Mission for Three Lions Shutdown Big Talking Russians
Mission for Three Lions Shutdown Big Talking Russians
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MARSEILLE - Ahead of the big match of Group B, Russian danger man, Artem Dzyuba taunted England suggesting that they were the ‘weakest of the top seeds’.
“They are still a very good team and we are expecting a tough game, but if you look at the other top seeds it could have been a lot worse for us,” he said.
While Dzyuba’s comments can be put down to the great ceremony of pre-match mind games, there’s no denying that England has an international force simply doesn’t strike terror into anyone. All talk of the Golden Generation ended years ago, and the team is seen less as a lion and more like a dithering, unsteady elephant there for the taking.
So as England look likely to face off against Russia, we run the rule over both teams.
England and Russia are the big beasts of Group B and, though each would love a winning start when they meet on Saturday, the fear of losing could well become all-pervading and lead to a cagey encounter.
With games against Wales and Slovakia to come, and the potential for three teams to qualify with two guaranteed, a point at the Velodrome might look a very useful result in a couple of weeks.
England, on the back of winning all 10 qualifiers, not to mention a rare victory in Germany in a friendly, start favourites and will expect to make the running in front of a 60,000 crowd that will be predominantly behind them.
However, despite that great run of form, England are anything but a settled side as Roy Hodgson struggles with the question of how to shoe-horn his form players into an established system.
Strikers Jamie Vardy, fresh from leading Leicester City to the most unlikely Premier League title, and Harry Kane, the Premier League's top scorer, seemingly demand selection. But Hodgson is adamant Wayne Rooney, the captain and most experienced squad member, should get a starting berth, leaving the coach experimenting with his attacking options right up to the last minute.
At least he is picking from strength in that regard as his, and England's more pressing concern is in central defence where any combination of Gary Cahill, Chris Smalling and John Stones has looked vulnerable and remains England's Achilles heel.
Possible Starting XI
England: Hart; Walker, Cahill, Smalling, Rose; Lallana, Dier, Alli; Rooney; Kane, Sterling.
Russia: Akinfeev; Smolnikov, Vasili Berezutski, Ignashevich, Schennikov; Golovin, Neustadter; Smolov, Shatov, Kokorin; Dzyuba.
“They are still a very good team and we are expecting a tough game, but if you look at the other top seeds it could have been a lot worse for us,” he said.
While Dzyuba’s comments can be put down to the great ceremony of pre-match mind games, there’s no denying that England has an international force simply doesn’t strike terror into anyone. All talk of the Golden Generation ended years ago, and the team is seen less as a lion and more like a dithering, unsteady elephant there for the taking.
So as England look likely to face off against Russia, we run the rule over both teams.
England and Russia are the big beasts of Group B and, though each would love a winning start when they meet on Saturday, the fear of losing could well become all-pervading and lead to a cagey encounter.
With games against Wales and Slovakia to come, and the potential for three teams to qualify with two guaranteed, a point at the Velodrome might look a very useful result in a couple of weeks.
England, on the back of winning all 10 qualifiers, not to mention a rare victory in Germany in a friendly, start favourites and will expect to make the running in front of a 60,000 crowd that will be predominantly behind them.
However, despite that great run of form, England are anything but a settled side as Roy Hodgson struggles with the question of how to shoe-horn his form players into an established system.
Strikers Jamie Vardy, fresh from leading Leicester City to the most unlikely Premier League title, and Harry Kane, the Premier League's top scorer, seemingly demand selection. But Hodgson is adamant Wayne Rooney, the captain and most experienced squad member, should get a starting berth, leaving the coach experimenting with his attacking options right up to the last minute.
At least he is picking from strength in that regard as his, and England's more pressing concern is in central defence where any combination of Gary Cahill, Chris Smalling and John Stones has looked vulnerable and remains England's Achilles heel.
Possible Starting XI
England: Hart; Walker, Cahill, Smalling, Rose; Lallana, Dier, Alli; Rooney; Kane, Sterling.
Russia: Akinfeev; Smolnikov, Vasili Berezutski, Ignashevich, Schennikov; Golovin, Neustadter; Smolov, Shatov, Kokorin; Dzyuba.
(rnz)
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