By Alice Jones ⋅ November 21, 2007 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

England, Euro 2008, Global

Never in the field of human sports has so much, been owed to so many, by so few.

First of all, the England manager owes Israel a huge thank you for beating the Russians last weekend. It means that England has a second chance which last week seemed very unlikely. It is back in their hands. Or at their feet which is more appropriate.

Win and England might even win the group, draw and they qualify in second place.

Secondly, they owe the long suffering fans who always support the team, some of whom pay extortionate prices to get to away matches. Those who travel down to London, on a work night. They owe those fans.

England expects and all that. Some say that England expects too much.

But as the inventor of modern football, and a team that has consistently been in the top 10 world rankings (until recently) England has always been a genuine world power in football, but it has delivered very little of note. An underachieving world power!

Lions led by Lambs? Yes they owe the fans.

So who’s up for the challenge? With key striker Michael Owen out with a torn thigh muscle, (thanks to a meaningless friendly at the weekend where very little was learned) and Wayne Rooney also out with injury who will start up front? Everything seems to be pointing towards a 4-5-1 formation with Peter Crouch as the solitary striker. I think if you play for a draw you run the risk of losing the game 1-0.

And the midfield? The Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard partnership does not seem to work in internationals. It sounds like a cliché because everyone says it, but it also happens to be true.

In my view overall Gerrard seems to work hardest as a team player, Lampard always goes for the long shot, the glory goal and invariably misses for his country. I’m not sure why that is, because for Chelsea he seems to get away with it, but I would rather have Steven Gerrard in an England team, he plays his team-mates in. Generally speaking of course. I think Gareth Barry has played well for England, and deserves to be in the first 11.

Why not play Ashley Young on the left wing? I doubt he will be picked, but in my view it would be better to play a left-sided player with pace on the left wing, and play Joe Cole or Shaun Wright Phillips on the right. It’s a difficult one. Wright Phillips is more of a threat, but Joe Cole’s crossing is superior. Wright Phillips, because of his pace, gets my vote.

It seems almost inevitable that David Beckham will play, though I’m not sure his form or his fitness supports the idea. So that would give us a midfield five of Gerrard, Barry, Beckham, Joe Cole, and Ashley Young, assuming that’s the formation he goes for, although Young is unlikely to get the nod to start.

In defence it seems that John Terry is not fit enough to start, according to comments today from Steve McClaren. He has not confirmed whether Robinson or Carson will be in goal, but he normally prefers the former. So it could be Cole, Lescott, Campbell, Richards and Carson in goal. Or something else, McClaren style.

Will England play for a draw? Knowing McClaren, I think they might and so risk an embarrassing defeat. It’s going to be a nailbiter, that’s for sure. Before the Israel v Russia game, we thought that was it, England were out. There was even talk of a FA review of Steve McClaren’s position. Suddenly there is talk of qualifying again and at least another 12 months of the former Middlesbrough coach.

Well, here’s an idea. Take your second chances, win the match, but the FA should do the review anyway. England have got lucky, but let’s not pretend they thoroughly earned it. Let’s not kid ourselves that England have a hope of winning the tournament without a real injection of ideas on the coaching side.

The latest rumours are that Alan Shearer is going to be the next England manager, or at the very least take a place on the coaching staff. I’m not saying McClaren has to go, but let’s not rule it out, and of course let’s get to the Euros next year first.

Has McClaren already proved he is incapable? Share your views by leaving a comment below.

Related Articles

• No related posts.