England fans should feel genuinely apprehensive going into the World Cup. Not only have we got one of the weakest England squads in years, in particular the strikers and defenders, but here is a manager who has spent the best part of two years seemingly doing nothing apart from showing up at the odd Premier League game here and there.
Does anyone know what England’s starting team is going to be vs Italy? No. Does anyone know the tactics Hodgson is going to play? No. Formation? No. The list goes on and there as many “no’s” as there are questions. Let’s hope at least Hodgson knows because he’s had long enough to think about it. It is the complete opposite situation to which he was in two years ago in the European Championships having just taken over from Fabio Capello .
Judging by the personnel England have in their squad, they aren’t going to be a team who plays with a big man as there is not a single target man chosen in the entire squad. They’re not going to be a team who will look to try and dominate possession because as soon as they play against one of the big nations it will be a case of two banks of 4. The squad is distinctively lacking in strong defenders, so does that make Englan a counter attacking team then? The side does have some naturally gifted athletes in Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling and Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. With the latter picking up a leg injury the other day however , it is unlikely he will be back while England are still alive as the injury is speculated to take the better part of a month to heal.
It seems they have pieces, but no deliberate plan or strategy to speak of. Perhaps Hodgson hasn’t decided yet or if he has, is keeping it close to chest. Hopefully it’s the latter. The players need time to jel together because if England are to have success, they will need to play as one cohesive unit. Unlike France of 98 for example, who could pass the ball to Zidane, or Argentina who had Maradona, or today’s Messi. The only way England stand a chance is if they play as a team.
If it’s good enough for some of the greatest teams in the world like Brazil, Spain and Germany to try and integrate a team where they can get an understanding and relationship from playing together, then it should be good enough for England. It’s not like giving away the personnel of your team is a bad thing. It’s no secret what Brazil’s starting line-up is this World Cup and it was never a secret what Sven Goran Erikson’s England side was.
It is frustrating to consider that the team Roy Hodgson picks to play against Italy could be playing together for the first time. Even for the best and most experienced of players it would be very difficult to comprehend, let alone for a squad rich in young and inexperienced players. Contrast this with the Italian team England will be facing who have a strong Juventus core and have made very few changes during qualification and friendlies. Add in the experience of the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon and there you have a great team.
Maybe the England manager’s plan is to let his young squad express themselves and play with absolute freedom, something which has never been associated with a Roy Hodgson team. This is exactly why it is right to raise the question does Hodgson know what he’s doing? Or is he just a man without a plan? For England’s sake I hope Roy Hodgson has a master plan to bring the World Cup home and finally end 48 years of hurt.
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