Just how bad were the England players in their highly unexpected yet equally embarrassing defeat to minnows Iceland ?
England put in a woeful performance last night, a performance, (if you can call it that) that resulted in them crashing out the UEFA EUROs in the round of sixteen. The loss was complete with Sunday League defending, a collection of misplaced passes and most depressingly of all, Harry Kane on set pieces. So who was to blame for such an abject night which left England stunned and Roy unemployed.
Joe Hart - Goalkeeper - 4
Similarly to the Wales game Hart was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Whilst he could do little to prevent Ragnar Sigurdsson from equalising he had no excuses as to why he could not keep hold of a mediocre shot from Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. This reflected poorly on the England goalkeeper after he personally claimed he had had 'nothing to do' all tournament up until this point. The 29 year old did his best to atone for his errors, saving from Ragnar Sigurdsson as well as Aron Gunnarsson as England became stretched at the back, however this could not make up for what has been seen as a tournament which Hart will most want to forget as soon as possible.
Kyle Walker - Right Back - 5
The bombarding full back has impressed in France throughout the group stages, his pace and confidence to get up the pitch and threaten opposition full backs has been one of few England attacking capabilities. However doubts have always remained over his defensive prowess and final delivery, no better epitomised in this match. Walker, despite his imposing physique, lost his man all too easily for Iceland's first. Whilst Walker did get into the final third his impact was less effective than usual, crosses were either blocked or over hit. However this defeat should not undermine Walker's overall performance since he was one of England's most prominent players.
Chris Smalling - Centre Back - 5
Once again the England defence had very little to do, however Smalling struggled to cope with the Iceland strikers on more than one occasion. For the 2nd goal he was not tight enough to the Icelandic attacker whilst he also lost aerial duals. Questions over Smalling's positioning were raised again, in addition to this he did not present himself as a leader which England were in such desperate need of.
Gary Cahil - Centre Back - 5
A performance alike to Smalling, despite playing against two relatively mediocre attackers his performance was uncertain, the 2nd goal epitomising this most of all. Words such as unorganized and uncommanding spring to mind.
Danny Rose - Left Back - 6
Rose can't be heavily faulted for either of the goals however he did not offer enough going forwards. His final ball was poor however credit must be given for overlapping Sterling and finding himself in good positions.
Eric Dier - Centre Defensive Midfield - 4
Despite being just 22 years old Dier has been England's most consistent player this tournament and as a result irreplaceable at times. However this was not the usual steel showing from the Tottenham midfielder, a lack of strong tackling and poor positioning led to the 2nd goal. Dier appeared off the pace both defensively and offensively and it was no surprise he was taken off at half time, whether it be down to injury or a tactical need for an equaliser.
Dele Alli - Central Midfield - 6
Alli had previously failed to make the impact in France which had made him a fan favourite at Tottenham where he registered 21 goals and assists last season. However he failed to produce this spark in France in all four games. Against Iceland he got in good positions however lacked composure to keep shots on target or deliver the perfect final ball. Overall he was one of only a handful of England players who showed positivity and drive when in possession.
Wayne Rooney - Central Midfield - 4
Rooney's passing was phenomenal against the likes of Russia and Wales especially in comparison to the unremarkably average performance in Nice earlier. Rooney often gave the ball away, slowed attacks down and failed to provide any efforts further forward. If it wasn't for his penalty Rooney would have certainly suffered an even more embarrassing rating. Rooney was later taken off for Rashford however it was too little too late for an England captain who failed to show the drive and desire the captain needed to drag England through.
Raheem Sterling - Left Wing - 4
Perhaps a slight improvement on the woeful performance in the Wales game since he did earn the penalty which ultimately gave England hope and belief - all be it for a minute. Sterling's final ball and predictability is sure to disappoint all England fans, especially given his hefty price tag. Fortunately for Sterling youth is on his side and he certainly has enormous potential for improvement.
Harry Kane - Striker - 3
The most disappointing prospect of them all, the clinical golden boot winner has been endlessly ridiculed on social media, not only for his disastrous corners but appalling first touch and lack of chemistry with team mates. This was most noticeable against Iceland were he was crowded out all too often, assuming he had controlled the ball in the first place. Kane was fortunate to start in this crucial match and did not help himself in the slightest.
Daniel Sturridge - Right Wing - 6
Sturridge provided the pass to Sterling which lead to the penalty, furthermore he got himself in good positions and created several half chances from crosses. Sturridge presented himself as a skilled England player who possessed real quality despite being sidelined for much of the season. It was unfortunate Sturridge was played out wide as opposed to straight through the middle however he did himself justice. The selfishness that Sturridge is prone to possess was reflected on a couple of occasions, yet an all round abysmal performance from his team mates encouraged this.
Substitutions
Jack Wilshire (Dier) - Central Midfield - 4
A very average performance from a player known to offer a positive drive and flair similar to Dele Alli. Fitness is obviously a question and he could only do so much with a lack of movement up front. Made little impact.
Jamie Vardy (Sterling) - Left Wing/Striker - 6
Often seen as an 'impact sub' in the England selection yet Vardy could not get on the ball anywhere near enough to do so. Vardy did offer more pace off the ball up front, whether it be making runs to create space or closing opposition down. A marvelous tackle from Ragnar Sigurdsson did prevent him from making use of a through ball.
Marcus Rashford (Rooney) - Left Wing - 6
For a five minute introduction of an eighteen year old little was to be expected. However Rashford showed great potential, he went past three people overall, a reflection not only of attributes such as pace and control but also his confidence which is so key compared to the deject Kane and Sterling.
Roy Hodgson - 3
Bold in including Sterling and Kane who had been heavily criticized and were out of form and low on confidence. Substitutions were ineffective, it was astounding that it wasn't until the 86th minute that Hodgson used his final substitution. Playing Sturridge out wide was sure to limit his capability whilst there was a lack of distinct formation. Most likely failed to enforce enough training to counter Iceland's throw ins. It's no surprise that within minutes of the final whistle he had resigned.
No comments:
Post a Comment