Barry will start on Friday...

[nwgull]

Surely it is a no brainer to go with the team/formation that tore Croatia apart twice in qualification? Crouch will be a great impact sub to bring on for the last 30 mins.

It is important that we don't settle for a 1-0, the winner of this group is likely to be decided on goal difference.

 

[HP Seagull]

Can I just repeat my earlier post?

we had successive 5-1, 3-1, 4-0, 2-1, 4-0, 6-0 and 5-1 victories during qualifying?

Every single one of those games had Walcott or Lennon on the right, Lampard and Barry in the centre, Gerrard on the left, Heskey up front and Rooney in the hole.

why change a winning formula?

Yes it was effective in qualifying, but I think the formation that I, and many others, advocate would have produced equally impressive results.

We played one (maybe two if you include Ukraine) half-decent side in qualifying, none of which are at the World Cup. The team you want us to play can be effective but I would argue that we need to be able to adapt, especially when we play the top sides.

At the top level it is all about keeping possession, and with a 4-4-2 this is more difficult. With Gerrard playing a free role this would become easier and (I feel I'm repeating myself here) it would allow him and Rooney to play where they are most effective. It would also give us some width on the left fank (which Gerrard does not provide), therefore creating more space in the middle for Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney.

 

[Marshy]

Yes it was effective in qualifying, but I think the formation that I, and many others, advocate would have produced equally impressive results.

We played one (maybe two if you include Ukraine) half-decent side in qualifying, none of which are at the World Cup. The team you want us to play can be effective but I would argue that we need to be able to adapt, especially when we play the top sides.

At the top level it is all about keeping possession, and with a 4-4-2 this is more difficult. With Gerrard playing a free role this would become easier and (I feel I'm repeating myself here) it would allow him and Rooney to play where they are most effective. It would also give us some width on the left fank (which Gerrard does not provide), therefore creating more space in the middle for Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney.

Simples HP isnt it

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Untried. Unknown.

Gerrard has a free role in the current tried, tested, known and extremely successful formation.

 

[HP Seagull]

Untried. Unknown.

Gerrard has a free role in the current tried, tested, known and extremely successful formation.

OK, we'll have to agree to disagree. I've got to say though that I've never felt so strongly about what I think an England team's best line-up would be - It just seems madness to me that we're not playing our best players in their best positions.

Of course I would loved to be proved wrong but if we play 4-4-2 with Gerrard on the left I feel we will do well to get past the quarter finals.

On your 'untried. Untested' argument - this was one of my main gripes in the build-up to the World Cup, that we didn't try it in a friendly.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

We won't beat Algeria by a hatful. They'll set up stall and go for the defensive approach as they'll know how frustrated England get the longer a game goes on goal less.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

OK, we'll have to agree to disagree. I've got to say though that I've never felt so strongly about what I think an England team's best line-up would be - It just seems madness to me that we're not playing our best players in their best positions.

Of course I would loved to be proved wrong but if we play 4-4-2 with Gerrard on the left I feel we will do well to get past the quarter finals.

On your 'untried. Untested' argument - this was one of my main gripes in the build-up to the World Cup, that we didn't try it in a friendly.

Fair enough. I just remember so many times that I've seen a team on paper, thought that would be amazing, and then it turns out crap. Biggest problem with international teams is that they spend so little time together that its hard to form a proper team with understanding. Hence why playing a single formation all the time makes sense, and its foolish to discard it if it works.

As for Gerrard in a hole behind Rooney - we did that in the 2nd round and qtr finals in 2006, and I don't remember it looking that good then.

Gerrard has barely played in a friendly under Capello

 

[Stumpy Tim]

On your 'untried. Untested' argument - this was one of my main gripes in the build-up to the World Cup, that we didn't try it in a friendly.

I agree with this... Capello's biggest mistake so far was not trying it. Even when we had Rooney alone up-front, he played Joe Cole behind him & Gerrard on the left.

But what's gone is gone & I don't think now is the time to test it. I would rather we play the standard formation that's worked, and then surprise the first top team we come up against.