25/03/05
World Cup Qualifying -
Categories: England's World Cup Qualifying Campaign
The Premier League goes on vacation this week to clear the schedule for World Cup qualifying. England play Northern Ireland on Saturday and Azerbaijan on Wednesday. Both matches should be easy wins for the English team, and two victories would make England the heavy favorites to win their qualifying group.
Here is the likely starting eleven for England with each player's professional team in parentheses:
Goalkeeper
Paul Robinson (Tottenham)
Defenders
Gary Neville (Man United), John Terry (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Man United), Ashley Cole (Arsenal)
Midfielders
David Beckham (Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Joe Cole (Chelsea)
Strikers
Wayne Rooney (Man United), Michael Owen (Real Madrid)
In the past, England coach Sven Goran Eriksson has favored a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond midfield (one defensive midfielder in front of the four defenders and one attacking midfielder just behind the two strikers), but the inclusion of Joe Cole suggests a more conventional 4-4-2 with two central midfielders (Lampard and Gerrard) with Beckham on the right flank and Cole on the left. Eriksson had struggled to find a left-side midfielder, using a variety of players (including Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge) in that position. Joe Cole's recent form for Chelsea has apparently earned him a chance to state his case for the left midfield position.
