5 Reasons Why England Are Rubbish!
1/ Gerrard and Lampard are incompatible. Both players are focal points for their clubs breaking from the midfield. But to operate successfully, they need disciplined, defensive midfielders to operate alongside or behind them (Makelele, Mikel, Essien for Chelsea, and Mascherano/Alonso for Liverpool).
Whilst playing together, one essentially negates the influence of the other. When can you remember BOTH players having a good game for England? Gerrard was superior in the group stages, whereas Lampard was decent against Germany. Gerrard was tactically naïve and had three futile efforts on goal.
2/ Capello’s tactical ignorance. International football is about keeping possession. England’s formation – a standard 4-4-2, is now outdated. Unless you have a perfectly balanced midfield (United’s treble winning side in 1999), 4-4-2 can leave you isolated and exposed in midfield, and unable to retain possession.
If Capello was insistent on playing 4-4-2, then at least play players IN POSITION to guarantee width. Milner has played centrally for Aston Villa this season, yet found himself on the right wing. Gerrard has played centrally for Liverpool this season yet found himself on the left wing.
Barry has played centrally for Man City this midfielder, but not really as a midfield ball winner / shielder of the back four (de Jong’s job), so again he was out position. And Rooney has been emphatic for United playing as a lone striker, yet he found himself deeper, and received pathetic service all tournament. Admittedly, Rooney’s touch was poor this tournament, but a forward needs service, and against Germany in particular, it was non-existent.
3/ Capello’s selection policy…leaves a lot to be desired. The idea of persevering with a player because he had a good last game (albeit against Slovenia) is primitive. Capello should have looked at things in the wider context, and selected Dawson or King, who have excelled for Spurs this season. Upson has enjoyed a torrid season at West Ham, and was duly found out by a past-it striker – Klose.
Ledley King offers more composure on the ball. England lacked ‘footballing’ centrebacks at this World Cup – the likes of Terry, Upson and Carragher just lumped the ball forward aimlessly. Lennon, Heskey and SWP have failed at this World Cup, and Capello should be blamed for controversially leaving out Walcott, Bent and Adam Johnson.
These three are more dynamic than Heskey and SWP in particular. A silky passer he may be, but a midfield destroyer he is not. Barry is not international class, and was responsible for Germany’s third goal. As for Milner, the term journeyman comes to mind.
4/ Lack of Man United presence. Ferdinand has been one of Europe’s leading centre-backs over the past five years, and how England missed his pace and composure on the ball. Hargreaves may not have been match fit at the end of the season, but he had three games and the group stages to achieve it. England’s best player at WC 06, and a key component in Utd’s Champions League triumph, a semi-fit Hargreaves would have done a better job than Barry at holding the midfield.
The way Germany ripped through England was frightening. Scholes is not the player he was ten years ago, but he is still the best at retaining possession, and England’s most technically gifted player of the modern generation. The diagonal ball worked against Slovenia, but against Germany, England did not have the players good enough to execute it. Although he might not have started, Michael Owen would have been a better option coming off the bench than Emile Heskey…
5/ No world class wide players Ronaldo, Robben, Di Maria, Robinho, Podolski, Elia, Nilmar, David Silva…and we have Lennon, SWP and Milner (not even a winger for Villa). We just don’t have quality players on the flanks to beat a man and provide a good cross.
Side Point: For all the plebs saying ‘overpaid stars don’t care…earning £100k a week…’, of course they care. No money in the world can substitute the emptiness of epic failure.
This article was provided by Betfair Bonus
Football jokes
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“England IS rubbish”?
No… England (as in the team) is a collective pronoun. They ARE rubbish.
If you didn’t like the country (singular) then England IS rubbish….
Anyone disagree?
Great article. The problem with England is that they play players out of position. Love how you highlight the lack of the defensive midfielder. I’ve been harping on that for years. Capello could play the 4-4-2 but its just about selecting the right players. A defensive mid, (Scot Parker?) Gerrard/Lampard as the more attacking mid or maybe even Carrick because that twat Rooney comes way to deep to get the ball. Adam Johnson on the left, Lennon on the Right. It’s not even that hard. Just play players where they usually play. A flat 4-4-2 means wing play so stick Crouch on as well to finish the crosses. Easy!
how about nearly every player is used to playing 433 now at club level and yet at national level they play 442? just silly.
also using gerrard at all as a player. should not have been on the field, causes too much problems tactically, hogs up space for other players and his passing is woeful.
should have played a midfield or barry, carrick and lampard. All 3 players can pass and would work well together. Rooney on the left so he has more time on the ball and he is good defensively. defoe in the middle because he is a striker first and doesnt come deep as often as rooney when playing for england. finally on the right i would have picked milner, yes he played centrally for villa but he is good defensively, can put in good crosses and if required can come in centrally to be available for a pass, with cole and johnson overlapping a real winger isnt needed as much either. j.cole is also a better right winger then anything else he is reported to be.
this would have mattered more against germany because england would not have been so easily out manned in midfield.