England’s new beginning

To be honest, I didn’t see anything different in England’s playing style against Slovakia in the first qualifying game for the World Cup 2018. However, the qualifying games have never been a real indicator for the condition of the English national team, because The Three Lions have been facing weaker teams. Without underestimating Slovakia, but we should have beaten them with a bigger margin. Moreover, we played against 10 men for more than 30 minutes!

Actually, we were lucky to win 1-0 with a goal in the added time! I’m still not sure whether Sam Allardyce was the right choice for a head coach of the team. I respect him a lot. He is a very good football manager and is used to handle very difficult situations. For example, he helped Sunderland avoid relegation last season, which was an extremely difficult task, but Allardyce is not used to be in the role of the favourite! He has always been determined as an outsider with his teams. That’s why it will be very difficult for him to be in charge of English national team. Furthermore, the expectations towards the national team have always been very high!

England created several goal-scoring chances against Slovakia and once hit the post. Adam Lallana was lucky to find the net in the 94th minute. Nothing more for The Three Lions… The truth is that the level of some of our players is not world class, but average! That’s why we can’t perform well at the biggest stage! Many of our players are overvalued. To me personally, Jack Wilshere is exactly such a player – he is extremely overvalued! And logically Wilshere was sent to Bournemouth. When he is not injured, he is underperforming. But, Wilshere was Roy Hodgson’s pet… What to say about Lallana. Well, he works really hard, but I can’t see the talent everybody is talking about! Lallana is also on average level!

In addition, Rooney is no more at the age of 20, to run tireless 90 minutes. John Stones still makes silly errors – also because of his age. There are no midfielders with the composure of Frank Lampard, the passion of Steven Gerrard and the passing skills and vision of Paul Scholes. To continue with, the approach to the games is more defensive than in the past! For God’s sake, we should smash these teams 5-0! Not, playing 45 minutes in our half, 30 minutes in the middle, 10 minutes waiting for the ball and 5 minutes attacking… But, that’s because of the most popular and modern tactics 4-2-3-1, which has changed a lot of things in the modern football.

• Slovakia (4-1-4-1): Kozácik, Pekarík, Skrtel (red card – 57 min.), Durica, Hubocan, Pecovsky (Gyömbérat), Mak (Kubikat), Gregus, Hamsik, Svento (Kissat), Duris.
• England (4-2-3-1): Hart, Walker, Cahill, Stones, Rose, Henderson (Alli), Dier, Rooney, Sterling (Walcott), Kane (Sturridge), Lallana.

In our next match, we are playing against Malta. And I am sure that we will have no problems against the Maltese, but when we smash them, don’t think that everything is okay! Because after two years when we reach the Round of 16 at the World Cup, we will be knocked out again, because nothing has changed and the history repeats if you don’t change anything! I hope I am wrong!