I see the media, pundits and certain past players alike are getting carried away and talking about England winning the whole thing.
Can anyone really see that?
Getting past Italy will be hard - especially if, as expected, Hodgson lines us up to try to out-Italy Italy. Then we'd have the Championship's form team and England's perpetual nemesis, Germany waiting for us. Followed by probably Spain - the most technically-accomplished and comfortable on the ball team in the comp.
We'd need three performances where we played a top-notch game with no mistakes, coupled with the opposition being below par. Despite the huge dollops of luck we've enjoyed so far, I just cannot see that happening three times on the bounce.
There's 'daring to dream' but there's also being a deluded arsewit. It was nice early on to have the media being low-key about our chances, but now the hysteria's cranking into gear and I'm getting crotchety in response. This is mainly because if we get to the semis, our technical deficiencies will be glossed over.
Let's face it, England are horrible to watch. The only thing that makes us watch them is because they're *our* team. But come on, they're awful visually. We're like frightened rabbits on the ball, panic too often, pass it sideways and backwards more than forwards (we must have twice as many passes back to the keeper as any other team). I know Spain have got a lot of stick for theit tippy-tappy play, but I'd rather watch that than England, because I get mesmerised by the technical proficiency - the way players always seem to get the ball in space, control it instantly and instinctively know where the next pass is going; I love the fast, one-touch passing and the skillfull runs when they do take on defenders.
Obviously, England cannot hope to match that because it's the opposite to our footballing culture. I also think Hodgson has set up in an effective way to get results. But that cannot work forever, nor against the best teams - especially as their management will be studying England now they've had chance to see what Hodgson's tactics are all about. But England could be more effective by playing a more frenetic pace and not being afrain of lumping it upfield.
And before anyone starts, I still want England to win. I just know it's as likely as us having a scorcher of a summer this year followed by a brilliantly snowy winter. And I know that because I recognise how crap we are.
I'd rather us go out having a real go at the opposition than be out-swamped in midfield in a snooze-a-thon.
Originally Posted by: Saint Snow