With the World Cup starting on Thursday, and England kicking off their campaign in a week's time, I look at how they should line up for the group stage games against Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica.
Hart
Johnson Jagielka Cahill Baines
Gerrard Henderson
Barkley Rooney Lallana
Sturridge
I would line up like this against Italy. We all know that they have a set piece master in Pirlo, so I say we should fight fire with fire and trust in the abilities of Leighton Baines. I'd go in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Gerrard and Henderson holding the midfield, with Lallana on the left, Barkley on the right and Rooney playing in the centre behind Sturridge. We have to expose each team's weakness, and if Italy have one, then it's at full back. They played Ignazio Abate and Mattia De Sciglio in the midweek friendly against Luxembourg (a game they drew by the way). Last time out against Italy, a friendly after Euro 2012 that England won 2-1, the Azzuri played Abate and Balzaretti at full back, the same combination that played against England in the Euros that same year. Prandelli seems to favour 4 at the back, as opposed to Juventus' 3 central defenders and 2 wing backs that won them Serie A so convincingly last season. I don't think pace is the best way of exposing the Italian backline, especially with the pace of Abate (FIFA players know what I'm on about), so I think our best hope is with Barkley and Lallana to out-fox them.
Hart
Johnson Jagielka Cahill Shaw
Gerrard Wilshere
Lampard Barkley
Sturridge Rooney
This would be my line up in the second game against Uruguay. Of course, they have a decent strike force with Cavani and Suarez, as well as Diego Forlan, who can still do a job. Their midfield is decent, nothing to shout about though, with their best player probably being Southampton's Gaston Ramirez. They've kept faith with the majority of their 2010 squad, with 15 of the 23 part of the team that reached the semi finals in controversial circumstances (but I had them in a sweepstake so I didn't care). This game will be won in midfield, where we are far superior. Cavani and Suarez will have to be kept quiet by Cahill and Jagielka, and I think the full backs can push forward this game, which is why I'd play Shaw over Baines here because I feel that he is better at going forward. Gerrard and Wilshere should line up together as they provide different things. Gerrard is able to pick a pass to absolutely anywhere, whereas Wilshere is a far more intricate player, which could serve well here against the Uruguayan midfield. Lampard and Barkley would be ahead of them centrally to enable Johnson and Shaw to fully use the wings, with Sturridge and Rooney partnering each other up front.
Hart
Johnson Jagielka Cahill Baines
Gerrard Henderson
Sterling Rooney Chamberlain
Sturridge
Costa Rica is supposed to be the easy game in the group, but no game is easy if it's in the World Cup. This is where I'd go for pace, with Costa Rica preferring a more defensive approach and then launching the counter attack, relying on the craft of Bryan Ruiz and the pace of Joel Campbell. They played 5 at the back against Ireland in the early hours of the morning today, which wasn't too successful, achieving a 1-1 draw and having a man sent off, so the approach could differ, but it won't be too different since they've taken 9 defenders to Brazil as opposed to us taking just 7. Raheem Sterling should have a field day against these, as should Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain provided he's fit, otherwise I would start Adam Lallana on the left, with Rooney sitting in just behind Sturridge.
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