Estonia vs. England: Analysing Hodgson's Diamond Ahead of Euro 2016 Qualifier
With six points in the bag and a hunger to wrap up qualification for Euro 2016 as quickly as possible, England head to Estonia in strong form and eager for more success.
The 5-0 demolition of San Marino was hardly a test, but Roy Hodgson's post-match comments suggest a continuation of the midfield diamond. Let's take a tactical look at it ahead of the fixture, analysing how it stacks up after two outings in 2014.
Three out of four...
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"I've been pleased with it [the diamond] over the last two games. I don't see any reason to change at the moment," Roy Hodgson told reporters after the game against San Marino.
"The wing-half positions (left/right central midfield in the four) we know are strong; we have players who can do that job. We're not short of players, and it's interesting that [Adam] Lallana was every bit as dangerous and inventive as Raheem Sterling in the diamond."
"It's nice to know James Milner can go and play the deeper position, too."
Hodgson's happy with his options, and he's beginning to realise he's got plenty of choices for three of the four midfield roles. England have Jordan Henderson, Fabian Delph, James Milner and more capable of playing as box-to-box shuttlers; Lallana, Sterling, Wayne Rooney and more can play at the tip.
The "wing-halves," as he archaically labels them, need speed, dynamism, energy and an all-round skill set. Milner, in full flow, is the ideal flat CM for this position, and Henderson's endless energy is a welcome boost here.
Lallana plays quick passes and utilises the clever positions he takes up better than any English player, and Sterling offers a greater dribbling threat in space. Ideal.
The troublesome spot
As rosy as three of the positions look, choosing who to play at the base is an issue that will frequently furrow Hodgson's brow.
Speaking purely from a tactical-fit perspective, the best options are Tom Huddlestone, Jack Rodwell and Lee Cattermole. None of the three are even close to world-class, but sometimes it's about filling a need in a team, not playing your best possible XI.
Jack Wilshere's been tried there and it doesn't work—he's a roaming CM or a No. 10—and playing Henderson means his athleticism and ability between the lines is wasted. Steven Gerrard is long gone and Gareth Barry doesn't appear to be in contention, leaving Hodgson squirming as he tries to plug the hole.
They need to be a natural anchor with good range (sideways) and a strong challenge. It's not a pass-first role, it's a position-first one; holding midfield in a diamond, bar the Andrea Pirlo way, can be mundane but oh-so-important.
"Wide forwards"
There were natural concerns over width in the diamond, and against Switzerland it was a pleasant surprise to see Hodgson accounting for Stephan Lichtsteiner and Ricardo Rodriguez.
The strikers fanned wide to cover the spaces they wanted to move into and stopped the easy passes from full-back to winger. It's this careful trait that basically rubber-stamps Rooney's role up front, as he works harder than any to filter wide and close down.
The depth in this position is strong despite England's striking woes, with Daniel Sturridge the de facto No. 1 forward and Danny Welbeck making big strides as Arsenal's main man. Rickie Lambert is a situational player in the diamond, seeming a likely sub.
On the ball these players dart wide to create width and drop into pockets; it takes a more versatile player to play it than many believe.
Looking Ahead
Estonia will face the diamond and become the third team to do so. Sterling, Rooney, Welbeck and Co. should have no issues with a well-organised, but ultimately significantly weaker side.
It's not possible to say whether the Three Lions will stay loyal to it through till 2016—Hodgson was very clear in his stance that he's ticking along with it for the time being only—but his deployment of the formation so far has been strong.
England need to sort out who plays at the base and they need Henderson in the "wing-half" position, but the rest can work itself out and the team can move from strength to strength.
*Quotes obtained first-hand.
