Ronaldo

See the post above from SEMTEX and wake the fuck up. It's not a compromise. Our best players aren't suited to 4-4-2 and don't play in that formation with their clubs. Wake up.

Agreed in principle. Can't Huddlestone play the holding role in the meanwhile? Certainly has the frame and passing Yep. Huddlestone could do a good job in there, too.

So now you're shoe-horning players into positions they're not suited to. Regardless of it being a midfield 3 you still want a left-footer on the left, which leaves you with Gareth Barry. It's the same problem again - we might have the front men to fit into a 4-3-3 but we don't have the midfielders. What are you talking about? There's no reason Gerrard can't play on the left of a midfield 3.

Lampard, Gerrard and ideally, Rodwell. But that depends on his development.

You already said Rooney is Englands best player and had his best season playing as a lone striker in a 4-5-1/4-3-3, so wouldn't it be a waste for him to be put out wide in a front 3? Can't argue with Walcott & Johnson/Young out wide though. It needs to be tried. What we do know, is that he can be very ineffective in a 4-4-2. When he played in a 2 with Van Nistelrooj he was effective, but only because he primarily worked the channels. He could do that in a 4-3-3.

Walcott and Johnson/Young either side of Rooney needs to be tried. As does Walcott and Rooney either side of Carroll.

Stopped reading after this, we don't have the personnel for such rubbish. 4-3-3 is the only way for England to go. Carroll - biggest aerial threat and best header of the ball in the league (also a big f***er) Rooney - 27 goals last season, many of them with his head and supplied by Antonio Valencia (a proper winger) Crouch - 6,7 Bent - very good in the air Kevin Davies - nuff said Jonhson - winger Lennon - winger SWP - winger Downing - winger (and one of the best crossers of the ball in the league) To suggest we don't have the personnel for it is ridiculous. We have exactly the right personnel for it. Ok, i'll do it player-by-player. Rooney - our best player, had his best season by far in a 4-3-3/4-5-1. Crouch - fair enough, but not good enough to start. Carroll - fair enough. Bent - not good enough to start. Davies - not good enough to be in the squad. Best alone up top. Johnson - plays in a 4-3-3. Lennon - can't cross. SWP - you're a fucking idiot. Downing - not good enough to start, despite recent form. The personnel is there for 4-3-3. This notion of wingers using pace and crossing ability to get crosses into big men relies on having old-fashioned wingers like Keith Gillespie. The likes of Lennon and SWP are far, far from that. And the fact you've used those players as reasons to use a certain formation is ridiculous in itself.

Yes he is. Which is why they get the odd start in the league and he doesn't.

And probably the worst footballer.

Ryan Taylor is useless and irrelevant.

Stopped reading after this, we don't have the personnel for such rubbish. 4-3-3 is the only way for England to go.

Rooney, Gerrard and Walcott. 3 out of 5 attacking players completely unsuited to a conventional 4-4-2 = no deal.

Can you give some credit to CH and CC.

As much as I miss the tropical bliss of southern Florida, the weather's been OK in the UK recently. Not too cold at all.

Something seemed to click for him at Old Trafford in August. He was scoring goals before that, but was looking generally poor on the deck. He's looked absolutely sensational for the most part since that game.

It was every week last season.

This is why no-one should believe Ronaldo on this forum Coming from the idiot who said Coloccini was s**** and couldn't pass. My judgement was s****. Your judgement and your knowledge is s****. Enjoy. When did I say Colocini couldn't pass, can't remember it myself. God lighten up man. The Coloccini thread.

Aye, what am I thinking? I mean it didn't work at Euro 2004, or WC 2006, or WC 2010. Oh and they didn't even get to Euro 2008. But maybe, just maybe, it might magically work at Euro 2012 Lampard and Rooney didn't work at Euro 2004? News to me. Easily 2 of the best platers in the tournament. I'm not even sure what you're getting at by the part in bold. What's magic? And what do you want to work? You put your best players on the pitch. Rooney is our best striker and Lampard and Gerrard are our best midfielders. At least 2 of those 3 have to be in the side, man. Namely because the likes of as Milner and Defoe just aren't good enough. But we've shown in the previous two competitions that it doesn't work - we were toothless in South Africa. We need change. So we need Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard out. To be replaced by who? One bad tournament and arguably our best 3 players out. Whilst the likes of Milner and Lennon will no doubt continue to be called up. One bad tournament? I must have missed our fantastic showings at Euro 2008 and WC 2006. We got to the QF in 2006. The focus aways falls on those who play well consistently for their club but not their country. The players who aren't named Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, Lampard, Gerrard are Rooney are a bigger reason for recent failures. Rooney's had a terrible 6 months, doesn't change the face he's our best player by a mile.

This is why no-one should believe Ronaldo on this forum Coming from the idiot who said Coloccini was s**** and couldn't pass. My judgement was s****. Your judgement and your knowledge is s****. Enjoy.

Aye, what am I thinking? I mean it didn't work at Euro 2004, or WC 2006, or WC 2010. Oh and they didn't even get to Euro 2008. But maybe, just maybe, it might magically work at Euro 2012 Lampard and Rooney didn't work at Euro 2004? News to me. Easily 2 of the best platers in the tournament. I'm not even sure what you're getting at by the part in bold. What's magic? And what do you want to work? You put your best players on the pitch. Rooney is our best striker and Lampard and Gerrard are our best midfielders. At least 2 of those 3 have to be in the side, man. Namely because the likes of as Milner and Defoe just aren't good enough. But we've shown in the previous two competitions that it doesn't work - we were toothless in South Africa. We need change. So we need Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard out. To be replaced by who? One bad tournament and arguably our best 3 players out. Whilst the likes of Milner and Lennon will no doubt continue to be called up.

Aye, what am I thinking? I mean it didn't work at Euro 2004, or WC 2006, or WC 2010. Oh and they didn't even get to Euro 2008. But maybe, just maybe, it might magically work at Euro 2012 Lampard and Rooney didn't work at Euro 2004? News to me. Easily 2 of the best players in the tournament. I'm not even sure what you're getting at by the part in bold. What's magic? And what do you want to work? You put your best players on the pitch. Rooney is our best striker and Lampard and Gerrard are our best midfielders. At least 2 of those 3 have to be in the side, man. Namely because the likes of as Milner and Defoe just aren't good enough.

Carroll's shit.

Davies is a terrible player, man. Everyone raves about him when he gets a goal, but the spotlight is very much off when he goes 5 games without one. And he gives away 15 fouls per game. Seriously, never again.

Davies isn't even in it without them, he's done.