England's penchant for folly selections!!

[Stonigut]

I think this is where Don1 theory Come in we must build our style of play at the local level on interchangeable parts. Say a guy like granny Marshall could easily play dm, ch or any of the wingback positions and potentially could have played an excellent Am as well. I believe peek head is one of these versatile layers as well he could play any of wing back, mid flank and possibly attacking mid as well. This is where you create an advantage that other teams do not have, the excellent boxer that can change style and go southpaw and back has an advantage over an equally excellent boxer who is one dimensional in style.

[Assasin]

While we will be able to produce better players you have to realize that players like Bale are not the norm. Yes we build strength and we will see better results but remember that these players are not born everyday. With better coaching and training we can overcome, even if you don't have that type of player you can hide it or cover up with others.

Granny Marshall also is a player would could play any position but pity he didn't realize it until late in his career. There is no doubt that such a player is an asset but even some of the best teams with the best leagues can't find one.

[Paul Marin]

I think many people overthink this ball thing, a good center half and defensive mid should be interchangeable in my system, same way I expect all midfield attackers to be able to interchange all the way through striker, to create an advantage you must build greater flexibility in players.

You see this with a guy like bale, he can play lb, left flank and he can play striker. Lamb from Germany can play rb, dm, am same with Schweinsteiger.

Baines can also play lb, dm, left mid flank, possibly even am. These guys are primo athletes and their advantages can be flexed to create confusion and create new value.

Stoni, mi ah beg you...please, please, please, please...don't give up your day job! ARE YOU CRACKED IN THE SKULL!!!??? you cannot have "a good center half interchangeable with a defensive mid" in the world cup, you want to have specialists who are selected to play a particular position because they play that best; interchangeability should only happen as a last resort. Still, I admire your creativity!! You are a living example of "thinking outside the box!"

[Stonigut]

Hahah ok, do it every day for last thirty years in my day job. The best teams are able to pull this off , that is where you derive the advantage but it does take a special player to make this work, no doubt. We are seeing it before our eyes with Sterling and we know that Rooney can play all the attacking positions very well, actually I love him playing attacking mid, it cools him down a little and it also makes him more creative and dangerous.

We have seen Mascherano used as a centre half in the best club in the world to good effect at the height of their powers, he was playing centre half for barca in 2011 season.

This is the fundamental basis behind Total Football you guys know this, sometimes you all make me feel like you are watching too much American football, where clearly a wide receiver cannot play on the offensive line or vice versa, this ain't American football, this is the real ball, it is round and real athletes play it, total football and it's variants call for flexibility relative to personnel and position, come on now!! You are slaughtering me fi real!

[Paul Marin]

Hahah ok, do it every day for last thirty years in my day job. The best teams are able to pull this off , that is where you derive the advantage but it does take a special player to make this work, no doubt. We are seeing it before our eyes with Sterling and we know that Rooney can play all the attacking positions very well, actually I love him playing attacking mid, it cools him down a little and it also makes him more creative and dangerous.

We have seen Mascherano used as a centre half in the best club in the world to good effect at the height of their powers, he was playing centre half for barca in 2011 season.

This is the fundamental basis behind Total Football you guys know this, sometimes you all make me feel like you are watching too much American football, where clearly a wide receiver cannot play on the offensive line or vice versa, this ain't American football, this is the real ball, it is round and real athletes play it, total football and it's variants call for flexibility relative to personnel and position, come on now!! You are slaughtering me fi real!

But even in our football, you have players who are better at one function over another. Puyol as a striker? RVP as a center half? Silva as a right back? You get the point. They all have their specialties which have to be exploited.

[Stonigut]

Yes and that is lovely and we love that as some people have talents that get amplified in certain positions so like bale who was a left back but at left mid flank he is an absolute monster.

Advantages can be derived by mixing it up in a game just to present a different look and change create new responses from the opposition which can create new opportunities with a switch back to the old configuration and the opposition not immediately seeing the switchback. I see something like this working real well for Germany which has a wonderful collection of talent and interchangeable pieces, too bad they have lots of injuries etc.

What about Baines could he be a dm or maybe better yet an am,. I believe he is underutilized at lb and could be a monster in the middle of the field.

[Paul Marin]

Yes and that is lovely and we love that as some people have talents that get amplified in certain positions so like bale who was a left back but at left mid flank he is an absolute monster.

Advantages can be derived by mixing it up in a game just to present a different look and change create new responses from the opposition which can create new opportunities with a switch back to the old configuration and the opposition not immediately seeing the switchback. I see something like this working real well for Germany which has a wonderful collection of talent and interchangeable pieces, too bad they have lots of injuries etc.

What about Baines could he be a dm or maybe better yet an am,. I believe he is underutilized at lb and could be a monster in the middle of the field.

Okay - we see it differently; if it was sunday football or friendlies, maybe, but world cup is not a time for experimentation imo.

[Rockman]

I will be VERY disappointed if Rooney does not stamp his name on this WC,there is no way he can play alongside Sturridge and not be a benefactor.England getting pinned in its own half is a strategy that will surely be explored by the worthy opponents.
Sterling,I think,will be a more straight forward winger than he is at Pool.The roles will be clearly defined.

[Karl]

Well I hope...

...he starts showing that good decision-making ability during this World Cup as England needs such 'badly'.

[Assasin]

Yes Rooney works well when he has creative players around him, not when he is the expected to be the creator. He has a good eye and a good shot and occasionally will turn a player.

[Rockman]

Seems like Rooney and Sterling are having trouble with the ball itself.

[Peter R]

Rooney could have scored, maybe even two. The crosses from Johnson, Sterling and even Sturridge all seemed to end up behind the goal, out of play...