England need big win to restore confidence

Like so many teams at these things, there is a discernable pattern to the way England tend to fare at World Cups these days.

Like so many teams at these things, there is a discernable pattern to the way England tend to fare at World Cups these days.

Broadly speaking things tend to go from bad to worse for the 1966 winners after which they briefly improve before getting much, much worse again. The amazing thing is not the regularity with which the side tends to squeeze such dramatic swings in fortune into their few, frantic weeks in the sun but rather the manner in which the British media, a somewhat more frenzied bunch than our own, manages to ride this roller coaster while somehow appearing to relish the giddy good times every bit as much as the national disasters.

If there is one thing that most English observers have consistently agreed on in recent years it is their eagerness to see the back of Sven-Goran Eriksson even if some might be having second thoughts now that his successor has been identified.

If the Swede, with his relentlessly conservative and much ridiculed approach to the game, was seen as a liability in the sweet afterglow of qualification for this tournament late last year then it's safe to say that opinions have hardened more recently as first Michael Owen and then Wayne Rooney fell victim to serious injury and Eriksson effectively concluded that neither could be replaced.

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This latest crisis has overshadowed, but to some extent, solved the coach's previous difficulty over how to comfortably accommodate both Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in midfield. More worrying for supporters, however, it also prompted an 11th hour cast around for a holding midfielder who could be used to shore things up when the going gets tough.

And to think . . . this was an England team that just a few months ago, many people seriously felt might end that country's 42-year wait for a second major trophy.

If any of that confidence is to be restored before the papers launch a renewed assault on Eriksson's capabilities at the weekend then England need not only to win this afternoon against Trinidad and Tobago, they need to win big.

In Frankfurt, Eriksson looked on as a positive start turned into a largely negative and wholly disjointed performance. His answer was to bring on Stewart Downing and Owen Hargreaves.

Today, he is set to field virtually the same starting line-up and hope things go a good deal better. It should be cooler and Owen will be another match along with his recovery but the fear remains that England, in no small part because of their overcautious coach, simply lack the mentality to come and assert themselves against the better sides on the world stage.

A convincing - and impressive - win this evening, something that would virtually wrap up the place in the second round before Tuesday's game with Sweden, would be a significant step forward although it would be devalued considerably if Rooney has to come on to help achieve it and a good deal worse than that if he injures himself again in the process. Needless to say, not winning the World Cup would be the least of Eriksson's problems if that happens.

With Gary Neville looking doubtful with a calf problem during training, the introduction of most likely Jamie Carragher looks set to be the only change from the team that started in the 1-0 win.

Leo Beenhakker's side will also be largely unchanged with only the suspended Avery John requiring replacement in the wake of a fine 0-0 draw with Sweden. If he is fit again then Marvin Andrews, a strong centre half who is Trinidad's most effective defender in the air, could return with Brent Sancho possibly switching to right back and Cyd Gray moving to the left side of the back four. Southampton's Kenwayne Jones could, however, also be in for a start.

What is more or less certain is that there will be very few changes. Shaka Hislop will again be in goal and Dwight Yorke will retain the defensive role behind the midfield in which he performed so strongly against the Swedes.

A repeat of that result and Eriksson will be in for a deeply unpleasant few days. It's unlikely, though, and England fans should expect better times ahead. On the available evidence, however, expecting them to last would be just plain naive.

Probable line-ups

Referee: Kamikawa Toru (Japan)

Kick-off: 5pm

Venue: Frankenstadion,

Nuremberg

On TV: RTÉ 2 and UTV

England (4-4-2)

Robinson; Carragher, Ferdinand, Terry, Cole; Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Cole; Owen, Crouch

Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson

Trinidad and Tobago (4-5-1)

Hislop; Sancho, Andrews, Lawrence, Gray; Yorke; Edwards, Birchall, Theobald, Samuel; S John.

Coach: Leo Beenhakker