Our chances in recent tournaments were scuppered by injuries to key players and Capello must be having nightmares about the possibility of losing Rooney for the World Cup. Last night suggested that Ivebonkedawhore is not up to the job and Defoe is a completely different sort of player. If he plays, the style of play will change with a more rigid 4-4-2 necessary because Defoe lacks the ability to drop back into midfield, swap positions with Gerrard, etcetera.
Until Beckham's arrival last night, we looked very ordinary but his range of passing transformed the game. And there perhaps is the answer to the Rooney nightmare scenario. Move Gerrard into Rooney's position, bring Beckham into the midfield and play Joe Cole wide on the left, inter-changing with Gerrard, and maybe we will have the solution. The problem here will be the loss of pace on the flanks so maybe Lampard has to be sacrificed, using Beckham as a traditional playmaker, alongside the combative Barry, and employing one of Walcott, Wright-Phillips or Lennon wide on the right.
I accept that Rooney would still be missed but he is not as crucial as some are trying to suggest once Joe Cole is back fit and on form.
No comments:
Post a Comment