Wednesday, 06 February 08, 07:38 PM
Fabio Capello has gone with a mostly "on-form" starting XI for this England team. Bentley has been the best English attacking midfielder this season, and Jenas has been excellent in the new year under Ramos, playing box-to-box and timing his runs perfectly. James is the best English 'keeper at the moment (fortunate or unfortunate as it may be) in terms of performance and experience, and Matthew Upson offers an all-important, balancing left-foot in defence.
Whilst the exact formation hasn't been revealed, it will probably be something similar to what he used at Roma, when he was short of attacking talent.
I'd guess that it's a 4-1-2-2-1 formation:
James
Brown Ferdinand Upson A. Cole
Barry
Gerrard Jenas
Bentley J. Cole
Rooney
Barry will sit deep and mop up, playing short, simple passes. Gerrard will probably stick a bit more in the centre, controlling the game, getting stuck in, and going on his forward bursts. The thing with Gerrard is that he isn't versatile - play him deep, and his game suffers, and play him too high up the pitch, and his game suffers, so it's best to allow him to do as he pleases in the centre. Barry complements him will.
Jenas' role will be a bit trickier. Off the ball, I think he will assist Gerrard and the fullbacks with ball-winning, but when in possession, he will probably be making forward runs to support the front 3, and will be the one providing runs beyond the striker form the centre.
Bentley will be allowed to do what he does best in his roving right-sided role, and Joe Cole has been playing for long-enough on the left to do so without any bother. Expect him and Bentley to switch flanks often, and if the players are reading each other well enough, Cole, Jenas, Rooney and to a lesser extent Bentley, should all be interchanging positions.
Enjoy the game everyone, and I'd love to hear your comments throughout the match, should make for a fun bit of discussion!
On Premier League approves 7 substitutes