English Angle: England Don't Need A No. 9 To Win In 2010.

World class international sides do not need to possess a prolific striker within their player pool in order to succeed at the highest level.

Italy proved just as much with their 2006 World Cup squad as the awkward Luca Toni managed to record just two goals during that competition. The goal-scoring burden fell on the shoulders of the supporting Azzurri cast, with players such as Andrea Pirlo, Francesco Totti, Gianluca Zambrotta, Alessandro Del Piero, Fabio Grosso and Marco Materazzi lending their weight towards the goal-getting effort.

England manager Fabio Capello does not have the luxury of calling up a relentlessly net-bulging No. 9 like the Alan Shearers, Jimmy Greaves and the Bobby Charltons of the past, so, bar Michael Owen - should the northern crock ever return to a sustained run of full match fitness - the Italian tactician should arguably focus more on where the Three Lions are blessed with quality in abundance: the midfield.

By skirting clear of England's favoured 4-4-2 formation - a system that has not borne fruit for an unwanted number of years now - and opting for the more continental and flexible 4-2-3-1, Capello can suitably answer the question of whether Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard can play in the same team together. All too often they were slotted into the centre of the 4-4-2 and, consequently, England fans were left underwhelmed as they failed to dovetail.

Under Rafael Benitez at Liverpool, Gerrard is flourishing more than ever and calls from esteemed figureheads such as Zinedine Zidane have declared that the Scouse skipper is the best in the world. The influence he has at club-level certainly seems to be unrivalled and so Capello's primary task must be replicating that on the international arena, by, presumably, continuing to deploy him in the No. 10's role.

This, however, would mean that Wayne Rooney would be asked to play in an unfamiliar role in front of Gerrard. Consequently the greatest parts of the Manchester United star's game - his work-rate, his team-work and his ability to dribble in from deep - would suffer.

How can you accommodate the pair?

A 4-4-2 can often be too rigid and concrete, with set roles too defined, whereas the 4-2-3-1 has room for negotiation, meaning that Gerrard could even be positioned further up-field. It is possible that he could perform the same duties as his club's local rival Tim Cahill has recently been doing with Everton while they suffered from a striking crisis.

Both Gerrard and Rooney can effectively share the role of the spearheading trequartista. They would then have to rely on an incoming midfield or two - from Frank Lampard; Theo Walcott; Ashley Young; Shaun Wright-Phillips; the resurgent Aaron Lennon; and Joe Cole (when he returns) - to take advantage of the second ball.

Comparisons between Gerrard and Lampard are futile and ultimately pointless. They play different roles. Gerrard now supports Fernando Torres while Lampard is effectively an attack-minded box-to-box midfielder. His defensive work is often understated. He is strong in the tackle and his positional sense in the deeper areas of the midfield is nothing short of wise.

He can also playmake, can execute the trivela pass to perfection, and in the aforementioned 4-2-3-1 he can be utilised in either the '2', or the '3', dependent on the strength of the opposition (and how much protection is required by the '2').

Proposed line-up against middle-tier opposition:

Back 5
Lampard - Barry/ Hargreaves
Walcott - Gerrard - Young
Rooney

Proposed line-up against strong opposition:

Back 5
Carrick/ Barry - Hargreaves/ King
Gerrard - Lampard - Walcott
Rooney

Of course, the positions are not set - the front four effectively have free roles - but with this system England are able to field their strongest and most dangerous players in a formation that many of them will be familiar with at club-level, without having to field players such as Stewart Downing and Emile Heskey who, despite some defending their effectiveness on the international stage, have enjoyed nothing more than a media sympathy vote.

It's time for England to evolve. Otherwise another penalty knock-out heartbreak beckons - should they even qualify in the first place.

The couch-patato workout.

This is the ideal workout for you time pressured people out there. No more excuses that you couldn't find time to go to the gym or have no workout equipment. All you need for this workout is a couch and can simply be done in the commercials of your favorite tv-show. Try to do 1 set of 12 reps for each exercise and you'll be back in shape in no time.

The Couch Squat.
To do this exercise we stand up tall with our feet shoulder with apart. I have placed my arms at shoulder height with my hands on my elbows.
I have done this to make sure I will keep a correct posture during the repetitions. From standing position we just have to sit down on the couch, without actually sitting down. So right before my butt hits the comfortable cushions, I move up again. During this movement I’m keep my elbows at shoulder height and moving my knees over my second and third toe without moving my knees to much forward.

The Lounge Lunge
The lounge lunge is king of all exercises with the ability to create strong stable knees, ankles and hips as well as a butt that can crack walnuts.
Start with one foot on the floor and one on the couch. Create a strong core by pulling your chest up, shoulder back, bellybutton in and pelvic floor tight.
From this position we will move our knee towards the floor keeping our trunk upright. Focus all your energy on your front leg. The knee should be still and not moving too much over your toes. Repeat 12 times and before changing legs.

The Couch Dipper.
The couch dipper is here to shape your arms. Lets face it we all do plenty of arm bending (every time we lift something) but we hardly extend our arms.
It is for this reason that we will focus on the much under-appreciated triceps’ muscles. T do this exercise we start by placing our hands on the couch and moving our bum slightly forwards so it hanging in the air. This is your starting position.
Now bend your arms as if your dipping your butt in a pool of honey. Than you simply extend your arms again to move back to your starting position.

The Seat Sniffer.
This exercise will train your abdominals, shoulders, arms and chest. In other words: it is a beauty of an exercise.
You start in push up position, which sounds easy but is in fact harder than it looks. The trick is to keep your butt low without hanging into the spine. To do this you will need to tighten your abs as if your life depends on it. Try to keep a straight line between your ankles and your shoulders. Your hands are bit wider than shoulder with apart, fingers pointing forward. This is a position that can be hard to hold. So you might need to train this first before you can start the sniffing. Try holding it for 30 seconds first and only when you’re capable of doing this you can lightly bend and extend your arm.
The stronger you will get the more you can lower yourself.

Do these exercise 3 times a week for some great results...

Where Sports Meets Politics.

Just before the 2004 elections Don King came to Washington to have dinner at the White House with President Bush. When I ran into him at a TV studio the next day – with the great soul singer Lloyd Price at his side – King still had on a jean jacket blazing with rhinestones and embroidery in the shape of the President's face, along with the American flag, fireworks and the words "United States of America" in diamond-like studs on the sleeve.

When I expressed a Washington political analyst's surprise that a Black boxing promoter was squarely in the President's corner for this fight (he donated $44,500 to the GOP cause) the 74-year-old sultan of the electrified Afro avoided his usual hyperbole and succinctly informed me: "He's a winner…and he's good for business."

King is one of several big names in the world of sports who signed up Bush and the GOP. Today, athletes on the Republican side of the aisle range from Lynn Swann, who is running for governor of Pennsylvania, to Jim Ryun, the legendary distance runner who is a Republican member of Congress. Tom Osborne, the former coach of Nebraska football, is a Republican Congressman. So, too, was Oklahoma football star J.C. Watts. And then there is wrestling coach and current Speaker of the House Denny Hastert. Former members of Congress and great athletes are also overwhelmingly on the right wing side of politics from Michigan football star Gerald Ford, who went on to the White House, to quarterback Jack Kemp and U.S. Judo team captain Ben Nighthorse Campbell.

Of course, the renowned bodybuilder who is the governor of California is also a Republican as are Ivy League athletes who now serve as the governors of Rhode Island and Maryland. The entire golf tour seems to be made up of Republicans.

King's explanation of his support for Bush – "he's a winner and good for business" – is at the heart of the GOP's powerful grip on American athletes. Sports stars want to be known as a strong, intimidating presence – a Goliath – feared for dominance and the steely ability to win and win and win some more.

The idea of a dog-eat-dog world is familiar to ball players who know what it means to make the team or be cut from the team, to be a starter or on the bench, to win or lose. Weakness is death to athletes and the Republicans, and President Bush makes a virtue of displaying strength. A few years ago, the President had to explain to an interviewer that all Texas men walk the way he does, with his arms held a space from his body and his legs wide as if to accommodate big shoulders and muscular thighs. It is not a sign of arrogance, he offered, just Texas manly style.

Have you noticed that when the President walks out to a Rose Garden press conference or to the helicopter, he is always in the lead? The Vice President, Karl Rove and other aides are a big step behind the lead man. This is in keeping with the "Daddy Party" image of the GOP, as compared to the "Mommy Party" image of the Democrats. It is the "Daddy Party" that protects America from terrorists, opposes gay marriage, defends the right to own a gun and promises never to "cut and run" from a fight in Iraq. It is the "Mommy Party," that worries about welfare programs, rising deficits and drilling for oil in a wildlife refuge.

Athletes want to identify with a man and a winner.