Three Things To Improve England?

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England are playing like crap, that much is certain. But what is just as certain is that they shouldn’t be. The players are extremely talented but simply seem incapable of adapting nicely to a team and system outside of what they’re used to playing at their clubs, be they Premiership or foreign.

Frank Lampard doesn’t play like he does for Chelsea, Steven Gerrard doesn’t play he does for Liverpool, Wayne Rooney doesn’t play like he does for Manchester United. In fact, only Aaron Lennon played like he does for Tottenham – get down the byline on the left, cross, and then no one is there to finish.

And since both Sven and Steve McClaren seem completely incapable of sorting out what needs to be done to address the problem, we thought it about time to turn the decision making over the those who really know – you.

So if you had three changes to make to the England side to get them ticking against Andorra, what would they be?

After a quick review here at the offices, here are three of our suggestions:

1) Drop Lampard (shock), let Gerrard control the middle of the park (no shock), leave Lennon on the left and put Newcastle’s Kieron Dyer on the right. Let them swap wings. Andorra are going to sit back and England will need as many players who can beat a man or three as possible, not someone who will knock in crosses from 40 yards out.
2) Drop Everton’s Andy Johnson for Tottenham’s Jermaine Defoe, Johnson’s all round game is better but a team like England shouldn’t need an aimless runner up front getting lost amongst 10 defenders sitting back. At least Defoe can make space for a decent 25 yard shot every now and then.
3) Drop Carragher and Neville, there’s no reason to play those two as fullbacks unless you’re planning for another 0-0. Barry and Luke Young will get forward and give you plenty of width and options. It’s bloody Andorra and Terry/Ferdinand/Hargreaves should be enough to stop any counter attack.