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Sound words as always Eduardo

4 at the back has always been silly and especially foolish agaisnt a minnow like Norther Ireland.

1 at the front is playing into the defenses hands and playing for a draw

5 midfielders is almost perfect but incorporating strikers who aren't familiar with the role is tantamount to stupidity

Playing players in position has always been a favourite of mine
Strikers don't make great midfielders unless their really gifted players(ronaldinho)

When you've got Rooney & Owen up front,lampard,gerrard,beckham in the midfield & ferdinand,carragher,cole at the back & an outstanding GK in Robinson in goal 3-5-2 you couldn't possibly not score.Even a 3-4-3 would be a better option than a 4-5-1 which invariably means the final ball is always going to be easy to defend against IMHO

cheers
B....OZ

I agree with the 3-5-2. It was widely used a few years ago but has gone out of fashion sadly.

It was great to use at home as it allowed an extra man in midfield and could also be used away if the opposition had no natural width and therefore couldn't get behind you.

That said I prefer 4-4-2.

As for the "Sound words as always Eduardo."

My mates, Dad and Father in law reckon I talk ballocks so it's nice to know someone listens to me.

Which ever system is best has everything to do with your cattle

Something tells me some of the cattle aren't bright enough to play any other syystem than the one they play for their clubs week in,week out

Old Men who are presumably suffering from that well known syndrome
'One foot in the grave' always think that about young whipper snappers unless of course you agree with everything they say,then your young,wise and showing promise

cheers
B....OZ

I swear that sometimes coaches change things (even when things are going well) just to try and prove how clever they are.

Even when he was plying his trade in Serie A, I wasn't impressed by SGE. He strikes me as one of those managers (Souness, Venables are other examples) who can walk into jobs at big clubs without actually being much good.

Robinson, Ferdinand, Gerrard, Beckham, Rooney, Owen, Wright-Phillips etc. The English should be pissing on most opposition. So either the stars are not performing, or the tactics they are playing doesn't suit their game.

The problem with England is having a coach who insists on playing what he believes to be the best 11 men available (even if it means playing some of them out of position) and then has no idea how to change things when necessary by judicious/inspired substitutions.

If we are to play 4-4-2 then Owen & Rooney up front is OK, but the midfield 4 have to be the best 4 in their respective positions and not just the best 4 midfielders in England.

That means Wright-Philips on the right (he poses more of a threat than Beckham AND tracks back defensively), either Lampard OR Gerrard as the attacking midfielder, Carrick or Scott Parker as the holding midfielder and whoever happens to be flavour of the month on the left (but PLEASE!!!! let it be someone who plays on the left week-in, week-out for his club). It may not SOUND as threatening as Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard & Cole (or AN Other) but it'll be better balanced!

At the back, presuming no injuries, the central partnership now has to be Terry & Carragher. Ferdinand needs to stop falling asleep, and dropping him to third choice might just wake him up a bit! Maybe he's believed those who a few years ago called him the new Bobby Moore, but BM never fell asleep on duty! For a guy as tall as him, Rio should never be beaten in the air, but too often he is.

Full backs are a problem. Ashley Cole doesn't attack for England the way he does for Arsenal, and his defensive capabilities have diminished dramatically since Euro 2004 to the point where he just doesn't defend at all. Wayne Bridge is his possible replacement but isn't first choice for his club. On the right, if either of the Nevile brothers is the answer, then we're asking the wrong question, and neither Luke Young or Glen Johnson are anywhere near good enough.

If we qualify for Germany, then we should be happy to get to the quarter finals, and ecstatic if we reach the semis!