Roy Hodgson must decide on his best England team and stick with it against Spain and France if he hopes to succeed at Euro 2016
The last thing I want to read next Wednesday is that coach Roy Hodgson rested players for one or other of England’s friendlies against Spain and France because he didn’t want to upset their club managers.
These two matches over the next seven days are a chance for England to raise the bar against better opposition; to set a benchmark that they can look back and draw belief from next summer at Euro 2016.
They shouldn’t treat them like an away or home friendly but like a major tournament game at a neutral venue. Choose your best team, get the mentality right and play like you mean to go on.
Hodgson ought to pick a formation now and stick with it. There’s always a temptation to fiddle but it never comes off. Players prefer to know the basic set-up; it encourages continuity, awareness and confidence.
So what’s the best system for England to impose their game? Roy’s dabbled with a diamond midfield but not for more than a year and 4-3-3 is too offensive, so I’d go for the more solid 4-2-3-1.
He should also select his strongest possible XI – allowing for the fact that several regulars are currently injured – against both Spain and France, for the first 60-65 minutes at least.
That means Joe Hart in goal; Nathaniel Clyne, who has adapted well at Liverpool and looks ready to make the right-back slot his own; and Kieran Gibbs, whose experience gets him the nod over Ryan Bertrand at left-back.
Chris Smalling has to start at centre-back, but Hodgson has a decision over who to pick alongside him. Will John Stones, with another seven months of top-flight football under his belt, be ready to start at the European Championships? I think he will, so I prefer him to Gary Cahill.
It looks like Tottenham youngster Eric Dier will start in holding midfield, probably with Michael Carrick, and I’d pick Wayne Rooney behind Harry Kane with Raheem Sterling left wing and Ross Barkley right.
Jamie Vardy is in wonderful form this term and deserves 30 minutes off the bench through the middle but Kane, who has been better over a longer period and is, I think, a superior footballer, should start.
If the Spain game is a disaster Hodgson may feel like making changes. Equally, if they play well he might be tempted to experiment. I’d give them another go either way.
These games aren’t about winning 3-0, but improving organisation, ball retention, movement, technical skill, changing the pace, attacking and defending set-pieces: all the ingredients that go into success.