EIGHT REASONS WHY ENGLAND NEVER HAD A SHOT AT THE TROPHY
1. ROY HODGSON – The FA certainly took their time to select capello’s successor and boy did they surprise everyone by selecting Roy, ahead of the much fancied Harry Redknapp. How they thought that a man who couldn’t even make Liverpool qualify for the Champion’s League, and was currently stagnating at West Brom could win the European championship is beyond any pundit in the world. It began to show, as Roy’s negative approach took its toll on the teams playing style. Just not your cup o’ tea Woy.
2. SQUAD SELECTION – Another mind baffling case for the pundits. With Gareth Barry and Cahill out injured, Ferdinand not selected for “footballing reasons” (Yeah right!!) , The back four never had a lot of protection, just HOW Roy decided that martin Kelly with minutes of experience at the international level was better than the solid Micah Richards is unexplainable, with Glen Johnson not exactly in sparkling form, Richards would have eased some nerves at the back.
3. ROY, LEAVE THE CHELSEA WAY TO CHELSEA – much of the noise going around the English camp before the start of the tournament was about how the English players believed that if they followed “the Chelsea style” which let me make it absolutely clear, involves a very good goalkeeper guarded by a peerless back four, a very creative midfield, Lightning speed on the counter, tons and tons of luck, very firm goalposts and one Mr. Didier Drogba. England sadly though having a truly good goalkeeper and a decent back 8 protecting him at all times, failed with their slow, poor counters and the lack of a threat up front.
4. CREATIVITY – The very word which separates an Arsenal from an Ashton Villa. England were very ordinary almost every match, with Steven Gerrard the only player being able to produce it and not surprisingly he had a hand in almost every goal England have scored under Roy, Alex Oxalade chamberlain showed signs of promise in the first game and should have been retained as first choice.
5. WAYNE ROONEY – Wayne Rooney’s return was much hyped about with him believed to bring life into England’s campaign and frankly there was really no change at all in the English performance an easy headed goal against Ukraine, for which Gerrard will take some credit and the opposition keeper deserving the most, apart from which it was yet another lifeless campaign for the Englishman, Who, like his name on the title, faded The Only players who could take anything from the tournament at all were Steven Gerrard and John terry who made England’s exit as respectable as possible, with Ashley Young THE worst English player.
6. PRESSURE – It was agony for England to go out on penalties for a sixth time in major tournaments, But what was quite baffling was the fact that when Ashley Cole could score a penalty that caressed the side netting for Chelsea against Bayern in a Champions League final, why he could not do the same against Italy………??…………Why couldn’t Lampard and Gerrard, players, who can pick their spot from 30 yards out not convert a penalty, in 2006 when they were at their prime. The effect of the hype generated by the English media………..Perhaps.
7. ‘WAG’NET – With the English WAGS expressing their boredom in Poland and Ukraine via various social networking sites, since they were not allowed to meet up with the players, It was only about time the players responded to their SOS signals and did ‘their duty’ as caring and loving husbandsboyfriends.
8. JOEY BARTON – England’s most powerful weapon was left back at home. No doubt that Joey with his slick punches and his long term, incurable case of verbal diarrhea, could have provided the spark for England. But unfortunately he had to settle with his daily bar fights and street brawls. With English fans saying “well at least he makes us watch the news everyday”. Continue the goo………..err work Joey.
-Anirudh Krishnan
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