Team GB: How Stuart Pearce Will Set His Team Up for Olympics Clash with Senegal

Stuart Pearce has had limited time to ready his troops for this summer's iconic Olympic Games, but from what we've seen it's clear how he'll be asking his team to play.

One behind-closed-doors friendly, one exhibition against Brazil—that's all the time Great Britain's hopefuls have had to impress the gaffer and earn a starting spot.

The 2-0 loss at the Riverside Stadium served as a footballing lesson to the English and Welsh on display, while also showing us how Pearce wants his men to play.

Formation

It was entirely difficult to work out Great Britain's formation during the game against Brazil. It was labelled as a 4-3-3 by the BBC's commentary team, however at times it lingered dangerously on the edge of the much-talked about 4-6-0.

Ryan Giggs, Joe Allen and Tom Cleverley were most certainly a central midfield three, although they did make a concerted effort to spread and support the play.

The focus, it seemed, was possession—something international teams from the British Isles are distinctly unfamiliar with.

Craig Bellamy appeared the most central, while Sturridge was often found drifting to the right and cutting inside like he did for Chelsea under Andre Villas-Boas.

The full-backs came forward when possible to help and while Neil Taylor was positive, Ryan Bertrand playing as a right-back was strange.

Style

The formation was entirely free-flowing, and against lesser opposition Great Britain could have looked stunning.

The emphasis for Team GB's game seems to be on keeping possession and interchanging positions in order to control matters.

Organising a friendly against the favourites for the competition was a master stroke, as an inexperienced side lacking cohesion were forced to learn quickly.

The basis was there, but they're a new team and it showed—several miscommunications and errors awarded Brazil an easy pickup in possession.

James Tomkins, Jason Steele and Cleverley were given a chance to earn their spots for the Senegal game, but none of the three can be confident of walking out at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Jack Butland was stunning in the second half, while Steven Caulker looked sturdy and confident.

Great Britain have the personnel to control games and come out dominant in possession. They have a "clutch" player in Sturridge who can spark a goal out of nothing and the right players in the right positions to keep the ball.

Pearce is right to play the way he is, and most remain pleasantly surprised that he's actually doing so.

Predicted XI to face Senegal (loose 4-3-3)

Butland; Bertrand, Caulker, Micah Richards, Taylor; Ramsey, Allen, Giggs; Scott Sinclair, Bellamy, Sturridge

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