Poll Reaction: Roy must go 4-2-3-1 versus Russia after Portugal flop

England’s friendly with Portugal last night won’t live long in the memory, and a lot of the finger pointing was aimed at Roy Hodgson’s decision to try out an experimental diamond.

With Wayne Rooney at the top of a midfield diamond and Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane often forced out wide, the new system failed to click and only a late Chris Smalling header salvaged any joy from a lacklustre affair.

Perhaps the England manager was just trying something new, but whatever Roy’s reasons may have been, we felt it apt to ask our Twitter followers today just which formation the Three Lions should go with versus Russia a week tomorrow.

It’s perhaps not too surprising that the 4-2-3-1 formation came out on top, but a few eyebrows may be raised with just 31 per cent voting for the one up top solution, suggesting England’s best strategy isn’t too clear cut right now.

Despite last night’s difficulties, the diamond came second in our poll with 25 per cent, but we can imagine that’s with Dele Alli featuring in Rooney’s place…

England’s fictional gaffer Mike Basset won’t have been impressed to see 4-4-2 come home in joint-last with 22 per cent, alongside 4-3-3.

So the people have spoken, and with a narrow margin, you say Roy needs to revert back to a 4-2-3-1 in eight days time.

England are 19/20 favourites to begin their campaign with three points in Marseille, while Russia are 7/2 to put Roy and his boys under pressure from the off with victory.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.