ENGLAND WINS UGLY
2-1 victory over rival Wales
KURTIS LARSON
SAINT DENIS, FRANCE Aboard the RER D before Thursday’s game, a quartet of English fans sang their familiar self-loathing tune.
They contemplated a loss which would have put them up against it going forward at Euro 2016. A draw, they surmised, at least would keep them in the competition.
A loss to bitter rival Wales, their miniature western neighbour, would “ruin” the rest of their days here in France. But they refused to rule it out.
Anything is possible, they told Postmedia. Another added: Just look at our hooligans in Marseille. “We used to be good at that as well,” the man from Nottingham said with a cheeky grin.
After all, the English coined that term. The Russians, though, have stolen that blood sport within the sport, beating and battering English hooligans in the south port on consecutive days.
For these English fans, a loss to the tournament debutantes on Thursday in Lens might have been the final straw. Never mind embarrassing, especially after Welsh star Gareth Bale did his damnedest to wind the English up pregame.
Had it not been for Daniel Sturridge’s late-game heroics in a 2-1 England win, Bale’s first-half free kick undoubtedly would have been the ultimate troll job. It caused Roy Hodgson’s elderly face to droop even further.
At 68, England’s manager, the oldest at the tournament, looked disillusioned after his goalkeeper’s early gaffe. Joe Hart’s pointless three-man wall, his footwork, everything was wrong with the sequence. No goalkeeper should get beaten from 35 metres. Period.
Perhaps it would have been enough to sink The Three Lions on another day. Still, that England found a way to win this key Group B fixture shouldn’t curtail more pressing concerns. The Lions have no finish.
“There were one or two scary moments,” added Welsh manager Chris Coleman. “It’s not like they were creating chance after chance. I don’t think the players deserved that. We deserved something from that game.”
Despite having the top two scorers in the Premier League, Hodgson’s side — perhaps because of him — just isn’t inventive when things slow down in the final third. Just look at the goals they’ve scored at this tournament.
Jamie Vardy ’s second-half equalizer was so advantageous it appeared to be the product of a blown offside call. That the assist went to Welsh defender Ashley Williams says it all.
Sturridge’s goal, meanwhile, was like a bull in a China shop. We still don’t know how he made his way through two lines of Welsh defenders, toe-poking his attempt nearpost for the game-winner. Coleman chalked it up to good fortune.
While they all count the same, the lingering question for this England side is whether it can create quality chances against opponents that will use Wales’ defensive performance as a blueprint: Sit back, stay compact, don’t let England run in transition.
“The Welsh defended exceptionally well throughout the game,” Hodgson admitted. “They restricted the number of clear cut chances with the numbers they got behind in the final third.”
God love him, but Wayne Rooney — who looks to be aging as well as Hodgson — isn’t Andres Iniesta. He’s not going to pick out passes in tight areas. You can respect Rooney’s simplicity and ability while being critical of his inability to influence games with regularity.
“We’re happy with the composure (Rooney) brings to the team,” Hodgson insisted. “Having survived some doubts about him in the buildup, I’m so pleased for him. He has shown every one he’s still a very, very good player.”
He’s just no longer great. Which is still the pressing issue with Hodgson’s side. They have no greatness, nobody to take over a game.
Ponder a similar question Bale faced prior to Thursday’s fixture: Would any of England’s players start for Germany? Hart certainly wouldn’t.
That’s why you constantly overhear English fans denigrating their side and lacking belief the Lions can make a deep run at Euro 2016.
Like their hooligans, England’s football team continues to be a step down from the best in their trade.