Books this month

SILVER LININGS

by David Hartrick (Pitch Publishing, £12.99)

As England boss, Bobby Robson was celebrated, derided and Diego-ed. His team missed one Euros, self-destructed at another, were cheated out of Mexico ’86 and came within two kicks of a World Cup final. No England manager can equal the drama of his eight years in charge. Set against the backdrop of a vicious newspaper circulation war and the rise of hooliganism, this is the story of how Robson managed to deliver the seemingly impossible: hope.

AN ODE TO FOUR FOUR TWO

byJohn McNicoll (Pitch Publishing, £12.99) Formations continue to evolve since the birth of the game. From teams playing with four or five forwards, to the modern era of teams with just one, arguably the best formation is 4-4-2. Some of the greatest teams have used this system: Milan, Barcelona and Manchester United all enjoyed glorious eras playing 4-4-2. And who can forget Leicester City reviving the formation to win the Premier League in 2016? This is the story of how teams, big and small, have played the system to perfection.