The ESPN FC crew evaluate England’s first match under Sam Allardyce, a 1-0 win over Slovakia in World Cup Qualifying.
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However, their performance has widely been met by negative reviews, with the display in Trnava drawing comparisons with the one England produced when the two sides played out a stalemate during the Euros.
Following England’s failure at Euro 2016, Allardyce believes his squad are “a happy bunch, not a damaged bunch” following the win over Slovakia. “So using his experience with a team, and playing as a team member, it’s not for me to say where he’s going to play”. I know that if I continue doing what I am doing the goals will come, that is all I can do.
Allardyce meant he trusted Rooney to read the game and play where the team needed him to and insisted he would be standing by his man.
“Dele really changed things and has staked a big claim to be the No. 10 for the next game”, said Shearer.
Despite the furore, Allardyce labelled Rooney’s performance in Slovakia as “brilliant” as a last-gasp Adam Lallana strike handed the England a winning start in their quest to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation. “Of course it was nice to score that day but, trust me, the managers do not care who score the goals”.
While Sam Allardyce opted to play Kane as his main striker for his first game as England boss, the arrival of Vincent Janssen at White Hart Lane has resulted in Kane operating in the number 10 role on occasion for his club. Given that Wayne Rooney first scored for England at 17 and Theo Walcott had bagged a hat-trick by the age of 19, 28-year-old Lallana is a late developer and he has long acknowledged that he has not scored enough goals, for England or Liverpool.
Harry Kane admits he “probably” will not take corners again for England after the debacle of Euro 2016.
“There were a few challenges that I felt could have earned him a yellow card but it didn’t come”, Kane said.
There is a form of madness in what happened to Wayne Rooney in Slovakia. You have just got to laugh with it.
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Thus, it is important that Allardyce brings out the best in his captain and plays him in an advanced position rather than giving him the freedom to roam all over the field.
