kabulblueAs a follow-up to my England Under Capello post I have tried to put together a team built around the goalscoring exploits of Wayne Rooney with no need for a target man. I have decided to go for a 4-2-3-1 (convertible to 4-5-1) instead of England's usual 4-4-2. So now to explain my system:
GK: Joe Hart gets the nod due to his superb form this season.
Defence: I have decided to stick with the tried and tested of Terry and Ferdinand. If Cole and Johnson are fit they provide excellent attacking threat and defensive pace. Although questions still remain over Johnson's defensive ability I do not see any viable alternatives.
Midfield: Again I have stuck with Capello's tried and trusted in centre midfield as I think they seem to work and the alternatives are not as high-quality. So Barry gets the defensive midfield role and will be expected to cover and provide short passes from deep. Lampard will be paired with Barry and will be expected to provide an attacking threat from the middle and hold the shape of the team in order for the attacking four to cause damage.
Attack: Where I make my major changes to the system employed by Capello. I have gone for Steven Gerrard in the hole behind Rooney. Even though Gerrard is not a typical creative "No. 10" he provides a lot of drive from this role and is also well placed to step back into centre midfield when Lampard makes his forward runs. Gerrard will essentially be expected to support Rooney and augment the midfield during defensive phases.
Here I have made a controversial decision which is to place Lennon on the left and Joe Cole on the right. This will mean that very few crosses from the byline will be achieved but I am willing to do this as we do not have a real target man anymore. My instructions for both the two nominal wingers would be to cut inside and attack through the middle with both full backs providing real width. Rooney would be key in this formation and would have free reign. I think after his season he has proved that he can lead the line...all he needs is effective support and I think Joe Cole, Lennon, Lampard and Gerarrd can provide that.
07.04.2010
nvrIsn't this what Capello tried in the first half against Egypt? He had Defoe on the right instead. Didn't work too well due to 2 problems, as far as I can see:
1)Gerard is not in form. His scoring has dipped this season and I can sense the loss of confidence.
2)It is too easy to stop this formation: sit back and leave no space to England forwards.
I suppose Capello could use this against weaker opposition or England are ahead comfortably. But I don't see it as England's main formation.
07.04.2010
kabulblue@nvr...If you play Defoe then this formation is sure to fail. Defoe does not do anything other than score in my opinion and playing him on the right means that there is no creativity and no defensive ability. That is why I have gone with J Cole. This formation only really works when you have the right players in position...trying to squeeze someone like Defoe in means you are doomed to failure.
On the Gerrard point I would concede that you are correct. He is definitely not in form this season and it would be a gamble but I think you can always make a change if it doesn't work and bring on a big man to revert to 4-4-2.
08.04.2010
kabulblueAnd on your point about stopping this formation I do not agree. A variant of this is used by Barcelona, Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal, and Inter to a very good degree of success. The formation is not the problem, if there is a failure it will be due to the lack of quality of England's personnel in relation to those domestic sides.
08.04.2010
nvrI had to be clearer, I suppose. I didn't mean to say 4-2-3-1 never works. It just doesn't work for England with the current crop. When it comes to national teams managers should be totally pragmatic and stick to the formation that works.
Capello's no nonsense approach is a breeze of fresh air in this regard. He tries new stuff in friendlies and goes with the proven when the scoreline matters,
08.04.2010
kabulblueAgreed about Capello. He is the arch pragmatist and I respect that. I just thought I would posit a different approach and see what people thought.
08.04.2010
Jaap StamJoe Cole is too unreliable for a starting position in England squad. One day he makes Messi look like a school boy, another day he looks like he should rather be playing in Sunday league.
21.04.2010
kabulblueSo now the world and his dog are calling for a variant of this formation!
20.06.2010
nvrSo the world and his dog thinks that if we switch to this formation our 65 games a season players would be livelier on the pitch. I very much doubt so.
22.06.2010
