Warning: this post will make little sense to North American readers(!)

Am watching – and getting dispirited by – the England performances at WC2006. We have the players, we just don’t have the system to get the best out of them. Far too much long ball – but that is what happens if you emphasise Beckham and Crouch. So, much as I like Crouch, I’d keep him on the bench. I’d play 3-2-3-1-1:

Robinson (dodgy keeper!)

Terry, Ferdinand, Carragher (or A Cole, dependent on opposition)

Hargreaves/Carrick and Beckham (one to break up, one to pass forward, and Beckham isn’t bad at covering the right back position)

Lampard, Gerrard, J Cole (from left to right – that’s where Lampard plays for Chelsea; can’t see any other way of getting L&G to function together – they HAVE to have players behind them)

Rooney – free to float like a buttefly etc, exercise his genius

Owen – because he will convert a higher percentage of chances than any other striker we’ve got, and if we avoid the long ball strategy (which this formation should then he will thrive much more on the through balls). He also needs to play himself into form. Form is temporary, class is permanent.

If we go behind, we take off the defensive midfielder and bring on one of Lennon/Crouch/Downing to ask the different questions of a defence. The thing is, the front five – liberated to actually play together and attack – has a huge number of goals in them. It would certainly have done better than the shambles against T&T (although I can only say that with confidence because I am aware of how little that is saying!). Sven won’t do it though – he’s much too conservatively wedded to 442.

I didn’t see the Spain match, but of the teams I have seen, Argentina seem awesome. Could easily be an Argentina-Spain final. I’m glad England wouldn’t meet Argentina before a final….