Midfielders
Trending
In the last friendly match against Portugal, England had played with a 4-3-3 formation, one that has never really been successful for the English. Players looked all over the place as they failed to blend into the new system. Hodgson will most likely revert to a 4-4-2 during the Euros, with a diamond in the midfield.
Eric Dier, who was immense for Tottenham in midfield during the Premier League, is set to be at the base of the diamond assisting the defence out and doing the dirty work for his team. One area of concern with Dier is his tendency to get booked. He had received the second highest number of yellow cards (10) in the Premier League.
On the two wings of the midfield diamond, James Milner and Dele Alli are the likely players to feature, with Milner on the right wing and Alli on the left. Both players have executed the same role for their respective clubs in the Premier League. Alli, in particular, was a sensation for Tottenham, scoring 10 goals and assisting 11 in all competitions.
With Hodgson having reaffirmed that Wayne Rooney is a definite starter, it would seem most sensible to play the captain at the tip of the diamond, behind the strikers. Going by his recent performances for Manchester United, the 30-year-old looks more than comfortable playing in the centre of the field and pulling the strings.
