Roy Hodgson must plug leaks or risk a summer drought

Despite comeback win, England need to tighten up at back to keep their World Cup dream alive
REUTERS
James Olley15 August 2013

England showed admirable tenacity to twice recover from behind but their defending remains a cause for concern with World Cup qualifiers to come.

Nothing should detract from the spirit and endeavour Scotland displayed at Wembley last night but the hosts looked more porous than would be hoped of a team targeting four successive victories to reach Brazil without any complications.

Under Roy Hodgson, this has become a familiar refrain. Although initially earning a reputation for fielding a well-organised and disciplined England side during Euro 2012, Hodgson has found it difficult to strike the right balance as he looks to field a more attack-minded system.

England’s 4-2-3-1 deployment had its moments — Theo Walcott’s clinical finish from Tom Cleverley’s incisive pass ranking high among them. But England were unable to shut out a side already out of contention for next summer’s finals and required some absent-minded defending from the visitors to rectify the situation.

That is not to devalue England’s hunger to succeed. The fight they showed to win was both a welcome removal from the anodyne, sleepwalking aesthetic of most friendlies and also a compelling argument not to wait another 14 years to stage this fixture.

And those quick to dismiss any shortcomings last night as ineligible for analysis because the game was a friendly should consider this — England have kept only three clean sheets in 11 matches since Euro 2012 and they came against San Marino (twice) and Moldova.

True, England have lost only once in that time and have conceded just three goals in Group H to date but there is a theme of defensive vulnerability that Rickie Lambert’s wonderful story could not fully mask.

England’s qualification hopes are in their own hands but Ukraine’s position — they are a point behind Hodgson’s men in third place — could magnify any slip-up. Next month’s double header begins with the open goal of a home game against Moldova but Ukraine in Kiev will test England’s mettle.

The sight of goalkeeper Joe Hart failing to repel a routine shot from distance by James Morrison is difficult to forget, as was the slack play that afforded the West Brom midfielder the chance to shoot in the first place.

After Walcott’s intervention, Kenny Miller’s smart movement and quickfire shot restored Scotland’s lead but Gary Cahill will no doubt wince when he sees how slow he reacted to the danger. England rallied admirably, with Danny Welbeck equalising before Lambert scored with his first touch in international football, but Hodgson’s praise was rightly not unqualified.

“[What pleased me the most was] the fact without always playing our best, certainly defensively where there are a few little holes in our game we’d like to see disappear but on the other hand, it was a very positive performance,” he said.

“We worked hard to get close to opponents. We took plenty of risks with the ball, got players forward and created many more opportunities and dangerous situations than maybe we have in some of the past games. That’s very positive. Maybe the most positive thing of all is to come from behind. That might happen to us.

“When you have to chase games and take the responsibility for making the game, trying things, movements, and opponents just have to stop you, there’s always a bit of a risk that you might get caught on the counter-attack and score a good goal like with Miller’s to put them 2-1 up.”

That risk will be magnified in Ukraine and against Montenegro. But if England’s defence looks as though it may create problems, then they appear capable of answering them further forward (although it may well be another matter entirely against the very best opposition).

Jack Wilshere showed glimpses of the player Hodgson and England hope he can be. In tandem with captain Steven Gerrard, England have, in theory, a good blend of experience, guile and resilience in centre midfield.

Cleverley is yet to fully convince in the more advanced role behind Wayne Rooney but there were flashes of interplay also involving Welbeck and Walcott which offered hope England can cause their forthcoming opponents real problems.

Rooney was on the periphery of the game, which is understandable given his lack of recent playing time combined with the uncertainty surrounding his Manchester United future, but there must be no excuses next month.

Should Lambert start the season as he played for much of the previous one at Southampton, he deserves another call-up. After all, fit and in form England strikers are a precious commodity.

“There might be a bit more competition next time. Daniel Sturridge is hopefully back playing after 45 minutes behind closed doors today,” said Hodgson.

“Andy Carroll is not far away from fitness. We’ll see what happens in the next three weeks but he won’t be struck off my list lightly.”

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