they will be in September, we aren't going to make an issue out of it."

The England squad contains nine members of the Arsenal squad which won the UEFA Cup last season and Powell is pleased to welcome their experience to the ranks, while stressing there are no cliques in the squad.

She said: "We've had quite a large number of Arsenal players in the squad over the years but I think this squad looks well balanced.

"All of the girls get on well - not all Arsenal players room with Arsenal players. There's a nice mix and a good balance of friendships.

"Even though there are nine Arsenal players, the focus is very much on team England, but in terms of confidence, winning the UEFA Cup will be a boost to us and proves they can compete with the best players in the world."