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3-5-2 LETS GO!

Wednesday, 21 May 08, 09:31 PM


A few months ago in a match of such amazing signifcance, it lead to Steve Mclaren's sacking and ensured England can have their 3rd manager in two years, Croatia beat the team 2-0.
It was the first time Mclaren and indeed this present England squad had used the 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 formation and it was to such terrible effect that the three points lost led to the team not qualifying to the Euro Championship.

However, while the team no doubt stumbled and all chances of anyone so much as mentioning the formation again are all but gone, had the formation been used effectively to accommodate the various players, the team could have been in a very different situation today.

Essentially the formation entails having two wing backs or even two wingers covering the flanks while two strikers stay up front. At the back there are three central defenders, with one either staying back as a sweeper, or staying ahead of the two and marshalling them in a more midfield role.

In the center of the park, there are three central midfielders and depending on the defensive trio's role, there can either be a defensive midfielder to aid the defenders, while the other two control distribution in their respective flanks, or conversely, there can be two defensive minded midfielders, while one man attacks and distributes down the middle.

In terms of covering space, and utilizing the pitch and it’s dimensions, the system ensures the best options and the tightest packing of the team. It is zonal and it thrives on team harmony, and that I suppose is one place where it fell apart so gloriously for the three lions.

Aaron Lennon, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Shaun Wright Philips, Ashley Young, David Bentley and Stewart Downing are the more known wide players for the team and have all had reasonably good success domestically, even if some (Here’s looking at you, Shaun Wright Philips) have been inconsistent. The fact is that of all of them, and the few others emerging such as Theo Walcott, on their day, and given the right role, are more than able to thrive out wide in such a set up. The fact that Capello has so many options should : A) create some sort of competition among them, and B) make up for any excuse of lack of form 1, or 2, or 5 of them may be suffering from! And for God’s sake, David Beckham has very few years left to play, no matter how perfect he’d be for this formation.

If we include the few defensive full backs England has to pick from, then it's no surprise they thought even Mclaren could do the job! Gary Neville, Micah Richards, Ashley Cole, Joleon Lescott, Wayne Bridge, are all accomplished players and know how to cross a ball. The fact is with such a tight midfield, it’s MUCH harder to mark the flanks.

In the centre of defence England boast the most enviable of selections. Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Sol Campbell, Micah Richards and Joleon Lescott, are just some of the options at hand, granted the latter two somehow thrive wide as well. Even WITHOUT Carragher, the Taylors, Wheaters, Woodgates, etc are all perfectly reasonable players to have.

In the middle of the park, Gareth Barry's resurgence, Owen Hargreaves' assured performances, and yes a Michael Carrick or Scott Parker(Only in case of emergency...) are not by any degree, below standards for the role of an effective defensive midfeild. Ofcourse some sort of zonal planning IS key so they don't go and bump into each other landing in a heap, but then that's why Stevie Mac was being paid. Michael Johnson’s season obviously puts him in for this role too.
Attacking options, are again in abundance, although some basic logic and learning from past errors must be incorporated. Gerrard and Lampard can’t play together because both want to be free and attacking. So sticking Lampard on the left and saying, ‘Go on son, kick it’ is bizarre. Lampard is an effective player even if he is hated. Whether it's on account of some bizarre luck or whether he actually has skill, when that boy hits the ball, it stays hit for a while and more often that not it hits the net as well. Give him his freedom, and he might just emulate whatever it is he does at Chelsea.
If not him, then you always have England's favorite child, Gut-Bustin'-Gerrard! A cunt he may be, but bloody hell as a supporting, attacking midfielder he is stunning.
In strike, England have Rooney, Bent, Owen, Johnson, Young, Agbonlahor, Crouch and Defoe. If, Capello can honestly not find one successful permutation or combination between these options then the man is a serious liability.
The point is, as a championship manager, or Fifa player, it is a DREAM, to have a squad like this at your disposal. Sure, they’re motivated and graphically designed to play their best all the time, but there is an incredible strength in depth in this country. To blame Arsene Wenger for the failure to qualify is ludicrous.  Up front, wide, in the middle and at the back, England not only have some of the best in the world, but they have an incredible list of substitutes to go with them. So don’t blame metatarsals, don’t blame Wenger, don’t blame referees, and don’t blame other teams. The media are to English football the way India is to cricketers. Always at either extreme- berating or felicitating, but never objective. Brian Barwick has paid millions for sacking the last two managers. And he’s paid more to hire them. Capello makes an effort and seems like he’s focused. But unless the players are made to WANT to play well, and unless there is actual organization, and not a mere collection of the players, there will never be results. England are disjointed and boring to watch. It’s a bunch of prima donna celebrities out playing like it’s a gimmick. It is not, and for many years, HAS not been a serious sporting venture for pride or glory. It is an absolute shambles and lacks the professionalism the likes of Hiddink and Scolari have incorporated. Capello is meticulous and disciplined and hopefully will imbibe the team with that same spirit. Otherwise one of the greatest collections of talent of this past century will go to waste.  And Wenger’ll be blamed! 

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