Back Home (reprise)
So it isn't the longest day of the year, it just feels like it, as a subdued England succumbed to Brazil 2-1 and crashed out of the World Cup. If the game was of an evening you could have just got hammered and slept it off. At 9.20am you were just left to trudge off to work even more depressed than normal, and worryingly sober. Ah well, we were beaten by the better team, and at least we're better at losing than the Italians.
To be fair to boss Sven-Goran Erickson, when he took over the side most people had written off even qualifying for the tournament, let alone reaching the quarter-finals and losing to the probable winners, so everyone should first and foremost acknowledge that achievement. Erickson and his staff have given the side organisation and belief, and the players look like they know what they should be doing, both when they have and when they haven't got the ball, and that's certainly an improvement on the Keegan years.
I don't particularly blame goalkeeper David Seaman for being Nayim'd yet again - even Ronaldhino's teammates conceded he probably fluked that free kick. The truth is, with Brazil down to ten men and with thirty minutes still to play, we had plenty of time to get back in the game and even win it, if we were good enough. But rather like Liverpool, Erickson's England never look convincing when trying to chase a game, as they had to once going behind to a Brazil side more resolute in defence than perhaps we'd hoped. Brazil were able to match our organisation and workrate, but in addition passed the ball better and were able to provide a creative spark going forward that England sadly lacked.
So we went into the tournament worrying about our defence, in particular our full-backs, but ended up rueing a lack of creativity and playmaking in midfield. Beckham and Scholes, fine players that they are, clearly aren't the answer to this at the highest level. The presence of a fit Steven Gerrard might have helped (his range of passing meant that he was sorely missed for perhaps the first time at this tournament) and maybe it's time England have to bite the bullet and give Joey Cole full reign in a central midfield role where his ability to run at defenders and provide a killer ball puts him ahead of Keiron Dyer in my reckoning, who is fast and skilful but has not shown that he has a genuinely international-level football brain.
If we can also find suitable replacements for veterans Seaman and Sheringham, we may yet have much to look forward to in Portugal for Euro 2004...
So it isn't the longest day of the year, it just feels like it, as a subdued England succumbed to Brazil 2-1 and crashed out of the World Cup. If the game was of an evening you could have just got hammered and slept it off. At 9.20am you were just left to trudge off to work even more depressed than normal, and worryingly sober. Ah well, we were beaten by the better team, and at least we're better at losing than the Italians.
To be fair to boss Sven-Goran Erickson, when he took over the side most people had written off even qualifying for the tournament, let alone reaching the quarter-finals and losing to the probable winners, so everyone should first and foremost acknowledge that achievement. Erickson and his staff have given the side organisation and belief, and the players look like they know what they should be doing, both when they have and when they haven't got the ball, and that's certainly an improvement on the Keegan years.
I don't particularly blame goalkeeper David Seaman for being Nayim'd yet again - even Ronaldhino's teammates conceded he probably fluked that free kick. The truth is, with Brazil down to ten men and with thirty minutes still to play, we had plenty of time to get back in the game and even win it, if we were good enough. But rather like Liverpool, Erickson's England never look convincing when trying to chase a game, as they had to once going behind to a Brazil side more resolute in defence than perhaps we'd hoped. Brazil were able to match our organisation and workrate, but in addition passed the ball better and were able to provide a creative spark going forward that England sadly lacked.
So we went into the tournament worrying about our defence, in particular our full-backs, but ended up rueing a lack of creativity and playmaking in midfield. Beckham and Scholes, fine players that they are, clearly aren't the answer to this at the highest level. The presence of a fit Steven Gerrard might have helped (his range of passing meant that he was sorely missed for perhaps the first time at this tournament) and maybe it's time England have to bite the bullet and give Joey Cole full reign in a central midfield role where his ability to run at defenders and provide a killer ball puts him ahead of Keiron Dyer in my reckoning, who is fast and skilful but has not shown that he has a genuinely international-level football brain.
If we can also find suitable replacements for veterans Seaman and Sheringham, we may yet have much to look forward to in Portugal for Euro 2004...
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