Warning: this post will make little sense to North American readers(!)<\/p>\n
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:<\/p>\n
Robinson (dodgy keeper!)<\/p>\n
Terry, Ferdinand, Carragher (or A Cole, dependent on opposition)<\/p>\n
Hargreaves\/Carrick and Beckham (one to break up, one to pass forward, and Beckham isn’t bad at covering the right back position)<\/p>\n
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)<\/p>\n
Rooney – free to float like a buttefly etc, exercise his genius<\/p>\n
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<\/i> then he will thrive much more on the through balls). He also needs to play himself into form. Form is temporary, class is permanent.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 … Continue reading