Edgeless score.
[Photo: AP Photo/Julie Jacobson via Cleveland.com]
It was probably - according to some - the easiest match for the English team. Strangely, or perhaps not so, Capello's men proved to be all wrong, not just with their tactics but with their attitude towards the game. The desperate cry of the captain summed it up all: the English team need the three points in a pretty much square group where the Americans have two points, the Slovenians four and the Algerians two, At any point "another monumental upset could happen." Probably to go out from the World Cup could have more disastrous consequences for the English football than that disappointment exit before the EURO.
The following matches are decisive: the English face Slovenia at Nelson Mandela Bay while the Algerians will battle at Pretoria on the 23rd. All depends on how the English will cope with that frantic and indecisive lack of cohesion that at least, from the bench onwards, they are showing. I'll probably watch the US match, knowing their recent form, probably they will exhibit some kind of dangerous, in-the-edge, ninety-minute equaliser that will get them through.
Furious!
[Photo: ITV via Telegraph]
The start required - for the English to work - an impulsive an uncared-for offensive attitude towards M Bohli's goal. Obviously this did not took place and the nervy English team went ahead on schedule to provide some naïve attacks that fell in the realm of the repetitive. Gerrard marshaled the team up the Algerain defensive apparatus just to find a shaky M Bohli who nearly got one in after a lob from the Liverpudlian. James did almost the same as a lone and sloppy cross reached his box; he saved the effort by punching away the ball.
A combination between Gerrard and Rooney gave certain advantages to the "home" team since the Liverpudlian striker supported any attacks by receiving and moving. Gerrard's shot went into the hands of the keeper. Naturally the most important arrival came form the right side, where Lennon was left alone to cross. Belhadj headed, the deflected ball coming into Lampard. The shot was well saved by the efficient M Bohli.
A "horror show" according to the captain.
[Photo: Getty Images via Daily Mail]
The following half was a particularly well made sample which showed how off-the mark were the English team. The exposition of the offensive display was countered with the quick ability of the Algerian defence to convert an impeding attack unto a somewhat efficient counter. The problem was that neither of the teams were able to justify their efforts. Terrible times came to the viewer: a direct freekick was one of the two occasions which the Algerians drew some advantage.
On the other side, Rooney nearly slotted one in as a defender managed to deflect to the corner the ball. Gerrard made another header form a corner but the luck seemed to be fading away. Despite all the defensive issues that the Algerians tried to cope with, the English were not even in the match, regardless of the incredible amounts of opportunities and the freedom the Africans simply gave out to them. The match ended with the booing by the English fans against one of the most mediocre performances in the history of the game in recent years.
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