In terms of psychological preparation for this match it appears the squad has come full circle. In the immediate aftermath of the Algeria debacle, things did not look good, with schisms appearing within the camp, Rooney lashing out at the fans and Fabio Capello suggesting that England had regressed to the forlorn team he saw when he took over, implying that all his work over two years had been for nothing.
On the day of the final group match, the noises coming out of the England camp are much more positive. Capello exercised his authority after John Terry's "say it like it is" comments last week and the former captain appears to have fallen back in line for the time being. The Italian coach's claims that the players are happy may have something to do with his promise to overhaul a failing system.
England's formation against Algeria
Capello's tactics for the Algeria game were not necessarily flawed in themselves, but the dreadful individual performances of the players (almost to a man) made the system look static and uninspired. The main change was the introduction of Gareth Barry into the centre of the pitch and Barry was the best of a bad bunch across the midfield four. Steven Gerrard was playing in a narrow left sided position but, whether he was given a free role or just lacked positional discipline, he never looked comfortable in that area and was constantly looking for the ball elsewhere.
Aaron Lennon is a natural wide man on the right but he simply had a bad game and did not cause enough problems for Nadir Belhadj, who is one of the quicker opponents who will mark Lennon in this tournament. He was also drawn deep a lot to cover for Glen Johnson, who was marking the dangerous Karim Ziani, and the Tottenham wide man is wasted in his own half.
Emile Heskey started up front as the target man with Wayne Rooney playing next to him. Heskey looked out of his depth at this level, so did Rooney for that matter, but at least we know the Manchester United striker can perform on the biggest stage. As it was here, both players were dropping too deep in frustration as England struggled to keep the ball.
What I would change
If he insists on sticking with the 4-4-2 formation, Peter Crouch should be Emile Heskey's replacement ahead of Jermain Defoe. Crouch will cause problems at set-pieces by virtue of his towering presence alone. Even if the Tottenham striker doesn't connect with the ball, he draws attention away from the likes of Terry, Barry, Rooney and Gerrard and more than one opponent has resorted to double marking him. If the game is drawn beyond the opening minutes of the second half, Jermain Defoe should be introduced sooner rather than later to give him as much time as possible to make an impact.
That would be my attacking blueprint for a 4-4-2 shape, but I think I'm leaning towards a 4-4-1-1 as a more suitable game plan. Before we even get to the tactical nitty gritty, a change in formation would have the positive psychological effect of distancing the team from the unsuccessful outings against the USA and Algeria. If Friday showed us anything it was that the Three Lions cannot rely on Rooney alone to fire them to glory. His best ever club form, however, has come this season in a lone striking role under Sir Alex Ferguson. Steven Gerrard would be the ideal candidate to play just behind Rooney, with Joe Cole filling the left midfield slot as an interchangeable alternative to Gerrard, depending on how the match is panning out. Cole was the best player on the pitch during his last outing as a substitute against Japan; he is one of few creative sparks with the confidence to receive the ball under pressure and not immediately panic to get rid of it.
I would probably stick with the Lampard, Barry, Lennon combination but Capello needs a lot more out of them. Lampard has to dominate the midfield and get into scoring positions around the edge of the box as he does so well for Chelsea. Lennon should be urged to throw caution to the wind and use his blistering pace to scare the living daylights out of left back Bojan Jokic whenever possible.
How it is likely to change
Capello has already confirmed that Matthew Upson and not Michael Dawson will come into the back four to replace Jamie Carragher (suspended), who replaced Ledley King (injured), who replaced Rio Ferdinand (injured); England are already down to fifth choice before the conclusion of the group stage. Otherwise, I imagine the back five will be unchanged. David James gave an assured performance against Algeria even though he had little to do by way of shot stopping. He did look uncharacteristically assured in the air, however, at corners, crosses and set-pieces.
Judging by the brief glimpses we have had of England's training camp and the slight hints at press conferences and interviews, it looks as though the manager is going to continue with the 4-4-2 formation, with Jermain Defoe possibly coming in up front next to Wayne Rooney. There is also a rumour that James Milner will complete a midfield four next to Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry.
Slovenia tend to play a traditional 4-4-2 shape but Kek might be tempted to switch to a more defensive system to try and force the draw that would guarantee the Adriatic minnows a place in the last 16. Regardless of how Slovenia play, England should win this match. They have favourable antecedents to draw on from similar positions after two group matches, when their backs were against the wall in 1986 and 1990. Italia '90 was the last time the Three Lions made it to the last four. If they can get through today unscathed, they have the best chance since then of reaching that milestone again.
A second round match with Ghana or Serbia and then a quarter-final tie with Uruguay or South Korea could not be more inviting. It certainly looks more favourable than the last three World Cups, where imposing Portugal (2006 quarter-finals), Brazil (2002 quarter-finals) and Argentina (1998 second round) sides have sent England packing.
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