Clearly all England fans wanted a win in the opening game, I personally thought it would be a draw, but them's the breaks. I was however, pretty happy with England overall, too many times in recent tournaments we have been awful, but this morning (Oz time) I saw a team playing without the weight of expectation and played pretty freely. We had a lot of efforts at goal, a marked contrast to Kiev 2012 where we were pathetic. The defence was worrying, we pretty much all knew it was one of, if not the weakest back 4's I can ever remember as an England fan in terms of those that start and their back up, and that was exposed for the second goal, I personally do not rate Cahill as a CH for England, has only ever looked average there with JT beside him to bail him out, and was at fault for the Balotelli goal, so to a degree was Baines, again I would have taken Ashley Cole to the WC and played him. The midfield did OK, Henderson was bright first half, but was MIA in the second, Gerrard was steady but not spectacular, Sterling was excellent, as was Sturridge, Wellbeck offered nothing TBH. And then there is Wayne Rooney, rapidly becoming an enigma at the WC, now 9 games no goals, however I don't need to tell anyone who saw the game that stat should have changed. Yes he put across a great ball for the goal, but I simply cannot forgive that second half miss. If he thought he got stick before the WC over his form, then wait till the press let loose in the morning, Rooney came out saying Man Utd would be angry at Scholes for his comments, I am sure they would as both they and Rooney big him up as one of the top stars in World football, but the truth is he is not, last night showed he is firmly in the second class of World stars, do you think the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, RVP, Neymar, the likes of which he feels he is on a par with would have missed that second half sitter or blasted so far over the bar from 18 yards not long after that, or spooned a corner into row Z BEHIND the goal, NO, I reckon all would have scored the missed sitter and again asa minimum would all have worked the keeper for the second chance. I would drop Rooney for the next game and see if he can become an impact sub, which I think he probably could, I just don't think he justify's his place in the team as it is currently setup. I saw more than enough to suggest that if we play with the same level of believe and speed in the remaining 2 games we will get the 6 points we need, something I did not think we would a few months ago. As for Italy, well played, but they are certainly vulnerable and again will have to put in 2 more great performances like that to win the group, I think it is still wide open at this stage.
I think we need to take stock of where we are. We were never going to win this World Cup - there are 2 higher ranked teams in our group (though one has lost to a team ranked 32) This World Cup is about those youngsters gaining experience. Despite losing I thought our young team did all right - especially the younger players. When we add people who are in the U17's side from 3 years ago, and this year's U17's who won the Euro Championship, the future is bright
2018, Russia (unless it is changed), conditions similar to England and a peaking golden generation. The future does look bright.
I quite like Roy Hodsgon but last night some of England players after friendlies and weeks together didn't gel together defensively. England did not look co-ordinted and drilled. That XI and formation has not been played enough. Rooney / Wellbeck and Baines were all over the place. The second goal is non league like. Baines gets caught out out of position, then gets goal side but doesn't close down and turns his back. Oddly the above worked in Englands favour the goal. Englands goal! Italy give the ball away cheap and Rooney receiving the ball in space because he has failed to track back. Good and bad bits. An opportunity missed.
Not sure it works like that Remember the last golden generation ? Promised much and won zilch Remember Gazza, who we all thought would win us many prizes after 1990, then got injured and missed everything up until 1996 ? Fact is, your first WC might be your last, so seize the day and make it count whether you are 17 or 37
Play the youngsters and tell them to swarm the opposition constantly and perhaps an attacking agenda might just take some stress of the weak defence. Nothing to lose methinks!
Englands attaking shape was a problem. Attacking with four and five who then don't track back left 1 v 2's. The shape left one of the best players in the world space to play as he wanted. England don't have players who can press and pass like De Rossi. It is hard to press [swarm] the opposition when the formation leaves players outnumbered, Italy had five in midfield. Stirling excelled, there was not that much between Italy and England this time. A little more pragmatism and it was a draw.
England do have the players though. I would have played Lallana and Wilshere in a 5 man midfield, with Sterling at the head of the midfield and Sturridge. This would have lessened the space available and taken Pirlo from the equation. It means no place for Rooney, but then England won a World Cup without Jimmy Greaves, who was one of the World's top strikers back then, because he didn't fit the team plan at the time. But then we had Sir Alf as manager (and thats different).
Lallana and Wilshere are not quite De Rossi approaching a hundred caps and with the experience to match. 5 man midfield or a 4-4-1-1. Is more pragmatic. At times England went 4-3-3 and more attacking with a suspect shape behind it. That XI v formation v Italy was not tried and tested for any length of time, and it showed when they went backwards [some didn't] . The second goal on the break was waiting to happen. If England are to employ five across the middle they should have already played and trained thoroughly.
Must have watched a different game to me! The second goal was down to Johnson being out of position! Rooney should be played in the number 10 role not out wide where he is not able to influence the game. Gerrard was his usual international self(completely ineffective - never has reproduced his club form in a white shirt). The youngsters did look promising, that includes Welbeck - once he was replaced we lost a lot of our impetuous.
No. Watch the right game you will also see England are not holding a high or a deep line. They have lost their shape due to players not dropping. Playing wide open. Baines is left 2 v 1. Stop the cross stop the goal.
It was Johnson who was missing from the back four when the cross came in.. If we play 4-3-3 (or 4-2 3-1 if you insist and your eyes don't work) the full backs don't need to bomb on and if they do they need to recover quickly, Johnson is a liability he slows the play down when he has the ball and has no desire to recover when he loses it.
Rooney played as a number 9 in 2010-11 and scored 27 goals he also played there in 2011-12 and scored 28 goals.. you don't need to be a genius...
It was the midfield that went missing as one simple foward pass over the half way line left the midfield behind the ball v shielding the defence. Nobody pressed the ball. The wide players should have been doubling up with the full backs. Baines was left 2 v 1. Nobody pressed the cross. It was caused by disorganisation.
