With four victories and +12 goal difference, uncritical acceptance of the World Cup qualifier stats suggests that England are currently the best team in Europe. With a friendly win over Germany also in the bag, it’s about time we analysed just what Capello has done to turn around England’s form.
There is a discernible pattern to Capello’s approach and his favoured players also seem apparent. Capello seems to recognize that modern international teams require two deep-lying central midfielders, to deny opposition attacks space in front of the back four. He therefore generally fields a team with a reinforced midfield base: in the majority of the qualifiers it comprised Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry, with Lampard taking on a more restrained role than usual. This could leave a hole between midfield and attack, but Wayne Rooney often drops deep from attack to fill the gap. The emergence of Theo Walcott has been timely and his pace on the right flank also prevents England’s defensive platform from hindering attacking play. Despite his lack of goals, Heskey is first-choice centre forward as his physical presence and work-rate creates openings for those around him.
Essentially, apart from a brief dalliance with 4-3-3 against Kazakhstan, Capello favours 4-4-2 but with Rooney dropping deep it could be considered 4-4-1-1. Implicit within this model is a 4-2-3-1 approach which is just a tweak away. This latter approach was apparent against Belarus: in the second-half Gerrard moved infield to take up a position behind the striker, with Rooney moving to the left. It is perhaps the left-side of midfield that remains most unsettled. Gerrard started on the left against Belarus but was merely a nominal presence and had the right to stray from the touchline: this may have unbalanced the side and the team improved in the second period when Gerrard played more centrally. Joe Cole had previously established himself on the left, but injuries have curtailed his input recently. Stewart Downing is perhaps the most natural left-sider and he performed excellently in the friendly against Germany. Ashley Young is a further contender and his club form has been good, but he may not yet be an international starter.
Even when there is an apparent lack of symmetry to Capello’s sides, the players seem able to function as a unit. In the second-half against Belarus, Rooney took up position on the left, but could not be considered an orthodox left-midfielder. Despite this imbalance the team still performed very well in this half: although the parts were not fully aligned, the whole still functioned. And when balance was achieved in the Germany friendly, England played as well as they have done for years.
Whatever Capello is doing, it certainly seems to be working and England are currently playing with style and confidence. If they continue to improve they could be serious contenders for World Cup 2010.