of a beating.
Well if that’s not a fitting end to Roy Hodgson’s tenure as England manager, losing to little Iceland in one of the most inept performances for years to exit Euro 2016, I don’t know what is.
Well of all the blame flying around after England’s 2-1 defeat to the island with a population about the same as Leicester, you can’t point any this way. Didn’t I tell you what would happen.
Well Roy did the honourable thing we were told. Honourable, scuttling off straight after the match and then reading a pathetic not at a press conference, after which he skulked off without taking any questions. Honourable? No.
I mean wasn’t his contract not over as soon as that final whistle went, so this “honourable” resignation was just spin.
The honourable thing for Roy would have been to go straight after the debacle in Brazil. But no, he clung on and was given the biggest roll of wallpaper in that qualification group that papered over the cracks.
And as soon as he got to a tournament he was found wanting.
I said before, on numerous occasions, the biggest impediment to this England team was Roy, yes the players were absolutely useless on the night but in Roy’s own words the players have done everything that has been asked of them
, yeah Roy, Ray and Gary have coached them into that mess.
It was Roy that decided to start Raheem Sterling in three of England’s four games at the tournament, when to most it was blatantly obvious he shouldn’t even be there. Hell, we were a gnat’s away from Delph being in the midfield.
But Roy couldn’t see it, he couldn’t see it after the first game, he couldn’t see it after the second game, he had to go and do it a third time.
And that has been Roy all over. Not doing anything for the actual team but doing things to prove a point. Rooney came off in the first game because Roy wanted to show he could take his captain off, there was no need to do so and it was a leading contributor to the eventual draw which then led to coming second in the group and losing to Iceland.
After Sterling was useless in that first game Roy started him again to prove that Sterling is there on merit not favouritism, it didn’t work, so he picked him in this game for his mental well-being not because he’d give anything to the team.
We need width said Roy, yup they did but width with no end product is as useful as having no width and time and again Sterling had no end product. Mincing about in that stupid fashion of his he got clattered for the penalty and that’s all he’s done.
In that second game Roy only made the two substitutions at the break to show that he can be proactive and not just sit there and sniff his fingers while Ray said “yes boss”. The six changes in the third game was exactly the same. Tiredness they say, well Iceland have fielded the same starting XI in all four games and have done a hell of a lot of chasing the ball over those games and well they didn’t look that much more tired than Roy’s boys.
Proactive Roy left bringing on Rashford until the 85th minute. Everyone was screaming for the kid from just after half-time and when it came he was England’s man of the match.
He provided some width and pace that Sterling didn’t. Neither did Sturridge who did he usual greedy stuff, while slowing everything up because he can’t kick a ball with his right foot. That’s when he was so deep there was only one defender and Hart behind him.
Ah yes Hart. Now if Roy had really been proactive Hart would have had the kick up the arse he needed not to let the second Iceland goal in. Weak and pathetic doesn’t quite cover his attempted save.
Another I told you so coming up. Well I told you about Hart and his overconfidence leading to howlers. Forster should have been played earlier or in this game, especially this game. Up against the long throws and high balls the ginormous beast that is the Southampton ‘keeper would have been ideal.
The trio of dimwits on ITV, where England regularly lose “live and exclusive” in tournaments – played 14, won 3 – said Hart was too pumped up singing the national anthem. Yes I’d agree his tunnel antics are pathetic but did they watch the Italians during their anthem? They go full pelt, even before the lyrics. It didn’t exactly have an adverse effect on Gianluigi Buffon’s performance in their game against Spain.
That second goal was the only decent bit of football played all night. It was good stuff, yes England’s defence was hopeless but don’t discredit how well the Icelanders moved the ball in the build up.
Poor defensively, ah yes. Kyle Walker. Well another I told you so. Walker defender the equaliser like he defends most situations. First he hasn’t a clue where anyone is, then he starts to grab at the opposition player. If he can’t use his pace or his arse then he’s is stuffed, hell even with both of those he is particularly useless.
Add to that the pair of dear in the headlights of Smalling and Cahill, hard to know if they are more useless with or without the ball. They opened up nicely for the winner and were really played a blinder for the equaliser.
Yeah the long throw, the one everyone knew was coming and knew where it was going. It did and England didn’t know what to do. Anyone with a telly knew what to do but Roy, Ray and Gary obviously didn’t.
Not forgetting the real Spurs stars, I ain’t counting Walker, Kane actually had chances this time around and he fluffed ’em. He set pieces though, my gawd, beyond awful and the fact that at the end he was still taking them, well that’s Roy being proactive for you. Alli played out of position ran about but never got into like he does with Spurs. Certainly no link up with Harry. And Dier looked gone. Best player of the previous games, he’d taken a knock in the last game and didn’t look over it.
You knew Roy was looking to replace Dier and you knew who with and well didn’t Wilshere fanny about and lose the ball all while his mouth was open and his tongue was sticking out. I suppose we should be grateful that Henderson didn’t make an appearance.
And while this was all going on Rooney celebrated his penalty by misplacing every pass he attempted in the second half. It took some doing to be the worst player out there and Rooney really put his hand up and accepted the role, well more than the captain role.
What a leader. I suppose he learned it all from Roy, who on that final whistle couldn’t get out of there quick enough. Plenty of time to count the money he has picked up over the last 4 years of failure. No acknowledgement to the fans. Honourably cowardly.
The F.A. pretty much wanted to be like Spain, well in Brazil they both went out embarrassingly early in the group stage and here they both came second in their group and went out against better teams wearing blue. Goal achieved, well done Roy you’ve really deserved being the highest paid manager at Euro 2016.
Good riddance Roy but no doubt you be turning up on some TV punditry to give your expert opinion on how you would do things differently while Ray Lewington says “yes boss”.
The only shocking thing about this result was the fact people are shocked about it…
None of this should deflect from Iceland who were by far the better side. Coached better, managed better, organised better and played better, all with no superstars bar an old bloke on the bench and Gifli…
Iceland team selection EURO2016, just loving this meme, Brexit pic.twitter.com/YG3HYKGIqa
— The Market Sniper (@themarketsniper) June 27, 2016