Are you excited about the English national team? Well, it seems that if your answer is anything other than âyesâ, youâre among the vast majority nowadays. Although itâs becoming the cool stance to be down on international football, the Three Lions have done little to make people sit up and take notice, with sedate performances and tournament horror shows commonplace.But, one tactical shift may well make England exciting again and we at FFC Towers think that 3-5-2 is the answer. Gareth Southgate could cement his role as the man to save the national team with some minor tweaks that will get the best from his current crop of players. Here are THREE reasons why it makes sense to go for it against Spain tonight and into the future...
Solves the John Stones problem
Stonesâ outright commitment to playing the ball out from the back has to be admired. The young centre-back may take it to the extreme sometimes, but the level of abuse he gets for trying to play progressive football perhaps sums up the current plight of our national game. In a two-man central set-up he often doesnât have as much time on the ball as he may like, but in a three-player system, he seems well-suited to being the libero between two more commanding defenders.
In between Gary Cahill and perhaps Eric Dier or Michael Keane, Stones could have the time to spray the sort of passes out from the back he enjoys and will have the protection to stride forward with possession. Heâs been used in such a system by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, while Chelsea are playing, arguably, the best football in the Premier League with David Luiz (a somewhat similar player) acting as a creative force from the back.
Addresses Englandâs lack of natural width
As the initial squad for Englandâs World Cup qualifier vs. Scotland and tonightâs Spain clash show, Southgate has been short of genuine wide attacking options. Aside from Raheem Sterling and Andros Townsend, the Three Lions boss is hardly spoilt for choice when it comes to wingers offering genuine width, with players such as Adam Lallana Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Theo Walcott all more suited to drifting inside. Outside of the squad there are few English wingers shining in the Premier League, with, perhaps, Michail Antonio the best option.
A 3-5-2, or some variation of that, sees wing-backs provide the wide threat, and in Kyle Walker and Danny Rose, Southgate has two of the best around. Behind them, the likes of Nathaniel Clyne and Aaron Cresswell can do jobs on the right and left flanks, while Sterling could even be moved back into one of the positions during games in which England are expected to be on the front foot.
Can keep Wayne Rooney in the XI with a partner
Although tailoring a team around Rooney is not an ideal way to approach things from both a short and long-term perspective, having a system in which he can be utilised without being crow-barred in may remove the constant circus surrounding the Manchester United man.
As captain, âWazzaâ will play when fit, as has been shown, and in a two-man attack he could be the more deep-lying of the duo behind a pacier option such as Daniel Sturridge, Marcus Rashford or Jamie Vardy, or the all-round threat of Harry Kane. Long-term he could be phased out for Sterling, whose shown in the past he can shine when used centrally.
Hereâs how an, all players being fit, England XI could lookâ¦
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