Bramwell Speaks Out

CRAIG Brown paid the penalty for trying to fit square pegs into round holes.

Or, more precisely, for trying to make peg-legged players into wing backs.

And Glenn Hoddle should learn from that lesson.

There is no point blindly sticking to a 5-3-2 formation if you do not have natural wing backs.

In Craig Burley and Christian Dailly, Scotland evidently do not have the necessary personnel.

A good wing back has primarily to be a proficient defender who is threatening in attack.

The Scottish pair were keen to press forward but only threatened their own defence.

And the limitations were exposed in the fourth minute when Burley's attempts to defend Bebeto's corner were as effective as Ulrika's efforts to fend off Stan Collymore.

But that weakness was not properly exposed until Denilson was introduced into the Brazilian attack.

His confidence in hugging the flank stretched the Scottish back five to breaking point.

Although the Tom Boyd own goal was unfortunate, the outcome was entirely predictable.

With Ronaldo and Denilson toying with the Scots on the left, Cafu started his run into the area when most Scots were still munching their porridge for breakfast.

But Dailly was woefully late in spotting the threat as the ball was threaded across the field.

Should England progress into the later stages, their own weaknesses in the wing back positions could be fatally exposed.

There is no back up for Graeme Le Saux on the left and I pray that Gary Neville is chosen on the right ahead of David Beckham or Darren Anderton.

Neil Bramwell is the Sports Editor

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