It's time England show they mean business

Last updated : 19 June 2006 By Editor

Lennon became the youngest ever Tottenham player to appear in the tournament when he was introduced as a second half substitute against Trinidad & Tobago last week. Paul Robinson made his debut against Paraguay.

But it was Lennon who immediately became a star performer for England, utilising his pace down the right. Opposite winger Stewart Downing replaced Joe Cole, who along with Chelsea teammate Frank Lampard have been disappointing in the opening two games.

So does England's future in the World Cup depend on two players who have won successive Premiership titles, or would the inclusion of Lennon and Michael Carrick, who both fell ill on the last day of the season as Spurs missed out on clinching a Champions League qualifying place, provide a better option?

Wayne Rooney is a must from now on, then Sven must choose between misfiring Michael Owen and inform Peter Crouch, but he has to make room in the starting line-up for Lennon.

In midfield, Michael Carrick and David Beckham as playmakers with the Spurs man sitting back would allow Steven Gerrard to get forward and support the front pairing. Or he can stick with the same four in midfield as risk an early elimination.

Martin Jol has said many times that Carrick can do a job for England, as he's done all season at club level. After England's dull opening encounters in Germany, along with the impact provided by Lennon, led Jol to write in The Sunday Times: 'England have to capture a bit more of Rooney's spirit if they are to win this World Cup, which is still possible. They have enough top-class footballers not to have to wait for Rooney to lift their mood and their play.

It is time for a change of formation; for England to play with three men in the spine in midfield and Lennon or even Stewart Downing and Rooney attacking from either side of a main striker because at this level a rigid 4-4-2 is dead.

Three midfield players in the central area might give England a better occupation of the pitch and reduce the distance between their attacking line and the rest of the team. More than half of the goals at this World Cup will be scored from crosses, and England need the outlet and point of penetration that somebody like Lennon provides. If Owen can just score a goal, he will be 30% better. He will also benefit from Rooney's return and he would love the supply Lennon could provide.'

Joe Lovejoy in The Sunday Times was in agreement with the Spurs boss that England need to change their formation fast to succeed: ‘More than anything England need to get their team and pattern of play right for the tougher challenges that lie ahead. There is a strong case to be made for the inclusion of both Wayne Rooney and Aaron Lennon from the start, entailing a switch to the more adventurous 4-3-3. Plan A is the long ball, an unsightly, unsophisticated tactic that reduces four of the best midfielders in the world to the role of scavengers, chasing the knockdowns and scraps the coaching fraternity call the "second ball" that is not only inappropriate, it will never win the World Cup. Because of Sven Goran Eriksson, and his outmoded version of 4-4-2, any similarity between the game England are playing and that practised by Argentina, Spain, the Czech Republic and little Ecuador extends no further than the shape of the ball.'

According to today's Daily Mirror, Jermaine Jenas trained as part of the starting XI on Sunday, and could be in line to replace Lampard who is a caution away from missing the second round through suspension.

With the same fate potentially awaiting Gerrard, it has also been suggested Owen Hargreaves might be preferred to Carrick against the Swedes, if the scorer of England's second goal against Trinidad is asked to sit it out tomorrow night.