Thank god for the Finns (England National Football Team)

Name: dandelionburdock

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Product:	England National Football Team
Date:	07/10/01 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: we're in the World Cup, we're not as bad as we were last year

Disadvantages: Gary Neville is still in the squad, Gary Neville really needs to shave that white trash 'tache off, I don't like Gary Neville

Frankly, England are extremely lucky to have automatically qualified for the World Cup. I think every Liverpool player in the England team should buy Jari Litmanen and Sami Hypia several drinks when they're back in training for their club after the Finns kept Germany goalless to send then into the play-offs.

But that's fine. No team ever achieved anything without being lucky along the way. The concern I have is that now we have reached the finals, we've got a set up now which relies on several outstanding players, but also a few very dodgy, if not downright awful regulars that are far more likely to let the side down than do the job that's asked of them.

Firstly, the pros:

Michael Owen (assuming he'll be in good form when he returns from his recent injury) - frankly a revelation in the last few years, and in spite of a few lulls when fitness and first touch were a definite problem, he's developed into an absolutely outstanding player who is more than capable of turning games when he receives any half decent through ball on a counter attack.

David Beckham - saved us against Finland earlier in qualifying, saved us deep into injury time against Greece, and looks every inch the captain. The amount of times you see him chasing the man on the ball now is extremely heartening after the events in France 1998 could've severely tempered his tendencies to get involved physically in midfield and defence, which in addition to his great contributions in attack is vital when he's leading from the midfield.

Steven Gerrard - easily the find of the last couple of years. His goal against Germany was definitely the point when he made his stamp on the international game, and should he stay fit and free from the sort of niggling fatigues and strains that have dogged his club career so far, I find it hard to believe that he can't go on and become the Bobby Charlton of this generation. Assuming he and Beckham
go on at international level well into their 30s, it's not beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that he could be a future England captain. His all round game is frankly awesome.

The ummmms/aaaahs:

Ashley Cole - has threatened on several occasions to be the flying full-back that England have really been looking for on the left, but all too often loses possession in full flight and leaves the defence exposed. Is also prone to more than occasional rash challenges and is lucky to have less of a reputation as a dirty player than he currently does.

Nick Barmby - is quietly reliable, and undeniably talented, but seems far less of an attacking threat than the rest of the current England midfield, and certainly has defensive frailties that mark his out as a weak point for the opposing team to exploit when moving forward. That said, his vision in close passing moves is very good, and his role in the opening goal against Germany (nodding down for Owen to score when a header at goal seemed the obvious thing to do) was unfairly overlooked in the post-match analysis both on TV and in the press. The basic problem I have with Barmby is that he always looks more of a club player than an international player.

Emile Heskey - since moving to Liverpool has looked a far better player, but still represents far less of a goal threat than a regular England forward should. His movement (save for his appalling tendency to be pulled up for offside) and holding play is extremely good, but when he drifts out to either side of the pitch, he always seems to do more be in allowing time for the opposing defence to regroup instead of actually exposing any gaps and ground that he may have won by winning the ball in the first place. The tendency to play him on the left midfield as a tactical change in games is also infuriating, as he doesn't seem to yet have the confidence to run infield at players as much as he really should.

And then the Geo
ff Thomas' of Sven's squad:

Gary Neville - frequently the worst player on the pitch when England play, and has done precious little to suggest that he should be the regular that he is. Seems very easy to read when he gets forward (he only seems to have one step-over trick which opponents pick up on very quickly), and loses possession probably more often than any other player in living memory. Whenever he does anything of any real note, it infuriates me that commentators over-emphasise it so as to make it out to be 10 times the piece of play that it actually was. Why Jamie Carragher is always overlooked for his place I have no idea, as he's 10 times the player either of the Neville brothers are.

Andy Cole - although he moves around with great purpose, and does link up usefully, particularly with the other Man U players in midfield, you can't justify persevering with a player who has as bad a scoring record as Cole has at international level. His first touch still remains as iffy as it ever has been since he left Newcastle, and his place in the squad really should've been given to Kevin Phillips long ago. Doubtless he would improve if he had a run of starting places to his name, but in the run up to the World Cup, there's no way you can gamble on "maybe" players, particularly when there are so many dead cert attacking players to choose from.

Steve McManaman - I've been a huge fan of Steve's over the years ever since his early days at Liverpool, but his last decent match for England was against Holland in Euro 96, and I think the time to lose faith and patience with him has come. He's seemingly too unadventurous to attack defences these days in an England shirt, and he appears to stifle attacking movements with a short pass inside as opposed to really going at players like he used to at club level. When there's as much pace in the England attack as there is these days, the players either side
of midfield really need to be consistently flying, and the sad fact is that since Gerrard came into the squad, he's looked a fairly weak option. I hope he proves me wrong, but I fear his best days are behind him.


Basically the strides England have made with Eriksson have been plain to see, but I think we're yet to see every single England player have a good match on the same day (and yes, that includes the 5-1 in Munich). Fowler and Owen remain the best combination I've seen together up front, and I'd like to see the manager be more adventurous and play Sheringham or Scholes just off that front two, with Gerrard, Beckham and either Danny Murphy or Paul Scholes as part of a 3 man midfield.

Basically, I feel England should play to their strengths as a nation which has real strength in depth in terms of extremely fast attacking players, and it frustrates me to see them sitting back and letting teams like Greece and Albania have far more of the ball than they're entitled to. Leaking goals on the break isn't a crime, but failing to capitalise on having arguably four of the best attacking players in the world at the moment (Gerrard, Beckham, Scholes and Owen) really is, and they can't do that if teams are allowed to keep their shape and play the ball around.

It's also a shame that people point the finger at the number 1 spot as a problem area. Frankly, having either of David Seaman or Nigel Martyn at your disposal is as good as any side in the world has, and quality replacements such as Richard Wright and David James (when fit) at hand really isn't any kind of cause for concern. I'd be more concerned with the back four, as Gary Neville definitely isn't the right man for right full-back, and left full-back is still a problem position in my eyes, as Ashley Cole is far from being the threat going forward that he is for Arsenal. Thankfully, Rio Ferdinand is growing into his position, and Martin Keown
(for now) as well as Sol Campbell (when fit) represent good options in the centre of defence.


Basically, those saying England need to look to 2006 for a realistic opportunity at the World Cup do seem to have a point. Unless Sven finds the formula between now and next summer to shore up the right defensive and left midfield berths, as well as to try and establish the best foil for Michael Owen in attack, the second round that Glenn Hoddle managed in 1998 may well be as good as it gets this time around as well. Personally, I'm glad that we're there as of right, but sadly my expectations will always be relatively low whenever a Neville can find a place in an England team sheet.

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