I am an ardent football fan. I passionately want England to do well and so when they appointed Fabio Capello I dreamed of a new approach from that adopted during the Ericsson/MaClaren eras. I am sick of watching the dreary chess match approach to football. We have players of flair and skill and yet match after match goes by and nothing happens.
Now I realise that France are a top quality team even though Scotland beat them but last night we went almost the whole game without really threatening their goal. It was so boring but not until Downing came on did we have a player prepared to run forward with the ball at his feet (the exception was one effort from Gareth Barry).
This celebrity cult which pervades the England squad has to be culled. Now Beckham has got his 100th cap that should be it - he is washed up as a top filght player and has been for some time. His delivery is still great but that is not enough. The same goes for Michael Owen.
There is a collection of young, ambitious, players knocking on the door and it is time they got a chance. I know that Gerard and Rooney play well for their clubs but they have lost their way internationally and results prove it. Where was the pace last night, where was the ambition, the drive and the creation. I lost count of the number of times that we moved forward, hesitated, lost momentum and then passed the ball all the way back to James because nobody could think what to do with it.
Get rid of them Fabio and start working with the kids! Walcott, Bentley, Ashton, Milner,Huddleston, Richards etc etc. Let's get someone in an England shirt who wants to play for the country. Get Joe Cole off that left wing and given him the conductor's baton, select wingers who want to attack the full backs and wrap Heskey in cotton wool until the England games and then find him a partner (Dean Ashton?). I know it is all a matter of opinion but something has to change.
No comments:
Post a Comment