First, Do No Harm

Are you sure you can't compress just a bit more at the back?

That doesn't necessarily mean you do any good either, just basically avoid shooting yourself in the foot.  Some metric of success.

Never have the media been so quick to claim a moral victory for the Three Lions.  Apparently, one good set play and 20% possession now qualifies as a “solid” and “disciplined” performance, rather than an abject failure of football as it would otherwise generally be classified.

Last I heard, however, mediocrity was never that much of a rallying cry, and, despite my many protestations against English exceptionalism in international football, it saddens me to think that this is the level to which they have been reduced.   

Understanding that a number of Hodgson’s first choices were out of contention, Roy’s Boys looked bereft of any forward thinking ideas for the entirety of the game, with France holding possession for large swathes of each half (kudos to Samir Nasri and Frank Ribery for stand out performances on the night).  

England was bland and cynical – their play making a mockery of the beautiful game appellation.  Yes, you have to play to your personnel, but you should either a) find a formation that does not involve “parking three buses in front of the goal” (couldn’t have described it better myself, Herr Ballack) or b) find better players. 

If this is really the best England has to offer, then they have much bigger problems than Wayne Rooney missing a game or two, because, at its most basic, this performance shows that they don’t have the technical abilities necessary to compete on the highest level (somehow this, even while being ranked 6^th in the world, thank you FIFA rankings for once again proving your utter uselessness).  And, even when Rooney does return against Ukraine, he will need quality service to do anything productive (contrary to popularly held belief of the English press, Rooney is more Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital than FDR’s New Deal).  Put simply, he’s not one to create opportunities for others.

Talking up your opponent to make your own ineptitude seem redeemable is almost as pitiful as the actual play was on the pitch.  France is no longer a Goliath.  A 1-1 draw against Spain, Germany or another one of their ilk, may have justified the quick claims of a moral victory (here’s looking at you, Italy).  But no one on this side of the English Channel is pushing the line that France is a true force in world football these days, no matter what recent qualifiers may suggest.   This isn’t Zidane, Thuram and Henry of the ’98 vintage.   It’s also worth remembering that this is the last memorable impression the French left in a major tournament, not that. 

From what I’ve gathered, the hope is that going forward England will be able to best a middle of the pack Swedish side and a Ukrainian team who cannot shoot or tackle as per their own coach.  If that’s your strategy, fine.  Just don’t go around claiming that you somehow still belong amongst football’s world powers.  A desire to play down to your opponents has never been the mark of a great team, and it never will be. 

Fun fact: Both goals in this game came from current Man City players.  Previous tally for the Blues at the Euros: 0. And who says money can’t buy you class?