Eriksson experimenting or dithering, only time will tell

ENGLAND v ICELAND: The crowd that gathers at the City of Manchester Stadium for this afternoon's friendly with Iceland will come insisting on proof that Sven-Goran Eriksson may win Euro 2004.

The England manager doesn't do declarations. Asked if England can beat France in the opening match, the Swede says little more than "I hope we will get it right and we are working very hard".

Demanding pledges of success against the team he calls "maybe the best in the world" is unfair. The FA would have needed to give the job to Jose Mourinho if bombastic declarations were essential. Should Eriksson foster faith he will have done so by quieter means.

Today's objective is to show he is expanding his options rather than dithering. He claims this month's tournament is as hard to win as a World Cup because all the principal teams from Europe, the birthplace of the sport, are present.

Eriksson may be stretching credulity with that argument, but his side will need to develop flexibility to meet the variety of demands at Euro 2004.

Against Iceland, he will present another version of England. Having used a diamond formation in the draw with Japan that miscast Frank Lampard as a holding player, the manager will now revert to a traditionally British flat four in midfield. The Chelsea player will be joined by Steven Gerrard in the centre, with David Beckham and Paul Scholes on the flanks.

"We might need it in the tournament," Eriksson said of this formation. "Why not use one system against Japan and another against Iceland?"

The foray into belated innovation could imply he no longer knows his own mind. Are rivals in Group B being heartened by signs of indecisiveness?

"If that is the case, very good," he said. "Let them believe that."

It is a suave answer, but Eriksson, at the very least, has far more to consider than he ever expected now the simple holding role can no longer go to the man for whom it was earmarked. Nicky Butt is too lacking in match sharpness and he will appear today only as a substitute.

All the outfield players will be replaced at the interval, with David James' understudy, Paul Robinson, left on for experience.

Eriksson is no longer so adamant the diamond midfield pattern is essential against France, even if he also claims the planning for that fixture has been contemplated for a long time. "First of all you have to pick the right 11, and once you have done that you have to see what is the best organisation of them," he said.

"I am looking forward to seeing how we work it out against Iceland."

Eriksson was happy yesterday to enumerate the benefits of a traditional system. Gerrard and Lampard can alternate in pushing upfield, possibly enjoying more liberty when they make those bursts. "It's easier because you are almost never marked when you are the sitting player," said the manager, "and so you can come forward."

With the pair in the centre often side by side, however, the other members of the midfield will be pushed wider. "Beckham hasn't played like that for a long time," Eriksson said.

Over on the left, Paul Scholes is certainly no winger and will have to gauge when he can step inside to support the forwards without leaving Ashley Cole short of cover. The assignment may not suit the midfielder. Eriksson claimed Scholes had been used there "many times" by his club, but Manchester United rarely shove him quite so far over to the flank, and the England manager did concede that "maybe his best role is behind the attackers".

Theory can be a distraction and it is as well not to assume that, for example, Wayne Rooney will prosper when dropping deep this afternoon because, with a flat four behind him, there will no longer be an attacking midfielder occupying the space he wants to use.

"It doesn't matter which style you play if you don't take the right decisions," Eriksson said, thinking of a sluggish display in the second half with Japan.

That mental weariness was attributed to the debilitating effects of an arduous training schedule, but the manager is adamant that such exertion was indispensable before Euro 2004.

England have spared themselves nothing. The workload seems to have had its effect on John Terry, who will not play against Iceland because of a hamstring strain. He is scheduled to return to training on Tuesday. His absence does provide an insight into the pecking order, with his slot going to Jamie Carragher rather than Ledley King.

England want to ready themselves for the encounter with France at Estadio da Luz eight days from now, but the reality is they are also just whiling away time as they wait for that game. Speculation might help, but Eriksson refused to envisage that his opponents had been undermined by Jacques Santini's announcement that he would leave to become the Spurs manager after Euro 2004.

"I should be surprised if that disturbed 23 football players," said the Swede. "They are much too professional for that."

Eriksson does not dare dream that the reigning European champions will disintegrate.