Kane’s a lone wolf ... but we should hunt in packs

QUALIFYING for Euro 2016 was easy and Roy Hodgson would have learned more from England’s 2-0 defeat in Spain than all the qualifiers against teams like Estonia and Lithuania put together. The most concerning aspect of the performance in Alicante was that we seemed to be caught between two stools, both in and out of possession. With the ball, we didn’t know whether to try to pass out from the back, or hit it long through Joe Hart. When Spain pressed us high up the pitch, it was if our players were surprised and couldn’t make the right angles to keep it.

And whereas Spain pressed as a unit to win the ball back, we didn’t hunt in packs. You’d see Harry Kane (left) trying to win the ball back on his own — wasted energy. For pressing, you need to have a leader on the pitch, normally a No 10, who will give the trigger to win the ball back and counterattack at speed. Otherwise, you should all drop back. The worst thing is to be caught in the middle, where some players press and others don’t.

In terms of how you are going to play offensively, you have to decide as a team whether you are going to build your attacks or play a more direct game.

I believe English football has traditionally been too long-ball and I think we should encourage a passing game. I played three at the back and encouraged width when I managed England.

On Friday’s evidence, there is a lot of work to be done because our ball retention was poor. In contrast, Spain were fantastic in possession and had a cutting edge as well. The man in possession always had options.

The other disappointment was how well Spain pressed, and we didn’t. Again, it is about communication and organisation, rather than fitness. .

To press properly, there has to be a moment or a signal where you decide to hunt in a pack. That can be on the halfway line or further up, but the important thing is what when you go, go together and ruthlessly.

Spurs and Liverpool do it well in the Premier League with English players, so it’s not about nationality.

The control point is usually the No 10, with help from the midfielders behind him. That should have been Ross Barkley’s job on Friday but if Wayne Rooney comes back into the team in that position as expected, there will be a be a big emphasis on him to do that.

Of course, when you win the ball back, you then have to try to take advantage and I feel when Theo Walcott, Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge are fit, we will have greater pace with which to counter-attack.

When Spain did give the ball away in our half, the defensive third were too far from Kane to break properly. Though when we won the ball in their half, we did get in decent positions, only for Barkley, Kane and Raheem Sterling to shoot wastefully. Another area for Roy to look at is set pieces. In knockout football at the highest level, games can often be decided by one well-delivered freekick or corner. We were spoiled for many years by having David Beckham and Steven Gerrard. I’m looking for someone to put their hands up and demand to be the setpiece specialist. So far, I haven’t been convinced that James Milner, Adam Lallana and Barkley will put the ball on a plate at the big moments.

I LOVED working in France and playing for Monaco, so I’ve been particularly shocked and saddened by the terrible events in Paris. I can only offer the people of France my sincerest condolences and assure them it has affected us all.