Just as a broad consensus looked to have been reached across fans - England would be best employing Kane and Vardy in tandem up front, with Alli behind at the tip of the diamond - all of a sudden a spanner is thrown in the works.
Wayne Rooney. His inclusion last night had the effect of negating the effect of all three of these lads.
Alli was moved back in the diamond, to a position he can have less impact on the game, and a peripheral figure the result. Ball often picked up with a wall of players in front of him
Kane and Vardy were levered apart by Rooney virtually making this a 433, with him as the central striker, rather than him playing a more reserved provider role. The two most potent English goalscorers of the season, chasing down fullbacks.
So what is the solution? Bearing in mind it will be 433 or a diamond.
1. Drop Rooney
My choice, but I simply do not see it happening.
2. Change his instruction
Instruct Rooney that his job as the tip is not to get in the centre-forward position as often as possible - as the central AM player in a 4411/4231 might to get with/beyond a lone striker - but to provide support for the two up front
That means taking up a largely central midfield position, but taking up wide positions when needed. His position should be reactive to the positions Vardy and Kane take up, not be the driving force for others.
Alli the casualty here - better to play another deeper in the diamond, as it is a waste of his strengths, and others are better suited
3. Put Rooney on one side of the diamond
Could this straightjacket him in to staying deep? Would he do a better, selfless job than other specialist midfielders? Im not convinced.
Milner or Wilshere the casualty here
4. Play a proper 433
Let him have a place among the front 3, and change the dynamic of the attack. He has played off the left before, so it may work. It would need balance on the other side though - a bit of ying to his yang - either a direct wideman such as Sterling, or someone such as Barkley or Lallana who will bolster the midfield and allow a breaker from the 3.
Kane or Vardy the casualty here
5. Play him up front in the diamond
Give him the central striker role he loves. It would allow Alli to take up his best position, and the midfield would be balanced.
Vardy or Kane the casualty here - probably Kane
It all feels a bit like shoehorning Rooney in to me, at the expense of players who are more effective in the particular midfield role, or have been better in the striker role all season.
How'd you solve a problem like Wayne Rooney
posted on 3/6/16
What is this split strikers nonsense?
They have to play wider? Biggest load of tosh I have ever heard. The reason they played wider is because there was another centre forward muscling in between them.
You play two up top, in a diamond, and one will generally stay central and the other has a bit of freedom find space. With a disciplined breaker at the tip who varies his movement with the movement of the front two (not one who is determined to play as a #9)
Some United fans clamouring for him to start up top after a few goals against absolute dross in qualifying, when they don't even want him starting up top for United?
posted on 3/6/16
For me he does not start.
If a diamond, you play the two in-form centre forwards, as a pair not an estranged couple, and you then build your side around that. Alli and Dier top and base. Wilshere and Milner in the middle.
If a 433 you go with Kane up top. Dier, Wilshere and Alli. Kane central and Vardy/Sturridge and Sterling/Barkley
Rooney does not cut it up front for United any more, and i'd guess upwards of 90% of United fans would have Kane or Alli in a United shirt instead of him - why he is considered a possible starter for England is a mystery. He is not good enough any more unfortunately
posted on 3/6/16
Will say it again. He ain't giod enough for England or United. Jose will slowly phase him out next season
posted on 3/6/16
Same situation. When it comes to tournament football Rooney seems to always be more of a problem than a positive
Usually its fitness issues, bans or whatever other nonsense. This time its where / if to play him as his performances do not demand a place in the side
Hodgson however has nailed his reputation to Rooney and he will play irrespective. He will flatter to deceive as per normal and England will be home by the QF's with an outside chance of the Semi-Final
I'm just fed up with Rooney. Whenever there is a tournament there is a media drama
Forget the drama, just drop him. He's past his best. Sub for when we may need a bit more experience on the pitch at certain times
posted on 3/6/16
What the hell is this split strikers talk?
Rooney has seemingly made a conscious effort to avoid the penalty box like the plague in the last couple of years yet suddenly strikers are supposed to part like the Red Sea to make way for him to get in there?
posted on 3/6/16
Vardy needs to be dropped because we aren't Leicester and we don't play a system which suits his game. Our build-up is so slow and laboured that a player in Vardys ilk is completely wasted.
Last night he was consistently on the shoulder looking for an early ball in behind which never came. Either because our players have been instructed not to, or because they are not good enough. Danny Rose was the key culprit here, often having acres and hours to just dink the ball over the Portuguese full back but instead he went 5 yards sideways. Dier another culprit - I appreciate the role of the Defensive Midfielder more than most, but boy does he slow the facking game down - hasn't got a 10 yard pass in his legs.
Surely to god Harry Kane is not our set piece specialist either?
posted on 3/6/16
On form and without fitness concerns then Sturridge would be my first choice striker for England. No question in my mind.
After the last 12 months though I'd struggle to justify him starting over either Kane or Vardy. Let him come off the bench and try and make himself undroppable with his performances
..............shock !! horror!!! its a Liverpool fan claiming Sturridge should be first choice!!
posted on 4/6/16
Rooney plays in midfield. Simple really. This is the first time in years we actually have a good set of strikers to choose from, but every other position (barring GK) are at best average. Inbdefence you could choose either RB, the same for LB. Cahill and Smalling have to start. Stones has declined and its unsure whether he'll pick it up. There isn't much choice there.
Midfield is horrendous. Milner? Henderson? A recently return from injury Wilshire? Dier?
Sadly those are the options. If we are going for the diamond the Dier at the base. Rooney alongside Wil and Alli behind the front two. Kane and Vardy up front (purely because I think Sturidge will be better off the bench and keeps him fit when needed and Rashford, I don't want him ruined by England). There isn't enough wide players in the squad. Vardy isn't a wide forward.
posted on 4/6/16
Rooney can play in behind Kane and Vardy if Hodgson didn't insist on their relentless tracking back to help out the full backs,thereby completely negating what Vardy in particular has brought to the table.
If you consider what would an opposition defence prefer to be up against,I imagine having Kane & Vardy as supplementary full backs would be pretty high on the wish list.
With a manager who isn't a dinasaur this squad has the potential to do very well,sadly it won't and we all know why
posted on 5/6/16
Simple, drop it.