Ex-Olympic rowing champion Garry Herbert said the decision to switch Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell to the four should ensure gold in Athens. British coach Jurgen Grobler has moved Pinsent and Cracknell from the coxless pair in which they came fourth at last year's World Championships.
Herbert, who won gold with the Searle brothers in Barcelona in 1992, told BBC Sport: "There's no sense of panic.
"They're looking for their best option. I can't see them not winning the four."
Pinsent and Cracknell took up pairs rowing after victory in the four at the Sydney Olympics alongside five-time gold-medallist Steve Redgrave and Tim Foster.
Cracknell moved from strokeside, the same side as Pinsent, to bowside [oar on the left] to facilitate the switch.
They promptly won the coxed and coxless pairs at the World Championships in Lucerne in 2001 and a year later won the coxless pairs in a record time in Seville.
 |  The four is the vehicle for them to unleash their awesome power |
But their all-conquering mystique was shattered in Milan last summer when they were beaten by arch-rivals Australia as well as South Africa and Croatia.
Britain's Herbert, the former cox, added: "We're suffering from our own success because we've had two gold medals in Sydney.
"Up until last year we were on for two more gold medals - in the four and the pair.
"But the pair were not going as fast as they should be. Their invincibility has completely gone, whereas the four is the vehicle for them to unleash their awesome power.
 Herbert (right) won gold with the Searle brothers in 1992 |
"The four is a more stable boat for that - in the pair they haven't been able to really flow because it's more wobbly.
"They need a stable platform to put down the power and not have to think about rowing, especially with James on the bowside, which he is still not happy with.
"What do they want? At end of day they could be Olympic champions. It's a feat in itself, not a forgone conclusion."
Herbert, who will be commentating for BBC Sport in Athens, revealed that there is a changing philosophy in the British camp.
"There's a load of pyschology going on here at the moment," he said.
"Matthew is a phenomenally talented and successful individual but at the same time - and I say this respectfully - he's lazy and only does as much as he needs to do, never more.
| They're not in it to provide a spectacle - they're in it to win |
"When he was in the four with Redgrave it was a different agenda. It was about getting Steve his fifth gold medal and Steve was the leader.
"Now Matthew is the leader. He can plough phenomenal feats of sporting endeavour when he needs to because he's a big guy and he relies on that.
"But they were caught out last time, and they now know they can't rely on that.
"Before, as single guys, rowing was their life, they were very focused and the level of their self-belief was phenomenal. Now they've both got married and James has a kid, and it changes your outlook. Matthew is more mellow and fairly philosophical.
"Having said that, they're not in it to provide a spectacle for all of us watching. They're in it to win.
"They're not running away but eyeing up the best chance of getting a gold medal.
"The hard reality is that a year before the Olympics they came fourth. If they came away with bronze that would be a huge kick in face."
MMIX
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