England, perhaps better known as Team Tottenham, have certainly been looking like a European competitor of late.
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That unwanted record needs to change, said goalkeeper Joe Hart.
The question now is whether Hodgson insists on playing Wayne Rooney in the No. 10 position when teenager Dele Alli showed promise in that area of the field.
There was much criticism of Hodgson for that, particularly as Vardy had only seven touches in the game with six coming on the left wing and one taking a kickoff, but realistically England needs that protection. I’ve said before he is judged to a higher standard than most players because he is so good, but he is a match-winner. “Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but the opinions that matter to me are those of my coaches and teammates”.
Are there many options?
“In the last few months at Manchester United I have played in midfield”. It wasn’t enough for them to top their group though, finishing a whole eight points behind group winners Austria.
Defensively, England also appear suspect, with Chris Smalling’s waning 2016 form exemplified by his foolish red card in May’s FA Cup Final, while preferred centre back partner Gary Cahill toiled in Chelsea’s miserable failure to defend their league title. Even with the emergence of Eric Dier to protect the back four, Hodgson accepts that this defense needs the cover of three midfielders.
England and Russian Federation are the big beasts of Group B and, though each would love a winning start when they meet tonight, the fear of losing could well become all-pervading and lead to a cagey 2016 Euro soccer encounter. “It happens. I feel that with my football intelligence, I can play there and further my career there as well”. Naturally, younger lads do that.
He said: “We’ve got qualities, there’s no doubt about that”.
“However, I’ll say again that there are no weak teams at the European Championship”.
On Twitter, the complaint went up that, nine days before the tournament, manager Roy Hodgson didn’t know his best team.
England fans needn’t panic however, Saturday’s squad at the Stade Vélodrome in France will be comprised entirely of human players – jokes about Wayne Rooney aside – but that hasn’t stopped Heritage Classic Car Insurance company from imagining this surreal scenario.
After Russia, England take on Wales next Thursday in Lens before their final group game against Slovakia in St Etienne the following Monday night, prior to the knockout stages.
But Russia in Marseille surely offers England the opportunity to wipe the slate clean and lay the foundations for a sustained assault on success in France?
“But they’ve gone, they are the past, this is a new one, a new set of players – the majority – and we’re fresh and ready and we’re going to give it all we’ve got”. A win here will be the flawless opportunity for the three lions to get some confidence and really get into this competition. “Preparations have been ideal…”
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“The important thing to me is that the coaching staff and players, we believe in the players that are here”.
