Every two years after yet another failure, we examine what went right and wrong and what we need to do next.
The trouble is nothing ever changes. I think Hodgson did a good job at making the national team more solid and hard to break down, but had Italy been able to finish their chances, then it could have been quite embarassing for England.
As a general rule, England keep themselves stuck in the 4-4-2 of the past. In this system we concede too much possession. It is all well and good playing an open game game and encourage teams to attack so it brings the counter attck into play, but against Italy that will never happen.
Quite simply we need players in the side capable of keeping the ball and having the vision and ability to pick the right pass, which I feel England constantly fall short on.
The question of course is whether we have have the players with the techinical ability to do this. There does appear to be a shortage of technically good players in England, particularly midfield players.
The trouble with English football is as it has always been that our young players are not properly drilled in the technical side of the game. Younsters are coached into positioning and fitness but not how to trap a ball, keep the ball and play possession.
It may be up to the bigger clubs to dothis at academy level, but as long as the bigger cluns bring in youngsters from overseas, then our youngsters will never get the advantage of this and as such we will continue to improve the standing of other nations to the striment of our own.
