Dubai: England fans may tell you they have no chance of getting out of the group, but secretly they can afford a tad more optimism.
Coach Roy Hodgson has picked a young squad, with players who have all shone for their club sides this season — it’s just a question of whether all that comes together on the day.
Faced with Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica and opening in rainforest conditions in Group D, England’s World Cup chances have been firmly panned pre-tournament. But, working under far less hysteria than in previous campaigns could well work in the Three Lions’ favour.
In an improvement from their rigidly defensive Euro 2012 quarter-final exit playing a tight 4-4-2, Hodgson has got the team playing a more expansive, free-flowing brand of football.
Captain Steven Gerrard will be the anchor of every move in a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 formation, which typically sees Wayne Rooney drop back to connect midfield movement from Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling to striker Daniel Sturridge in front of goal.
Hodgson has managed to get Gerrard and Frank Lampard playing together in the centre, but Jack Wilshere will be Gerrard’s preferred central partner, provided he can stay fit. But any deviation from this plan — in terms of injuries to senior players like Gerrard, Rooney or Joe Hart — could well prove fatal.
The same promise derived from youth equates to negatives when it comes to experience. And nowhere is this more apparent than in defence.
The supposed ‘golden generation’ centre-back partnership of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand stayed on too long, leaving Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka — aged 28 and 31 respectively — lacking serious international experience. While the future of the left-back position was a concern for much of Ashley Cole’s career, England now have promise in the shape of Leighton Baines and teenager Luke Shaw. Ironically, the fear has shifted to right-back, where Glen Johnson will have to prove his critics wrong.
Overall, England are delicately perched between getting shown up and springing a surprise, but at worst it will all be a valuable experience for the future.
England
Group D
Fifa ranking: 11
Top man
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Wayne Rooney |
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Coach
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Roy Hodgson |
Best 11 (4-2-3-1)
Joe Hart; Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson; Jack Wilshere, Steven Gerrard; Adam Lallana, Wayne Rooney, Raheem Sterling; Daniel Sturridge
Squad
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Fraser Forster (Celtic/SCO)
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Chris Smalling (Manchester United)
Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson (both Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Forwards: Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United)
Group opponents
Qualifying campaign
Finished top of Uefa Group H after going unbeaten and taking 22 points — one more than second-placed Ukraine — after six wins and four draws.
World Cup history
First tournament: 1950 (Brazil)
Appearances (before 2014): 12
Best finish: Winners (1966)
Pros
- Expectations surrounding England are unusually low, perhaps easing pressure on the squad and allowing them the breathing space to actually succeed.
- Hodgson has picked a youthful squad with eight players under the age of 24 and 17 World Cup debutants. It could make their fortunes wildly unpredictable but bodes well for the future.
- Hodgson has employed the services of a sports psychologist to help the team finally overcome the dreaded prospect of yet another penalty shootout, but will they get far enough to need it?
Cons
- Inexperience is rife. Centre-back pairing Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka have both been around a while but only have 46 caps-worth of experience between them.
- England face tough early tests against Italy and Uruguay in difficult conditions. Even a UK government report has declared it “highly unlikely” they will get out the group.
- Usually reliable goalkeeper Joe Hart suffered a dip in form for club side Manchester City mid-season. He recovered, but England will be praying his gremlins don’t return.
