3 Lions On The Shirt

Manager:   Roy Hodgson
Captain:  Steven Gerrard
Star Player:  Wayne Rooney
Bio: Im English. Im a big fan of the English national team. Listening to 3 lions by the Lighting Seeds makes the hairs on my whole body stand up and makes me believe that England CAN WIN ANYTHING!!! I don’t care that Fabio Capello Ditched in the job because John Terry was stripped of being captain because of the racism case. I don’t care that Lampard is out and Rooney is suspended for the France and Sweden games. I don’t even care that the likes of Henderson and Downing didn’t warrant their inclusion in the squad in many people’s eyes. England CAN win Euro 2012 because they are a good side. Nothing more than that. Living in England all my life I have never known such negativity around the England Squad. 2 years ago everybody thought we were going to win the world cup. Losing 4-2 (not a mistake it was 4-2) to Germany 2 years ago has made a lot of England fans forget that we are a top team in the world game.

Fabio Capello lost 2 competitive games as England Manager. So far Roy Hodgson has a 100% record as manager of England. I know the World cup was a disappointment and the less said about 2008 the better (for those who don’t know a Wolly with a Brolly cost us a chance to even go to Euro 2008). But WHY NOT? Do England have no chance? Lets look at the teams who are meant to be better than England.
Germany beat England the last time they met in 2010 but that was 2 years ago and if Lampards Goal counted the whole game would have looked a lot different. I saw Spain throw everything at England about a year back and come up with nothing but a 1-0 defeat (ok they were unlucky but credit should go to England they defended like Romans). Holland played England a few months back. They went 2-0 up and looked in control and all of a sudden it was 2-2 and they had to destroy Hunterlaar and Smallings faces to change the result back in Hollands favour (a moral victory). France could well be a shambles. Portugal may not even make it out of the group and if they do then it revenge time for 2004 and 2006. I put England next. I Believe with all my being that England are better than Italy and all the other teams in the Euro.

Lets look at the squad. It’s a really good mixture of young inexperienced player and some stalemates. For the likes of Gerrard, Terry, Ashley Cole, Defoe and Parker  this should be their last chance. It would be a crime for these lads not to even make a major international final together. The likes of Carroll, Henderson, Jones, Ox (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain), Danny Welbeck and Jack Butland are going through their first taste of a tournament. I suspect it may not be the last. Joe Hart is one of the world very best goalkeepers. Cahill and Terry played well together for Chelsea and Lescott and Jagielka were fantastic together for Everton and all have done well for England. Cole is the best left back maybe EVER in the world (I don’t like him but I bum him as a player). Walcott is rapid. There are cheaters in Africa who watch him running and think “what the hell is that blurry person shaped thing?” im a big fan of Phil Jones and If I was Roy Hodgson I would be playing him at right back but I think Johnson will get the nod. Wayne Rooney (yeah that’s all im saying about Wayne Rooney in this piece). 

The Formation is quite confusing. Hodgson has stated that he will play 2 up front so that suggest 4-4-2. I don’t think this works. I dont really think that international football works with 4-4-2. I think 4-3-3 is a much better formation in international football. I think Walcott and Young would benefit from having that formation an 3 men in midfield you would have been able to call up Carrick and have him partner Parker and Gerrard. As it stands England wont be doing that but instead will be putting Young up front (well behind the striker) and Gerrard and Parker in the centre probably with Milner and Downing on the wide areas. Not that fussed with that.

Ive said it to anybody that will listen but England wont score that many at Euro 2012. they are not blessed with an epic forward like of Holland or France but they have the best defence in the Euro and all that comes with that. Nobody is going to overrun England. They may get beaten but I think back to one of my favourite saying “a offence wins you matches but a defence wins you medals” in every sport you defence is everything. You “build from the back”. With a brilliant Defence it gives your attackers freedom to go forward without worrying.

I am aware that I have gone on a bit of a rant here but it riles me that people in England have lost faith in the National side. It may be a good thing. The Pressure Rooney was on was under clearly affected his performance at the World Cup. Maybe if he wasn’t banned for the first 2 games People might be more positive but I have faith in all 23 players. The 2 players getting the most grief are Downing and Henderson but whilst they wear the 3 lions on their chest I will support them. If you reading this in Germany or the USA I hope you enjoy watching England. If your reading this because you an England fan and I have brought you on board even 1% more then ive done my job.

Ill leave you with this. I saw my Friend, the other day, he said he saw, the white Pele, so I asked, “who is he?” he goes by the name “WAYNE ROONEY”, WAYNE ROONEY, WAYNE ROONEY, HE GOES BY THE NAME OF WAYNE ROONEY.