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Updated England Selection....

31st Jan 2008

As we await Fabio Capello's first squad I thought it time to look at some of his options again. At least this time I don't have to suggest Kevin Davies as some kind of size option up front for the England team - not that we are talking packed fields of front players.

As last time this is more an exercise in debate and I may take liberties to make a point. However I think the real change is not in players but in management and attitude. As explained in a piece I did on the need to break through the national obsession with losing behaviour.

My ethos here is strong back 6 and 4 players in front so that can be 4321 442 whatever you like. Like Capello I am thinking we have a long time to try things out so will offer options.

• Keeper

  David James is probably still the best but with nearly a year to go to the first real game and him not being that good anyway Capello should look younger. I have no strong view except Paul Robinson's name should not ever be on any list. Foster, Carson, Green... personally no one grabs me but one hopes Capello is professional enough to actually have someone who can scout goal keepers which everyone on TV in England appears incapable of doing.

• Full Backs

  You know something is wrong when you have teams like Spurs buying Scottish backs for 9 million. Indeed against Croatia left back Bridge looked weak. Then consider Bridge is keeping C'Ash out of the team and moaning to his mistresses at Chelsea. Hopefully Capello can do better but accepting Bridge played for England without many matches at present I'd take whoever Chelsea's first choice is and that is Bridge. Right back Richards has a high profile and can be a presence in the opposition box. Main problem with Richards is that he is not a good player in terms of passing and positioning and may be the first right back who gets accused of not tracking back before the end of his career.

  Lescott was an appalling left back against Russia and should not be considered here.

• Centre Halves

  This is quite easy at present I would look at Terry, Ferdinand and Woodgate. Maybe see Micah Richards in a few games. As a flyer it will be interesting if Huddlestone plays a few more games here. Given Dawson made the squad one wonders if he might not be better than him already. Hopefully better can be scouted. Woodgate is unreliable and Terry restricts the tactics as he is a deep sitting centre half who does not do well caught one on one.

  At present with Rooney and Owen with Joe Cole wide you almost look at this position to add some oomph to set pieces. Joleon Lescott is probably worth considering on that angle alone. He is not a great centre half defensively but as we see most are capable if we play with a strong defensive midfield as we should. Everton are hard to beat despite him. He benefits from Everton playing the like of Carsley and Neville in a strong defensive back 6. Which is what I would do here.

  Sol Campbell and Carragher are just too old. Campbell never was that good and moves slower with each game. Wes Brown never did get there. Taylor who was impressive for the U21s plays for a sieve at Newcastle and hence cannot be considered.

  I see Terry's injuries as helping him back to his dominating physical best rather than a set back. He is too game and playing with back, neck, toe and a host of problems has hurt him.

  King so composed in 2004 is the Dean Ashton here and for me if he can come back in the argument.

  Rio stays fit and whilst he still infuriates Carragher is just not enough of a physical presence and until last night was allowed to get away with too much by domestic referees.

• Midfield Back Two

  I propose a defensive pairing of Carrick and Gerrard. There are more options here but these two have the ability. Gerrard has impressed me with his discipline over the last few matches I have seen. He can still attack from here. ideally I's have a better defensive player than Carrick but if you have Hargreaves unless you have outstanding passing and running talent he is a dead player when you have the ball.

  The formation and the sitting of these players is crucial. I considered Barry to give the team an extra left foot. I considered Gerrard's 2 poles - great or crap. In the end Gerrard will play for the team.

  The good news is that the likes of Jenas (in danger of no longer being the Nothing Player's Nothing Player under ramos who has him and Huddlestone fit at last), Noble, Huddlestone, Sidwell and lots of others my mainly big club viewing will miss are available to try.

• Attacking Midfield Wingers

  First up I am thinking about dropping my boy Frank. OK he's not 30 till January and has had the best 4 years of anyone Englishman in Premiership history (Alan Shearer may have a claim OK OK OK). However he is now injured and will be about the squad and can slot in behind.

  Joe Cole do you play Joe wide left and let him track back and enter the game when he feels like it or is he ready to be the fulcrum? Played ala Lampard at Chelsea? Will he work the extra 2 km a game needed centrally to get up and back? Will his passing stand up? Is he so valuable on the left that it is nonsense to move him? He can also play wide right as well.

  Wayne Rooney plays almost all his best games as an out and out striker. Given I would want him in the team to save the media grief when I dropped Owen but want height up front can he play wing forward? Can he start getting more shots in the goal? On Target even! No one has told me why Andrew Cole was so destroyed by an England manager and no one mentions how many chances the Kid needs - what is the difference cough cough.

  Lennon for me is a natural substitute. Come on late inject pace at defenders who have been worn down physically. He is too poor a footballer to just tify more.
  Shaun Wright Phillips but again no added height and he has even less stature than Lennon.
  Downing just does nothing for me and would only be an option in a rigid 442 where tracking back was the main criteria. Another left foot so could make the squad - I need to see more of this lad and see him do something that actually impresses me!

• Strikers

  You know I probably only want one. I cannot be dogmatic here as the list is not long. I want some line leading and at present the Villa lad Agbonlahor and the West Ham pair Ashton and Carlton Cole stand out in a less than packed field. I am not looking for a goal machine here in the same way that Juventus and Sweden used Ibrahimovic. Ashton is probably the best player and Cole a reach - indeed Cole has all the ability but having been an arrogant stupid youth now seems surrounded by doubts. Agbonlahor is a big powerful force. Agbonlahor a physical presence.

  Ashton probably needs more form and fitness but is the one England striker capable of adding some size and skill whilst at a pinch play behind Rooney in a 442. Since for me Rooney as a striker has to play in front so he does not become a drain on possession and a waster of others work. Also Rooney's real skills in big games will be pushing the defensive line back. Ashton maybe is the nearest to a Sheringham with an all round game. He is also injury prone and I am reaching back but he has a year to get it right.

  Before people dismiss these kind of players as not good enough consider the balance even a poor player like Emile Heskey gave England not a few months ago when we looked odds on to qualify.

  As much as it pains me my boy Kevin Davies has not played up front for a while now (sort of wide bag carrier to Anelka until recently) and at 31 the cornerstone of Bolton for the last few years looks a little less physically able than I have seen him. Also I worry about how many cards and what colour they will be in international football.
  Peter Crouch is the stand by I guess but it is a shocking choice. Crouch should start for Liverpool ahead of Dirk Shite but is an almost player in so many categories. He just does not seem the kind of player you can consistently player around.

  Mickey no long so fine you are out. I could take him as a poaching sub late when my team is one down but his media campaigns and diminished physical capacity make him a no no for me. Worst aspect is he is hardly ever there and seems to command a place as a rule.

  Andy Johnson I like but in a team short of stature I see no real value as Rooney is a better bet and the team is too short anyway.

  Rooney is of course the default option when all else fails.

In the end I see a large squad and hard choice at positions that should be easiest to find players for. My ethos is to have a line leader and pace wide so it really is a 42 and diamond for me. I will chance Rooney wide and Joe Cole in the hole. Then it is Phillips or Lennon right and Ashton up front.

BTW move Rooney and Cole and this is a 442.

My 4321

Carson/Green/Whoever

Richards*, Ferdinand, Terry, Bridge/Cole* (whoever Chelsea prefer)

Carrick*, Gerrard

SWP*, Cole**, Rooney

Ashton**

* means look to replace ** try and see before confirming.

Another option is to move Cole wide, start Hargreaves and move Gerrard forward.

Bench we have Agbonlahor, Carlton Cole, Crouch options and can use Rooney as the front man. In midfield Frank Lampard is an amazing luxury off the bench. Barry has done enough as well. Jenas MAY be improving and time will tell. Hargreaves if we are ahead late. The key is as many footballers as possible hence the slight preference for Bridge over C'Ash.

Set piece improvement is what I seek and I am assuming Carrick (or whoever) and Gerrard can find a decent ball in from somewhere. Terry, Ferdinand and Lescott can offer power from the back. The team is quite short mind but will benefit from Beckham's surprisingly low percentage delivery disappearing.

Again it is about a coherent team playing to a plan not the biggest names shuffled to a side. If we lose a winger I will not play Frank Lampard and change formation I will play Phillips or Lennon.

21st May 2007

Wow after the cup final I'd almost play 442 but frankly England have played putrid 442 for so long I may be less hung up on formation. Another thing I note is that despite England having great central midfielders they deploy Hargreaves and have only 1 other place - 442 seems to have been kept mainly to keep Owen's not as great as people make out international goal scoring in the team. It has to be faced we are short of top class strikers and wide men who can start a game.

I think the crucial error I made was to leave out Carragher in what is a weak position for us. Terry looks injured or declining. Brown just is not that good and should try to be England's next right back because he is not a great centre half. Of course if Milan skin him again.....

Carragher was for years a moderate full back who they tried everywhere and he failed. I used to blog after Croatia he had now failed in 6 positions. However not even McClaren's tactics could entirely hide the decline of John Terry this year. In the Croatia debacle after slating to my drinking buddies how sh1te Carragher was I had to admit quietly to myself during the game he was the best of our back 5 and Terry stank.

I trust in King but seriously anyone in Spurs back 7 needs more evidence than Jenas, Robinson, Dawson and King have provided to have 1 in the squad. yet alone all 4.... Do they have photos? Steve McClaren, Mistress... However King was as good as the others in 2004 Euros and has been injured this year plus has to play club football with the pie chewing clown Robinson and Dawson. Not to mention excreable midfield with more lightweight players than an anorexic XI.

I know Beckham looks far better than he has for years playing 1 or 2 games every few weeks. However he is not a long term answer. The problem is we are still playing failed tactics of Svennis with the two players they were designed for not there - Owen and Beckham. Owen is likely to be even less mobile and even less a team player and by international standards his record is nothing special and he aids no one else's play. Indeed with a back 4 of cloggers like C'Ash and poor players like Lennon and Hargreaves around the middle no wonder we don't work. Add Owen back and it will be palsied but he mights score. Sorry I aspire to our national team being better than that.... Purist moi?

I am happy to argue till the cows come home Lampard is our best player but trying to be super human in 4 competitions he could not live with Gerrard the other week even in a 3 v 2. The point being I am happy to demure on this issue. Gerrard and Liverpool have Wasps like played for CL qualification and to win it. It may be their best use of resources and good luck to them. Lampard is 29 in June and as 2008 looks a building year maybe have him on the bench or as a reserve if he is happy with that else au revoir. 4321 I have both as I think we have to shake this negative view good players cannot play together - Ballack is not a good player BTW, thought I'd get that in.

I still have reservations about Wayne Rooney. He is an odd ball in that he is most consistent played off the shoulders of the last defender but is at his visual rampaging best running on to the ball. Yet he often disappears out wide. Played as England do and against defensive teams where the pressure is on his control, passing, ball retention and keeping the ball back to goal are tested he is mostly not good enough. Like Gerrard obvious highlights and talent should not cover up the majority of their work is poor and often hurts their team. If we play 4321 he should not be left isolated. It has to be a genuine attacking 4321 not padded out with the Hargreaves of this world.

I've also bit the bullet and even 4321 'dropped' Hargreaves. Against Israel and Andorra where I concetrated on him he is a poor player when you have the ball making no movement to find space and like a 5th defender. Leaves Lampard/ Gerrard no option with doubled up on wingers but the long hoof to Rooney/Owen/Defoe types. I've kept Lennon to use his pace but ideally he would be bench option as he is all round a poor player. However short of throwing Kevin Davies wide we need pace or height.

May's 4321 - My preference

Foster*

Richards*, Carragher, King, Bridge*

Lampard, Carrick*, Gerrard

Cole J, Lennon* - Cole right

Rooney* - Rooney wide KD up option Lennon bench.

May's 442 People's Choice and Sven's! Sorry McClaren

Foster*

Richards*, Carragher, King, Bridge*

Cole, Gerrard, Carrick*, Lampard - Cole right others can sort it out or play as a 4312

Rooney, Davies [Kevin]*

* means jury out or can be convinced other wise.

Either bench could feature: Johnson, Davies [Kevin], Hargreaves, Bent, Wright Phillips, Neville, Ferdinand, Crouch - any keeper you like.

The point for me is England lack genuine wings who should start or who can play 442. Personally I would like to see Joe Cole play abroad where he could easily, for me, become a middle 3 player or a 2nd striker. He for me is the best suited to the pace of international games and roles on the left at best a compromise. I did not like selecting Lennon and 4321 I considered Kevin Davies with Rooney off him or KD in his Bolton role wide off Anelka.

Why the Kevin Davies obsession? Well we need a large target with the number of balls hit forward - maybe Nugent will be better but until he plays a premiership game we don't know. Tight international games are decided by set pieces and Rooney, C'Ash no JT, etc make this team short. there is no other big forward, bar Crouch who plays smaller especially away from goal, starting in the premiership who is English. He is Bolton's most important player and they have been 5th or 6th best in England over 5 years. If he had played for Spurs or Newcastle who were worse over the piece with far more expensive players he'd be in - of course Keane and Berbatov are now better.... but they are not English. Darren Bent could probably argue but I see him as much more of a goal scorer whose team play to him and I want someone to help the Rooner, Joe Cole, Lampard, Gerrard, Lennon etc score.

England Selection....

11th February 2006

OK I am sort of going to disclaim this exercise to start by saying that if we had a good manager I could support almost any selection if it made sense in the team frame work the manager sets. McClaren sets no such agenda and arguments about players are ephemerel if you do not have preferred ways of playing and formations.

This is hopefully thought provoking and I am doing this without fear of a press campaign of ridicule so am probably pushing the thought provoking envelope and leaving aside some of the necessary conservativeness of someone actually picking a team. If I pick from the top few teams it is because as a working stiff I do not have time to watch all the football that is on. I'd love to evaluate the likes of Mattie Taylor, Johnny Woodgate and others fully. In time I will.

Where I leave things up in the air or seem to gambling I am assuming I would have a friendly to test some players out i.e. I am coming new like McClown in August. My 442 team could play now. 4321 is more experimental and I would want to see if one player at 29 could step up now.

Anyway lets start my preferred formation would be a 4321 ala Chelsea of 04/05 and 05/06 not the ludicrous 442 of this year! 4 central midfielders ala Svennis and Mourinho this year in a "diamond" being the ultimate don't choose between players but choose dysfunction and your biggest name players. I think 442 with wide players one of whom is an out and out winger is a valid formation.

A final caveat is that World Cups can be decided by set pieces and winning penalties. England did not win a penalty and needed a own goal from a set piece. I don't address this 4321 as I am not sure we can.

4321 - My preference

4321 For me has several advantages over the 442 as I see it: an extra body in midfield which continental teams have used against us since we were re-admitted at club level: better defensive cover and suits our deep lying 4: A more layered system allowing us to get the ball from back to front: A clearer defensive alignment - midfield and defence: It does not expose most team's worst players, the full backs: allowing you to have 1 or 2 genuine wingers who may be less than valiant tracking and tackling: It suits the fact that every English back 4 I see sits deep (too deep especially in a 442): England won a world cup dropping their best striker and playing 433, yet we forget except to wonder why 40 years of supposed hurt: Even Sir Alex 'Mr 442' Ferguson plays this against continental teams away from the premiership turkey shoot, despite the affect this has on Rooney. What it does not do for me is allow both Lampard and Gerrard in the same midfield, for me.

• Top Cat

  Top Cat is of course ironic. It is hard for my generation who grew up with a top division of anglo/celtic keepers who were all seemingly better than the keepers who showed up with foreign teams.

  Whilst Calamity James is still the best English keeper in the premiership, removing him from the squad has been an admission no manager can stand the pain, inevitable horrible headlines, if he cost us again. Then again I am not going to go over board with Calamity Kirkland and Calamity Robinson - hey why should they escape because their given names do not start with J.

  I think Foster and Carson should be given encouragement and monitoring to go on. I would need to see them week in and week out which I do not have the time to but Foster would retain his place for me, as Robinson looks heavy and frankly is not that good. Carson got rave reviews after the Chelsea game but looked awful for the goals in the under 21 game. Maybe I am against Kirkland on one game against Reading but it is my point on a lot of sport recently until the injury prone show they can stay fit why put them in a team dynamic and then lose them.

  Keepers do need to gel with defenses and that grows with games so in an international context I'd say Foster, Carson and James for my squad with Foster, on admittedly scant evidence the current starter. If Kirkland stays fit I'd probably say thanks and good bye to James squad wise.

• Right Back

  A reader wrote to me the other day and I managed to convince him to stick with Gary Neville. However maybe it is time to try someone else. I re-read my thoughts after the Macedonia and Croatia games and I was less positive about him then. Indeed the sight of him marking Chimbonda by hugging him and just kicking a Spaniard makes me wonder if I was wrong now!

  So in conclusion I would go Neville 442 where he is the expert at making forward interventions at the right. I would chance Richards or any emerging right back in my 4321 as it has marginally more midfield cover as the wider of the 3 can get out there and you have a winger. I also think with a single striker the full back may have to be faster in that formation to get forward.

• Centre Halves

  Ah John Terry. Especially as he played in my preferred Chelsea style formation with such distinction. As a stand in most United fans I know like Brown as a defender but he maddeningly gets injured and now has NeMANja Vidic to get out of the team!

  Although Spurs seem a mess at times I do like the poise and class of Ledley King in Euro 2004 and indeed he was better than Terry there. I do wonder if Rio is a product of people assuming he is better than he is. The thing Rio has is pace but the formation here really is a back 6 and indeed when forced back a 7 so pace at the back is not the be all and end all.

  So squad is King, Terry, Brown and Rio with the first two preferred. I want to see a commitment to fitness and more of Jonny Woodgate before I choose him. So it is Terry/Brown marker with King/Rio sweeping.

• Left Back

  With the extra cover of this formation I like Bridge over Ashley Cole. He has so much more quality forward and Ashley ruins his marginal defensive advantages by standing off people too often and just letting them cross. I would prefer Barry over the likes of Phil Neville who are poor footballers. Whilst defending is the primary consideration you need more people who can pass, cross and generally retain the ball to improve England. Poor footballers like Ashley Cole, Hargreaves and co lose the ball too much.

• Defensive Midfield

  When England managers play 4321 they think oh what a lovely chance to have Lampard and Gerrard in the same midfield. Well TWSI says bollocks to that. We will have two deep lying players. The current place holders are Carrick and Hargreaves I guess if they played this formation. I don't actually have a strong opinion and would like to see lots of players but I'll take those two. The key is for these two to move up with the defense as the team goes forward not hand the ball off to the attacking midfield and leave him 50 yards of pitch in the middle to himself.

  Hargreaves may have been unfairly slated prior to the world cup but lets be honest he played 30 mostly poor games for England. It was more a function of our dysfunction at the world cup that led to us needing a stopper, see our world cup Hargreaves piece. However in a 4321 his run around and not get booked or give away too many free kicks ala Makelele act plays exactly as we want here.

  The other deep midfielder needs to be able to play the ball so we don't end up with everyone back with Hargreaves which is so disasterous in a 442. I am not convinced about Carrick and would like to see more of any of the Reading and Portsmouth lads. The lack of care here is instructive of far from being the most important players these are important roles but not so difficult to play.

• Attacking Midfielder

  OK Frank Or Stevie. I think both arguments have validity. So rather than say why not Stevie I will favour Frank although age and reputation favour Gerrard. Lampard has played this role and frankly played it about as well as you can for 2 years.

  Forget that PC nonsense from sports writers about Makelele and Essien being the most important players at Chelsea as there are so few players who could play this role like Lampard whereas if you look you can find holding players and runners. Even with Ballack there and Lampard wider he has continued to deliver in this approximate area of the pitch.

  Indeed why Chelsea saw fit to mess with the midfield of last year is something only money and stupidity can explain. This is the most important player in this team and given Lampard has played on champions and has more of a consistent winners outlook I choose him over the more physical and maybe higher water mark talents of Gerrard. It may even just be a prejudice call but my call is Frank Lampard.

• Right Wing

  It is oh so tempting to have Steven Gerrard's physical dominance here but given he has rarely hit the heights for England and is not a winger I demure. Aaron Lennon is the first choice here and despite his general play being poor quality at times I like his pace and running at people. I'd consider Joe Cole here if we got a pacy left winger or even a competent left foot.

  Rooney could play here or left and I see it as a negative he performs so badly when asked to. It makes it difficult to include him frankly until you consider the perception of press and public makes it hard to leave him out!!! Since I am picking my team my way he is out.

  So Lennon it is for now. Gerrard and Joe as understudies.

• Left Wing

  I'd want Joe Cole here as he shows he can play here and I recall his covering back against Bayern 2 years ago with Huth hung out to dry at right back - Joe is a great all rounder nowadays. Indeed Joe can swap wings and be flexible and he and Lennon could use that to expose a slow full back on either flank to Lennon - as Lennon did on the left against Boulafool for Spurs. Given Joe is injured 2nd choice would be Gerrard as if you have not got pace or Cole's ability I'd rather Gerrard on the pitch than a Downing. Again Rooney could but seemingly chooses not to - you tell why his Carling Winners Medal triumphs others? I don't know.

• Front Striker

  In the world cup England lacked an effective big striker - Crouch is big but does not exactly hold the ball up or win contested headers like someone of his height ought to. When England have tried this formation they have bizarrely stuck with Owen who is too poor an all round footballer or Rooney who just not try or have the ability to be effective isolation - so his massive media fan club tell me at any rate.

  The one player who looks good in this role is Andrew Johnson who bizarrely has played winger to Rooney and Owen in this formation when he got caps. Apparently England could have played him on Weds but the physio goofed or more likely McClown did not want a selection headache with Rooney not having scored in over 10 competitive internationals. Indeed Rooney has been a marginal player at United in many games. Sure he has 10 goals but scored in only 6 games and given United are scoring so many it is hardly surprising even an ordinary player could match his goals and assists. Rooney is not an ordinary player but either his attitude or abilities don't suit this formation or a consistent record of achievement - under achievement does not count.

  If we want a physical player to hold it up and give us some set piece power (given Lennon, Rooney, Joe Cole, Johnson are all short) there is only 1 centre forward in the premiership and he is never mentioned - Kevin Davies. Indeed Davies plays for a team if they were called Newcastle or Spurs in 5th he'd almost certainly get a shot. Seriously I've seen Spurs and they have King, Dawson, Defoe, Jenas and Robinson in and around an England squad... and some talk of Huddlestone..... What do Kevin Nolan and Davies have to do? Play for a more fashionable club???? Probably! Dean Ashton is someone I want to see more of but he is the most likely young buck and a better footballer than Davies on what I have seen which is not a lot.

  I'd go with Johnson with Davies and hopefully festuring Rooney desperate to prove me wrong on the bench. Johnson also wins penalties and forces defenses back if he can translate his club form. He'll do for me.

• The Bench

  Bench players in an attacking sense should provide me with pace or height or real ability to change a game as in Gerrard, Owen and Rooney. If they'd sit there.... At least they could then try and prove me wrong.

• The Team

  OK in reality no one is dropping Rooney and Gerrard but it is I think a defensible argument based as much on what their biggest supporters say they cannot do. Whether that excuses the on field sulking and not trying is not a posiitive on them for me. One advantage this has over any England team I have seen in recent years is pace from Lennon and Johnson up front. It is still no stronger at set pieces but not sure what we can do about that.

  Foster*

  Richards*, Terry, King, Bridge*

  Carrick*, Lampard, Hargreaves*

  Lennon, Cole J

  Johnson*

  * means jury out or can be convinced other wise.

The People's Choice and Sven's!

I have watched England play 442 in exasperation for most of my adult life only interrupted by 352 which made me puke from Hoddle and most recently McBore. I would only play this with a mostly higher line as I do not want to end up including a poor passer and moderate all round footballer like Hargreaves who cannot play his way forward to sweep. I also do not want to spread the field and have 60 yards balls hit into often small strikers as this does not work. So higher line and a midfield duo who can play.

442 is easier to play but much harder to balance for me. Your wingers become a huge defensive weakness when you lose the ball unless they are un-winger like. If your team gets stretched and pushed back at the back the temptation is to bring a 5th defender which with 2 strikers means a vast void for a single player that for me has killed Scholes and Lampard our 2 best players of the noughties.

The formation does make it easier, for me, to have Gerrard and Lampard. People will argue it has been tried but with the higher line here and splitting one wide (without a holding player) and adding a target man has not. I think England's major problem 442 has been not having forwards who play for the team and no pace or height throughout the team. Attackers can help you defend by forcing the opposition deep.

• Top Cat

  Actually a further nail in the Paul Robinson coffin here is that for me the further up the defense plays the more 1 on 1s keepers have and Robbo is terrible one on one. So my 442 would have a higher line and Calamity Robinson has no place even with injuries. So again it is Foster, Carson and James.

• Right Back

  I would go Neville 442 where he is the expert at making forward interventions at the right. With less defensive cover in the formation I would want to see more of Richards before leaping. Also when we get to the forward line Neville can throw long. England need more from their set pieces to make this formation work and that is an area we can improve.

• Centre Half Pairing

  John Terry Of all my dumb comments this one is my favourite as I was watching Chelsea one day I said to my brother: "I don't know why they try this kid he will never have the pace to play top flight football".... So I am loathe to not support his inclusion utterly for fear of being stupid twice on the same subject. However much as I love him if my England play 442 I want to push up more and would want to look at Wes Brown and Ledley King.

  Most United fans I speak to say that Wes is a defender compared to Rio. Unfortunately Nemanja Vidic is better and Rio cost so much and is paid so much Wes does not get much look in. Indeed Brown has only himself to blame as had he stayed fitter then maybe some of the others do not get bought. The safe choice here is probably King albeit I'd like him alongside with his seeming bomb proof temperament.

  Rio with Brown or King. Which ever 2 come closest to not dropping on to our box edge every chance they get. A further caveat on Terry here is that he has not looked at his best at major tournaments and did not adapt to 352 in any way shape or form. England do not have an Essien or a Makalele or both so reluctantly I pass him in a formation where I expect him to be more exposed pace wise. Again Woodgate could make the squad but I need to see more.

  King and Rio. Brown is not a great footballer and one less midfielder means distribution is required. Also much as I'd love to spike Rio there probably is a reason he is first choice at United.

• Left Back

  Less cover makes the Cole option brighter but even then I think we need more ball players at the back and in the middle to retain possesion. So it is Bridge but I'd like other options.

• Midfield Centre 2

  OK I hate to pick 2 from England's lists and there are so many players I'd like to look at. However I cannot have Hargreaves as he is not a good enough passer and I intend having a higher line. Carrick plays this for Man United and again with reservations I take him. Players like the admirable Scottie Parker fail for me because he makes too many big tackles that just make continental referees make decisions no matter how fair a player he is. Again I'd like to see more of some of the mid table team's players like Barton and probably others who are better. Which brings us to Lampard or Gerrard....

  I was going to fudge this by going Gerrard here but I cannot. In the 2005 European Cup Final Liverpool started with a passer and Gerrard in central midfield and they were ripped apart - they came back when Hamaan came on and shored it up as he had against Chelsea in the semi. It took over a year and an injury crisis for Rafa to put him back. It's Lampard although even then I hve reservations. However he carried England from this position in world cup qualifying and Gerrard has never done that. 2004 against Portugal 442 Gerrard passed to the opposition over 60% of the time and did not last the 90 minutes - indeed Beckham slaughtered for his fitness went 120 minutes. Lampard is fitter and who cares if he is fatter!!!

• Wide Right

  I am tempted to play Lennon - I'd like it confirmed he tracks back religiously or he would get the boot. Lennon is a great bench option and it is now a 14 player game. You need to cover full backs more 442 and with the team pushed up more and with 2 passers in central midfield. Gerrard could play here and then it would be Svennis' team with a higher line and more pace and a hold up striker (coming next).

• Wide Left

  Joe Cole's to lose and unless Mattie Taylor or Gareth Barry are really good I'd look at Lennon as understudy to get some pace on the park. Downing has been too inconsistent but he can come again. Cole covers back so well when he last played it is hard to remember the position less ineffective player who was all skill nothing else.

• Centre Forwards

  442 it is Rooney and.... I am not controversial enough to say don't play such a talented player - albeit he does not impress with his attitude, perseverence and he can be a complete liability. His Champion's League and International scoring record (26 blank games on the trot since his Fenebache hat trick) would make him controversial in a rational world. I am also sick of his supporters moroinc excuse mongering - he has failed in a 442 that supposedly suits him in at least 75% of those games and has been fully fit in 80% of them.

  United have an ideal partner for Rooney in Saha who drops or runs off Rooney depending on how and where he goes. He also plays with the savvy physical presense in Larsson. The only ones for me are again Andy Johnson to add pace but he is more of a lone striker so it is Kevin Davies or Dean Ashton if he comes back and is as good as I think/hope. Indeed I suspect Kevin Nolan could play this role and he is a huge lad nowadays, Indeed if Anelka got injured I suspect he would play there or left with Davies central. Also with Neville throwing into the box hopefully KD could create some confusion in defenses maybe not set up for that.

• The Bench

  At least 442 I get a better bench balance with Lennon, Ashton and Johnson. Michael Owen as Madrid showed is a very dangerous late game player as well.

• The Team

  Foster*

  Neville, Rio*, King, Bridge*

  Lennon, Carrick*, Lampard, J Cole

  Rooney, Davies*

  * means jury out or can be convinced other wise.

When we play Israel I would not probably chance 4321 with no road test - McClaren blew that picking 442 players in a 1 striker formation. However I would throw Davies in as Crouch is not good enough. Johnson would be on the bench. Would I drop Terry? Probably not as I intend to play him in a 4321 and it is only a marginal call. With Joe Cole injured I'd may be look to have Gerrard play wide. The key would be a higher line, effective height and no 60 yard balls. I'd also consider Nolan after chatting with Allardyce he can play that role to support Rooney given the poverty of striking talent available.

Players I have no interest in are Defoe a terminally light weight striker of little use at 0-0 and 0-1. Crouch is admirable, in a way, but of little tactical use (height is not effective, has no pace and cannot hold the ball up) and does not get enough goals to challenge Rooney or Johnson as a goal scorer. Michael Owen is a bench player for me.

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