Beardsley: would like to see Owen partner Rooney in attack
When you look beyond Rooney, Owen and Crouch then England do have a problem.
Peter Beardsley
Quotes of the week
Related links
Teams
Peter Beardsley told Sky Sports News that England's lack of options up front is a problem for Fabio Capello.
Beardsley, who scored 9 goals in 59 appearances for England, feels that despite a disappointing performance in the 1-0 defeat to France in Paris, Capello will have discovered a few things from the game.
He feels that some players may have had their minds on future matches as we enter the business end of the season, which may be a reason for England's lacklustre display.
Beardsley told Sky Sports News: "Fabio Capello has obviously learned that we have got a lot of players there who he will be unsure about.
"You talk about players in form, but the players that played last night never performed to their maximum.
"A lot of the players have priorities with their clubs in the Champions League and Premier League. So it is a tough time of year to be playing an international, there's no doubt about it.
"But I think Capello will learn something new every time he's with the players. What he has learned from last night is hard to judge but he would have learned a lot of things."
Rooney
Beardsley believes that a major problem for Capello is in attack as Wayne Rooney, playing in an unfamiliar lone striker role, failed to reproduce his club form at the Stade de France.
But, the ex-Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle man believes that in time Rooney could adapt to that role.
"The problem is," Beardsley continued, "Capello has his own style.
"If he is going to play 4-2-3-1, which a lot of people say he is, then he has to find a target man who is mobile and has the ability, which obviously Wayne Rooney has.
"But it's not something that Rooney is familiar with. When he's going from playing club football where he basically has a free reign at Man United, to playing as a lone striker it is a different role and in three days it's hard to change.
"When you look at the way he played against Liverpool on Sunday he was outstanding and then in the lone role last night, through no fault of his own, he didn't get a lot of touches of the ball.
"It's not an easy position to play."
Problem
Beardsley, who formed an effective partnership with Gary Lineker for England under Bobby Robson, would like to see Capello give a familiar England strike partnership another chance though, as there aren't too many other strikers knocking on the door.
"Michael Owen with Rooney in behind would be the perfect partnership for me because Michael is back in form, there's no doubt about it.
"Peter Crouch hasn't played for Liverpool on a regular basis so he doesn't look match-sharp, but when you look beyond those three - Rooney, Owen and Crouch - then you do have a problem.
"The good thing is that the World Cup qualifiers don't start until September so Capello has a good six months to have a look."
Do you agree with Beardsley? Should Capello go back to the Rooney-Owen partnership? Is there a lack of quality English strikers? Let us know by filling in the feedback form below.
