Devastated. That’s how I feel after the game last night. Leading into this tournament I set my expectations so low but still I’m devastated. Before this tournament, especially after the draw was made I told myself that we would be so lucky to get out of the group but as the squad was named and as we got closer and closer to the start I guess I just couldn’t help but get caught up in the hype and start to believe that maybe, just maybe England’s young guns could impress and surprise at this tournament.
Last night our players weren’t good enough. Gerrard for all of the good he has done over his time with England, was poor but still cant be blamed for the second goal at all, that was poor defending as was the first goal. Sterling is young and promising yes but with time and experience he will learn when to try and take it past a player and when to pass. Henderson and Welbeck aren’t good enough and I personally believe they were only playing to cover our weaknesses in defence. With a stronger back 4 we could have played a much more attacking 11 that would have been able to capitalise on all of the possession we had in the two games and maybe the results would have been different.
For all of the abuse he has got over the past few weeks I thought Wayne Rooney was exceptional last night and was by far our best player, yes he isn’t a world class player but at the end of the day he has 40 international goals and has had the weight of the nation on his shoulders and he is as close as England have been or will get to a world class player for a few years.
I think the problem overall is with English football and the system that is employed.
Raheem Sterling for example was called up to the main squad before he ever played for the under 21’s, no matter how promising a player is they need to have worked their way through the appropriate youth levels first to gain experience of international football. Ideally they should have played in a major tournament at youth level. If this happens you get groups of players coming through the system together and they all have experience of big stage tournaments.
Going forward England need to change, lots of things need to change, some will and some probably won’t. Young English players need to be playing regular football at a high level. James Milner for example played more times for England under 21’s than anyone else and has been a regular fixture in the England set up for many years now but if he was at a club where he could play every week I think he could have been a starter for the past few years.
Our next game will be a friendly against Norway in September and for that game I believe our team should be Hart; Flanagan, Cahill, Stones, Shaw; Jones, Wilshere; Sterling, Barkley, Ox; Sturridge. This is the England team of the future and the team that will give us the best chances of succeeding going forwards. For that game I think Rooney should be rested so we can get a look at an entirely youthful team.
As an England fan I think that the problem lies with our inability as a nation to doubt our football team. After every tournament this happens, we say how bad we are and slate our players, managers and system but then we build ourselves up over the next two years thinking that this tournament will be England’s. The sad truth is that until we have drastic changes within English football I think our trophy drought will continue.
Andys All Sports Blog 