You don't average 40 appearances a season for United if you aren't much cop. I'm not suggesting he's a world beater, but good enough for a run to a quarter-final of a major tournament? In my mind, yes. I'd expect other players to be the weak link before him. I'm not talking about plan A being tiki-taka and plan B being route one, simply what to do if a player crucial to a formation is unavailable. If we play a 4-2-3-1 variant, then we've options for the wingers, so we don't need a plan B if Sterling is injured. But if you want a classy deep playmaker in that team, currently Carrick is irreplaceable. So plan B is how that midfield dynamic works in his absence. Ideally we have a blueprint and young players coming through that can seize the opportunity and we stick to plan A and improve it, but for now there's got to be an acceptance of the state of disarray internationally we're trying to emerge from. Obviously I'm exaggerating when I say style doesn't matter, what I mean is that we shouldn't rush to copy whoever happens to be on top at the moment, but adopt a system which plays to English strengths so far as is possible, but also which functions in modern international football. I'm not advocating an overnight decision to play tiki-taka, nor a good old-fashioned 4-4-2.
I'm not talking about plan A being tiki-taka and plan B being route one, simply what to do if a player crucial to a formation is unavailable. If we play a 4-2-3-1 variant, then we've options for the wingers, so we don't need a plan B if Sterling is injured. But if you want a classy deep playmaker in that team, currently Carrick is irreplaceable. So plan B is how that midfield dynamic works in his absence. Ideally we have a blueprint and young players coming through that can seize the opportunity and we stick to plan A and improve it, but for now there's got to be an acceptance of the state of disarray internationally we're trying to emerge from. You were referencing blueprints with Plan B so I assumed you felt it was a long term thing to do. As for Carrick, certainly wouldn't use classy (not in International terms), he's finished.
I think England constantly trying to play the current "Vogue" style is why we struggle so much. As I said before, England have the players to play a high, direct game with pacey wingers and strong strikers. Put 2 decent CM's behind who can defend and pass and a creative player in the middle of the pitch and we would at least look more dangerous. It's not the most exciting formation or style but it's what would seem to work for the current English players. Currently I wouldn't be averse to something like this: http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=6hy6k
