Team Focus: Change Needed for England After Latest Drop in Rankings
The announcement regarding England's position in the latest FIFA world rankings aren't quite as surprising as most are making out. Roy Hodgson's men have fallen to 15th in the world; their lowest point since Steve McLaren failed to take them to Euro 2008, but even though their fate regarding qualification for next year's World Cup in Brazil is still in their own hands, their lowly rank seems rather accurate. Uninspiring draws in qualifying against Ukraine, Poland and Montenegro as well as friendly stalemates with Ireland and Brazil and a thumping at the hands of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sweden have sandwiched rare wins over San Marino and Brazil in recent months. As much as ever, moments of optimism are few and far between for England fans.
Even in coming from behind at the Maracanã last month there was disappointment to be had in the Three Lions' failure to hold on to their 2-1 lead. A draw away to Brazil is a fair achievement in itself, but the manor of the result alluded to far more than the scoreline suggested. For the fourth time in their last 7 outings - competitive or otherwise - England had thrown away a lead and failed to win despite going ahead. FIFA's ranking system may be based on results, but England's recent performances warrant an equally poor position in the table.
In spite of results that had, until Montenegro lost to Ukraine a month ago, meant England were relying on the fortunes of others, Hodgson has persisted with fairly consistent squad selection and his side have stagnated somewhat as a result. They do not play the exciting, incisive football that many of the players are used to adopting at their clubs, but instead set up in the organised and defensively functional way in which teams of Hodgson's have become famed. At West Brom, he did well and consolidated their position as a top-half Premier League team, but it was not until Steve Clarke came in that fans realised what they had been missing. The Baggies this term have become a more fluid, incisive team, and fans have enjoyed the change. England, meanwhile, have arguably become duller and more predictable than they were under Fabio Capello.
In their last competitive match - the 1-1 draw with Montenegro in Podgorica - England dominated for periods, but also looked wholly capable of throwing away the 6th minute lead Wayne Rooney had given them. The 3 behind the Manchester United striker were - from right to left - James Milner, Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck, the latter two of whom play with Rooney for United and the other for City. Between them this season, that trio have just 7 goals and 9 assists in 75 Premier League appearances for teams that made up the top two and scored 152 goals combined. Hardly surprising then, that England's goal was a headed effort from a corner and that said trio had just 2 shots between them, neither of which hit the target.
When you look at the likes of Brazil, who during their recent, triumphant Confederations Cup campaign had Hulk, Oscar and Neymar behind their frontman, you begin to wonder what on earth is wrong with football in this country. Of course, Hodgson doesn't have such talent at his disposal, but surely we can do better than Milner and Welbeck on the wings? Hodgson doesn't believe there is much option; he made only 1 change during that draw in Montenegro, bringing on Manchester United's Ashley Young for Cleverley.
Arguably a lack of options is exactly the problem. For all too long people have been talking about the deficiencies in England's footballing system, beginning with the lack of regular product coming through the country's youth academies. That said, it's not as if Hodgson has given much chance to those youngsters he has had in his squad. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, on the bench in Podgorica, is by some way the most exciting member of any recent England squad, arguably most capable of changing a game when there is little else in the way of inspiration. The days in which Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard did that are gone, and yet Hodgson was happy to let the game peter out for a draw without turning to the Arsenal youngster for that spark of magic. Look at how he changed the game when he came on against Brazil, and yet Hodgson only really looks to him in friendlies.
Both Lampard and Gerrard are still firmly a part of the England fold and signs of any viable long-term replacements don't seem all that forthcoming. Hodgson has tried out more central midfielders than any other position during his reign, of which Jack Wilshere is the only one that seems to possess real world class. Michael Carrick is capable of playing at the highest level, but won't provide goals; Tom Cleverley is decent enough but probably won't fill the boots of Lampard or Gerrard; Leon Osman was given a brief stint in the lineup but quickly fell back to club level. However, while youngsters like Jack Rodwell, Jonjo Shelvey and even Jake Livermore have also been given a chance in the middle of the park in the last 12 months, but none are likely to succeed, with Hodgson quick to dispose of them to return to what he knows and trusts. Rodwell, for example, was one of only 4 central midfielders in the squad for the latest friendlies against Ireland and Brazil. He was given just 7 minutes on the pitch.
The problem with Hodgson is that a mere chance is all these players are getting. Adam Lallana has been one of the Premier League's most impressive Englishmen this season, obtaining an average WhoScored rating of 6.92. Resultantly, he earned a place in Hodgson's squad to play Ukraine, but that was his only call up to date, and he is still waiting for his first cap. There are plenty of other uncapped, untested young players, that Hodgson continues to overlook. Alex McCarthy (rating 7.16) was finally given a call up in the most recent squad, but earned no cap; many would say Matthew Lowton (7.10) has performed as consistently and impressively as any other right-back in the Premier League this season, but he has been overlooked; Rickie Lambert (7.06) was the joint-top scoring Englishman in the league, but got not even a hint of a call; and Andros Townsend (7.03) established himself as one of the most exciting young wingers around, but couldn't get past the Under-21 squad.
In the last 12 months, Hodgson has called into his squad 16 players that still have 2 or fewer caps, and all but McCarthy have missed out on subsequent squads since their call up. None of them look at all likely to break into the first team. Instead, Hart will probably retain his spot in goal, the likes of Lescott and Jagielka will play at the back, Lampard and Gerrard will hang onto first team places for years to come and Jermain Defoe and Andy Carroll will remain Wayne Rooney's greatest challengers up front, despite wholly average club and international careers of late. Change is needed to invigorate an ageing and stagnating England squad - the latest FIFA rankings should make that obvious enough - but it seems that Roy Hodgson isn't ready to do that and take a risk on a young, upcoming star. Rather, he continues to stick with the tried and tested, in the process extending the Three Lions' prolonged period of depressing mediocrity.
