The question above is figurative, but at many moments during England’s turgid 1-o victory against Wales last night it could be taken very literally. As the midfield three of Lampard, Barry and Milner laboured around the middle doing their best impressions of crabs stuck in quick-sand, the fans were left wondering what had happened to the fast, dynamic attacking team that tore the same opponents less than six months ago.
Granted, there were several differences between the two teams, enforced by injuries:
England team vs Wales 26/03/11: Hart, Johnson, Cole, Parker, Dawson, Terry, Lampard, Wilshere, Bent, Rooney, Young.
England team vs Wales 06/09/11: Hart, Smalling, Terry, Cahill, Cole, Milner, Lampard, Barry, Downing , Young, Rooney.
The real difference between the two teams is the settled midfield of Parker and Wilshere, two players who should have stamped their positions on the squad by now. Wilshere, out for around 3 months, is a prodigous talent, but at the tender-age of 19 he should not have the national team’s hopes and dreams centred around his slight frame.
The decision to drop Parker for the one-paced, ever mouldable Barry was indicative of a team lacking drive and dimension, whilst the decision to play the energetic but limited Milner belied the lack of mobility across the rest of the team (bar the excellent Young). On the wing, Downing was his perenially average self, once again placed ahead of the far more talented Adam Johnson, who has paid the price for the ambition shown by Manchester City during the summer.
Despite Capello’s claims that Lampard is still a key member of his squad, it is hard to see how the 33-year old attacking midfielder has an international future. Now, without the stamina to make the driving runs that once made him one of the attacking forces in world football, Lampard has increasingly become a passenger for club and country.
Although he never had the drive and attitude of Gerrard, the ability of Scholes or the tenaciousness of Owen Hargreaves, he always had the knack of being in the right place at the right time, a skill shared with the same Robbie Earnshaw who nearly made England’s night even worse. As his influence wanes so does his ability to drift into these positions, leading one to wonder what exactly he brings to the team.
There were positives for the hosts, despite the glaring faults: Gary Cahill looked safe as Terry’s partner, although against better opposition (Germany’s youthful attack is giving me nightmares) his lack of mobility is likely to be disastrously caught out. Ashley Young, the only scorer, was his usual energetic self, replicating the form that has made him a revelation since his move to Manchester United during the summer.
Rooney ran his socks off, despite being starved of service until he was replaced by Andy Carroll, whilst Joe Hart was once again solid, enforcing the growing opinion that he is England’s first genuinely world-class keeper since Peter Shilton.
For Capello, though, prowling the technical area with a mixture of anger and bewilderment, it was a bitter-sweet evening of his own making. Despite the victory, he must know that much of England’s poor display was down to both his un-inspired line-up and complete lack of any tactical consistency; it was hard enough for the viewer to discern what formation Capello had dreamed up, let alone the players, who struggled to position themselves within the 4-3-3 cum 4-5-1 cum 4-4-1-1 cum 4-4-2 cum 11 men on the pitch – an absolute mess.
What is most worrying for England fans is that Capello doesn’t seem to have learnt the harsh lessons of the 2010 World Cup; whether he ever will in the remaining months of his underwhelming tenure remains to be seen.
What do you think? Do you feel England have got worse, and if so why?
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While I agree Capello’s European mind might not
suit the English game, I don’t think anyone- whether lowly blogger or Bill Shankly- would cope any better with 11 brats. However, Fabio’s CV boasts a great deal more knowledge of the game than anyone who attempts to criticise his methods on the internet. In conclusion, whatever I think is just an opinion with regards to football; but I can say with confidence that this article was a waste of time.