In fairness to Allardyce he’s lumbered with the same mediocre players as Roy Hodgson was during England’s dismal Euro 2016 campaign.
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For all his undoubted talent and creativity, Lallana has not been viewed as the player most likely to win matches at the death.
While it was a special day for Rooney as he set another national record, Adam Lallana celebrated his first senior goal for his country.
“I put pressure on myself to score goals”.
The England manager cut through the renewed debate over whether Rooney warranted a place in his starting line-up to throw his support behind him, saying he wanted to “use his experience to its maximum”.
Curiously, his goals per game ratio has gone down the longer he has played, particularly since Liverpool paid Southampton 25 million pounds ($33.3 million) to sign him in 2014. No creativity from open play.
“I think Theo Walcott’s was definitely a goal because it looked like it came off their defender. When we got the final finish it was offside, we got a goal disallowed when it shouldn’t have been, Adam Lallana hit the post and eventually we got the goal”.
“I’m playing on the pitch for England”.
It was also the squad’s first game with new manager Sam Allardyce in charge, who will be relieved to secure the win.
England captain Wayne Rooney insists a midfield role suits him at worldwide level, having helped his side to a World Cup qualifying win over Slovakia.
Rooney still possesses plenty of quality and can make a difference on his day, but with the midfield looking imbalanced and Harry Kane isolated up front, something has to change.
“We didn’t panic, I think that’s the main thing”, the 30-year-old Rooney said.
“We’d like to get him into goalscoring positions more”.
A last-gasp Adam Lallana victor secured all three points in another disappointing England performance, but ultimately it would have been a relief and source of great joy for Allardyce to start with a win.
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Slovenia staged a late fightback to draw 2-2 at Lithuania, Denmark won 1-0 over Armenia.
