count.
Looking at the scores out of ten each England player got in their Euro 2016, dead rubber, qualifier against Estonia being rubbish counts for nothing if you score.
But then after I’ve looked at the scores the players were marked with I read the report and see that it looks like neither of the people writing in the paper about the game actually watched said game.
Raheem Sterling got a 7/10 and was reported to have had an excellent game in which he repeatedly beat his defender, though his final ball was lacking.
Yet in the real world the rest of us saw the 49 million pound man repeatedly being negated by an Estonian fullback who plies his trade in the Norwegian second division. A defender that pretty much knew what was coming time and time again. Yes the reporter was right there was some link up play between Sterling and his own left-back, Bertrand, but once the ball got to the front player it went tits up.
Things weren’t much different on the other side. Again Walcott got highish marks seemingly just for scoring. Though they praised his all round game, saying his movement showed his versatility. While in the real world his movement caused more problems for England than the opposition.
Walnut is of course now obsessed with proving that he’s a centre-forward and not a winger. This obsession means he’s never out wide and always coming inside getting in everyone’s road. This was expertly highlighted very early on when Lallana picked up the ball and headed for the area about level with the edge of the box. Walnut came inside thus bringing his defender into the path Lallana was taking and leaving Lallana with no viable options.
His path forward was now cluttered and the out ball to his winger was non-existent as there was no winger there. There was a nice open empty space where a winger could have been. But no Walnut is a centre-forward as he keeps telling us.
Of course the reporter compounded his drivel by stating this match showed that England miss Rooney. Whereas in reality it showed England are more of a team without the scouse albatross around their neck. Much like when Gerrard missed England games there’s a freeing up of play, everything doesn’t have to go through them, others are allowed to play their game and get on with it without the constant me, me, me
selfishness.
This wasn’t a great England performance, it wasn’t even good, but chances are it would have been worse with Rooney’s huff and puff. Against a team let’s not forget that drew with San Marino.