When a new coach takes over a team, it is fair to expect a period of settling in, of trying out some new strategies and reshuffling the deck a little. Which is why some of Steve McClaren’s early moves in charge of England were understandable.

The trial of new formations (3-4-2 and whatever else) may not have worked out that well, but give him credit for trying. However, the more we see of him the clearer it becomes that he is actually going backwards. There is a serious problem with the under-achieving national team, yet McClaren is clearly the wrong man to address it, as his most recent team selection makes clear.

The squad for the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Andorra threatens to be the narrowest team England has ever played. To accommodate Frank Lampard in the centre of midfield, Steven Gerrard seems certain to be pushed out to the right again. He will doubtlessly perform well enough there, as he does with Liverpool, but his natural tendency to cut infield will mean that wide areas on the right will be under-used.

The left side, as ever, is a much more serious problem. McClaren seems determined to start Tottenham starlet Aaron Lennon on the left wing. Lennon is a natural right winger and like Gerrard, will cut infield most of the time, and is unlikely to offer much quality crossing from the left. Centre midfield will become overly congested with Gerrard and Lennon cutting into Lampard’s territory, not to mention Wayne Rooney’s habit of dropping deep to receive the ball.

Such a narrow approach from the wide midfielders can work when complimented by good overlapping fullbacks. Yet this is where McClaren has completely dropped the ball. With Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge unavailable, McClaren selected Jamie Carragher and Phil Neville to vie for left-back duties. Carragher is a top central defender, Phil Neville a useful utility player, but neither are particularly good at left back, and most significantly, both are right footed. The injury to right-back Gary Neville has added complicated matters, and it now seems that Carragher will play on the left while Phil Neville will play on the right, ahead of the exciting young talent that is Micah Ricards.

McClaren has again proved his stubbornness in initially refusing to consider Gareth Barry for the position. He did belatedly select Barry as replacement for Gary Neville, which is laughably ironic; having chosen two right-footed players to replace injured left-backs Cole and Bridge, McClaren replaced an injured right-back with a left back! The manager explained the decision as follows: “We have a problem at left-back and a lot of names were being bandied about but this is a big, important game and I feel it is a game for experience.”

This is laughable for two reasons. Firstly, Carragher and Phil Neville may have plenty of experience, but not at left back, where they lack the attributes to succeed at that position. Secondly, McClaren has refused to allow Barry and other promising left-sided players like Leighton Baines and Matt Taylor to gain that experience, despite having plenty of opportunities (Barry was finally brought on in the second half against Spain, seemingly as a token gesture to those calling for the Villa player’s call-up). So if Barry lacks experience, McClaren can blame himself.

Barry may or may not be the answer to England’s left-sided problems. But it seems utterly foolish to not give him a run in the team to prove himself. Playing as a left winger or fullback, he has been one of the standout players this Premier League season, and is currently Aston Villa’s leading scorer with nine goals. And unlike Carragher, he can overlap and deliver crosses from the left touchline. Carragher does deserve a chance, but at his preferred position of centre-back – he should replace John Terry, who due to his injury-ravaged season is unlikely to be at his best.

McClaren seems under the impression that the return of Owen Hargreaves from injury will solve his team’s problems. But it is laughable that Hargreaves is now considered a saviour on the strength of a handful of good performances in the World Cup. The Bayern Munich man does a solid job as holding midfielder, but its nothing that Scott Parker couldn’t do.

But no matter the personnel, and despite their likely victories against Israel and Andorra, England seem destined to play the same unimaginative style that they have been persisting with for years, which clearly isn't working. It is hard to imagine this changing under McClaren. Like Sven-Goran Eriksson before him, McClaren seems to be in the hold of England’s established players, with the exception of sacked former captain David Beckham.

He has lacked the guts to make a choice between Lampard and Gerrard in the centre of midfield, and has seemingly refused to give Joey Barton a fair go because of the City player’s uneasy relationship with Lampard. And his insistence on squeezing Phil Neville into the England team at any opportunity is puzzling to say the least. What England need is a real shake-up, with their under-achieving stars being put under pressure to justify their places in the team with results rather than reputations.

And the style of play needs more creativity and versatility. We saw how Jurgen Klinsmann was able to turn the traditionally boring German team into a high-octane attacking unit at the World Cup, and how Manchester United and Arsenal have been shaped into dynamic and exciting clubs under their respective managers. Yet the England set-up by contrast seems thoroughly committed to another four years of mediocrity.

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