You the manager: how should England line up under Fabio Capello?

Martin Samuel today offers a few pointers as to how Fabio Capello may shape his England side against Switzerland tomorrow.

Samuel suggests what is needed is a revolution of the mind, perhaps employing a version of the 4-2-3-1 system that served Sven-Göran Eriksson well at Manchester City earlier in the season, or even leaving Michael Owen on the bench with Wayne Rooney up on his own and Ashley Young and Joe Cole behind to support him.

It's thought-provoking stuff, and offers up all sorts of opportunity for debate. So rather than shouting the odds at the pub, do it here. This is the place to tell Fabio what he should do.

Who should be in the team? What should the formation be? Who is the supersub? What special instructions would you give Steven Gerrard?

You be the manager. Now.

Comments

JAMES
RICHARDS FERDINAND WOODGATE COLE

COLE GERRARD HARGREAVES YOUNG

ROONEY CROUCH

[Atkins]

Green

Brown Richards Ferdinand Bridge

Bentley Hargreaves Barry Young

J Cole

Rooney

[Colin]

Robinson;
Richards, Ferdinand, Terry, A Cole;
J Cole, Hargreaves, Lampard;
Gerrard;
Rooney, Owen (Crouch)

EASY

[Mike Schofield]

James
Richards Ferdinand Woodgate Bridge

Bentley Gerrard Hargreaves Young

Cole

Rooney

England 3 - 0 Switzerland

Rooney double and Bentley

[James wood]

I think Green should be the goaly though, but out of the three in the squad James has to get it.Also i think Lennon should be in the squad atleast.

[James wood]

I think the formation picks itself really.

James-GK
Richards-RB
Rio-CB
Woodgate-CB
A.Cole-LB
Betnley-RM
Gerrard-CM
Hargreves-CM
Young-CM
Cole-AM
Rooooooooooney_CF

[bob macdonald]

dead easy,
change the linear forward movements to diagonals

adopt a quick pass and move initiative throughout the team.

build up the awareness of the players, which is presently nil

make a greater effort to increase instances of creativity and invention, avoiding totally the idea of get it wide and get in quality crosses, with someone getting round the target player for the scraps.

bob macdonald

[Anthony]

4-4-2

Gk - David James
LB - Ashley Cole
RB - Micah Richards
CB - Jonathan Woodgate
CB - Rio Ferdinand

ML - Ashley Young
MR - Shaun Wright Philips
MC - Stven Gerrard
MC - Owen Hargreaves

St - Rooney
St - Owen

[chris hamilton]

4-1-4-1

GK:Green
RB:Brown
CB:Ferdinand
CB:Richards
LB:A.Cole

DM:Hargreaves
RM:SWP
CM:Barry
LM:Young
AM:Gerrard

CF:Rooney

Subs: Crouch, Upson, Bridge, Carson

As long as Hargreaves keeps the door shut this formation is sound defensively, Gerrard running from deep with the genuine width of SWP and Young to provide plenty of crosses. If possible Brown (Who has bee very attack minded for United recently) and Cole can push up and get beyond the wingers to provide yet more crosses for Rooney and Gerrard who are more than capable in the air.

safe

[mark - UAE]

No. 1 is Perry Groves
No. 2 is Perry Groves
No. 3 is Perry Groves
No. 4 is Perry Groves
No. 5 is Perry Groves
No. 6 is Perry Groves
No. 7 is Perry Groves
No. 8 is Perry Groves
No. 9 is Perry Groves
No. 10 is Perry Groves
No. 11 is Perry Groves

[Vir T]

3-2-3-2

Ferdinand Woodgate Bridge

Carrick Barry

Wright-Philips Gerrard J Cole

Rooney Owen

[Alvin Lee]

GK: David James (experience and stable)
Def: Micah Richards, Rio Fedinand, Jonathan Woodgate, Ashley Cole
Mid: Owen Hargreaves, Steven Gerrard, Ashley Young, David Bentley
Strikers: Peter Crouch, Wayne Roony

Idea is have pacy wingers to suppy crosses for Crouch to have some aerial threat while Rooney and do his stuff on the turf.

[Matt]

4-3-2-1

Carson

Richards
Ferdinand
Woodgate
Bridge

Gerrard
Hargreaves

Wright-Phillips
J.Cole
Young

Rooney

No target man but that doesn't seem to have done United much harm this season.

Then if it all goes wrong you have the all purpose Plan B, Crouchie, on the bench.

[tom]

urgh... not a pleasant task. i can imagine an england side composed in a remotely original manner dripping over the wembley pitch like a crop of headless chickens, in front of the baffled english faithful. but im feeling brave, so...

4-2-3-1
james in goal - he's our best goalkeeper, no question. back four of a.cole LB, (heard he was boss at the weekend, consistent performer for england and bridge was terrible vs croatia, looked out of his depth), rio and woodgate, (with woodgate performing the vidic, a*se on the line role ala man u) richards RB. hargreaves and barry in the defensive midfield roles, gerrard in the centre of the next 3 supported by SWP on the right and joe cole on the left. rooney on his todd up front which he can do provided we keep the ball on the ground instead of hoofing it up in the air. we're talking hargreaves and barry to provide a foundation for attack and cover for attacking full backs, hargreaves is a stellar worker and barry can pick out a pass. gerrard can look to combine with rooney, cole and SWP in attacking positions, who will also be looking to get in behind... i'd like to know how the swiss will be playing but not allowing for mass hysteria in the england ranks this should be enough to roll them over. above all, we need to keep the ball and pass it. no panic, no hollywood passes and get the basics right, particularly in goal. i expect a comfortable england win.

[slaton]

4-2-3-1
Carson in goal.
right back: Gerard
left Back: Richards
Centre backs: Ferdinand and Woodgate/Upson
Defensive Midfielders: Hargreaves and Barry
Attacking Midfielder: Joe Cole
Left Link: Young
Right Link: Bentley
Centre forward: Rooney

[Mario]

James in goal. He's matured over tha latter part of his career and has a bit of 'attitude' about him, which is bound to appeal to Capello.

Back four of Richards, Woodgate, Ferdinand and Bridge, mainly because Neville snr. is injured and Ashley Cole doesn't deserve to be first choice. (And, yes, I'd take a fit Woodgate over Terry)

3 inform midfielders in Jenas, Hargreaves, Barry, leaving Gerrard to get forward and support Rooney and Crouch (I know he's not great but who else is there?)

[Tom]

Formation 4-4-2
James in goal.
Backs: Richards, Ferdinand, Lescott, Bridge
Midfield: Gerrard, Hargreaves, Barry,Joe Cole
Strikers: Rooney, Crouch

[Biplob Kishore Deb]

GK- David James

Defender- Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge and Jonathan Woodgate

Midfielder- Owen Hargreaves , Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry and Ashley Young

Striker- Wayne Rooney and Jermain Defoe

[Bryan Ingleby]

I agree with Mr Samuel except I would have Defoe instead of Owen.

Mr Owen no longer has that initial pace that killed defenders, and he tends to hide out wide. His first touch is poor nowadays for some unknown reason.

And somebody tell Mr Ferdinand, the ball playing centre back, that the long ball is dead!

[Jimmy]

4-1-2-1-2
GK: David James
DR: Micah Richards
DC: Rio Ferdinand
DC: Joleon Lescott
DL: Ashley Cole
DM: Owen Hargreaves
MR: Joe Cole
ML: Ashley Young
AMC: Steven Gerrard
ST: Jermain Defoe
ST: Peter Crouch

Subs:
C Kirkland
W Rooney
G Barry
W Bridge
J Woodgate
M Upson
J Jenas

[Paul]

4-4-2

James

Richards, Ferdinand, Woodgate, A cole

J Cole, Hargreaves, Gerrard, Beckham

Rooney, Crouch

[A Syed]

4-1-3-2

JAMES
RICHARDS-FERDINAND(c)-WOODGATE-A.COLE
HARGREAVES
BENTLEY-WRIGHTPHILLIPS-J.COLE
ROONEY-OWEN

Subs in 2nd half: DEFOE (OWEN), YOUNG (J.COLE)& JENAS (WRIGHTPHILLIPS)

[Andy]

4-1-2-1-2
GK: James
RB: Richards
CB: Ferdinand, Woodgate
LB: Bridge
CDM: Hargreaves
RM, LM: Gerrard, J. Cole
CAM: Rooney
ST: Crouch, Owen

Solid back 4, Hargreaves in the holding role. Cole and Gerrard would be free to either stay in the midfield or go out wide, leaving us 2 pacy options down the flanks.

Rooney plays deep, to his strength. Finally, Owen gets a target man in Crouch. Rooney/Owen/Crouch leads to some fantastic attacking options.

[Adam Michie]

4-1-3-1-1

James

Richards, Woodgate, Ferdinand, Cole

Hargreaves

Bentley, Gerrard, Barry

Rooney

Owen

Picks itself.... : )

[Matthew Kemp]

4-1-3-1-1
GK - James
RB - Richards
CB - Ferdinand, Woodgate
LB - Bridge (Cole has not been anywhere near his best for a year or so now)
Holding Mid - Hargreaves
3 Mid - Gerrard, Jenas, Bentley
Support Striker - Cole
Striker - Rooney