Our defence will be our downfall. The full backs were a real cause for concern on Saturday. The saving grace was that Italy didnt have the same attacking threat down their left as they did their right otherwise Johnson would have been even more all over the place than normal. We did look decent going forward though so cause for positivity there and the performance was infinitely better than in the Euros a couple of years ago. Not hard though!
Based on the one game played so far, England's goal attempt stats are better than many winning teams - and comfortably better than all the losing teams. With 18 shots at goal and 5 shots on target, we look to be on one of the most dangerous teams if you believe statistics. I don't have the stats for periods of the game, but my feeling was that Italy closed the game down very effectively in the last 25-30 minutes during which period we probably had few attempts.
Cause for optimism? Clutching at straws? Or, will Uruguay and Costa Rica be different games?
So far, we are ok. It is the best I've seen us play in years, but it still wasn't enough. It wasn't that special. Also Italy's defence had crisis beforehand with them having to play a centre back at left back and their second keeper, and I think it was their second choice right back, and we still could only score 1. So I think we are definitely going in the right direction and believe we will qualify, but lets not get carried away.
One second choice Italian centre half is probably still better than two first choice English centre halves. We've gone from Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand to Gary Cahill. They're just not good enough at the back.
bit harsh on cahill who i think is our only true quality cb. But i agree, we've gone from having 5 or 6 world class centre halves to only having maybe one or two that are good enough for international games.
Completely lost Balloteli for the goal. I actually rate Jags ahead of him.
As an Italian supporter I think that team the worst ever. Stick the immobile chiellini at left back, play in a tropical sauna and lose Buffon and it's scary how bad they are. The ability to churn out a production line of rampaging right backs and the great Pirlo aside I think England's encouraging performance came against a spent force. Both teams looked decent playing against poor opposition. The good news is Uruguay are in a similar boat, their defence is horrible. Costa are fantastically mobile and attacking, but its a small country, and I think they'll lack depth. It really isn't a group of death. Anyone could still go through and anyone could go out. Nobody from this group is amongst the best in the world.
A spent force? They're a relatively young team.
I meant that the stalwarts that won 2006 have mostly all gone. Many of those that did well in 2012 are creaking a bit - Chiellini, Buffon, De Rossi, Cassano. Pirlo can't keep doing it forever. I'm not convinced the new breed is at the same level and the injuries have just taken all the balance away (di sciglio, balzeretti, Maggio and Rossi would be a big miss for any side).
So far, we are ok. It is the best I've seen us play in years, but it still wasn't enough. It wasn't that special. Also Italy's defence had crisis beforehand with them having to play a centre back at left back and their second keeper, and I think it was their second choice right back, and we still could only score 1. So I think we are definitely going in the right direction and believe we will qualify, but lets not get carried away.
One second choice Italian centre half is probably still better than two first choice English centre halves. We've gone from Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand to Gary Cahill. They're just not good enough at the back.
Ye but what they did was us having the equivalent of:
GK - Foster
RB - Smalling CB - Jagielka CB - Jones LB - Shaw
So that is what I meant, we were playing against a weak defence of theirs and still only scored one.
We will only be able to judge when we start to play teams like Uruguay who are average and see where we are at.
So far, we are ok. It is the best I've seen us play in years, but it still wasn't enough. It wasn't that special. Also Italy's defence had crisis beforehand with them having to play a centre back at left back and their second keeper, and I think it was their second choice right back, and we still could only score 1. So I think we are definitely going in the right direction and believe we will qualify, but lets not get carried away.
One second choice Italian centre half is probably still better than two first choice English centre halves. We've gone from Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand to Gary Cahill. They're just not good enough at the back.
bit harsh on cahill who i think is our only true quality cb. But i agree, we've gone from having 5 or 6 world class centre halves to only having maybe one or two that are good enough for international games.
Completely lost Balloteli for the goal. I actually rate Jags ahead of him.
Got to disagree I am afraid, it was his mistake for Balotelli's goal and a good clearance from Jagielka kept us in it but Cahill is still the better defender overall. Whilst I loathe Chelsea in it's entirety he has improved for going there, and he was pretty good even before that. It's our full backs I really worry about, Baines is decent but no Ashley Cole in his prime, Shaw WILL be good but needs careful treatment to bring him through naturally and Glen Johnson is first choice only because there are literally no-one else realistically challenging him - Walker is just Johnson v1.5 frankly.
Comments
GK - Foster
RB - Smalling
CB - Jagielka
CB - Jones
LB - Shaw
So that is what I meant, we were playing against a weak defence of theirs and still only scored one.
We will only be able to judge when we start to play teams like Uruguay who are average and see where we are at.