He's a good talker and organiser

He's a good talker and organiser." And for his partner? "If Sol gets back to form, and it looks like he is, I wouldn't look any further than him. Rio's a fantastic centre-back, but you have to look at who is playing the best, who is the most reliable."Ferdinand's first error came when he allowed Collins John to control Brian McBride's second-minute flick-on. Playing centre-half is not [only] about last-ditch tackles, though he's good at that It's also about making the right decisions Terry always knows whether to drop off or squeeze up. With Sol Campbell back to fitness, and John Terry in imperious form, Eriksson has a hard decision to take ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Poland.Having been complicit in both Fulham goals, Ferdinand's dire afternoon reached a nadir when United fans booed his assumption of the captain's armband when Giggs was substituted.One expert observer on Saturday was Chris Coleman, the Fulham manager, and a centre-half good enough to win 32 international caps for Wales before injury ended his career.

Questioned on Eriksson's quandary, he intimated that Ferdinand should be the centre-half left on the bench "The obvious choice is John Terry," Coleman said "He is the best and most reliable. He, though, did not have the excuse of an 16-month injury lay-off. With Ji-Sung Park and Ryan Giggs willing wing accomplices, he tore Fulham apart. Ferdinand, however, was as off the pace as Jonathan Woodgate had been for Real Madrid last week. When the woodcutter's son delivers his scouting report from Craven Cottage today there will be mixed news for Sven Goran Eriksson. The England coach's assistant, Tord Grip, will purr over the contribution of Wayne Rooney to Manchester United's flowing victory by the Thames but express reservations over the form of Rio Ferdinand.

Rooney, playing behind Ruud van Nistelrooy in a Manchester United team that reverted to the attacking formation that conquered England and Europe in the late 1990s, was footballing eye candy. Middlesbrough: Riggott.Man of the match: Yakubu.Attendance: 29,719.. Substitutes not used: Taylor (gk), Djemba-Djemba, Cahill.Middlesbrough (4-5-1): Jones; Abel Xavier, Riggott, Southgate, Pogatetz; Mendieta (Queudrue, 65), Doriva, Rochemback, Boateng, Nemeth (Parnaby, 69); Yakubu. Substitutes not used: Knight (gk), Hasselbaink, Maccarone.Referee: M Dean (Wirral).Booked: Aston Villa: Barry, Berger, Ridgewell, Samuel.