Keep Quiet & Pass The Ball

England started their World Cup qualification campaign with a bang in Moldova. The favourite's for the group, questionably position 3rd in FIFA's recent international rankings, were far to strong for a mediocre Moldova team. With a goal from Defoe, two from Frank Lampard, and Baines and Milner both getting on the England scoresheet for the first time (Baines can be thankful for the deflection), it would seem like the perfect start to the campaign. But this is why we tend to fail in the later stages of tournaments, because we get to hyped up by battering the lower teams and struggle when faced with a bit of gyle and drive from stronger opponents. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had a very impressive first half, and so did Tom Cleverly who many believe will play an almost Cesc Fabregas like role in the heart of England's midfied for years to come. But putting 5 past a very poor team, who actually haven't scored a single goal this calender year, is nothing to rave about. The first test in England's group will come on Tuesday night when Ukraine travel to Wembley to set up a rematch of the group game at the European Championships. In Moldova, England showed positive signs, by keeping the ball far better and closing down quickly once they had lost it. But against Ukraine this approach will be tougher, so the team will have to prove they can play, in what i believe, is the only possible to succeed in the International game. To keep the ball with confidence. With midfielders such as Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick and Cleverly at Hodgson's disposal, this approach doesn't seem at all that difficult. But his job from now untill 2014 will be to mold his team into a passing team, rather than a 'route one' 'long ball' team. Sadly, this may mean that Andy Carroll doesn't get much of a look in, as he has already been asked to leave Liverpool because he 'doesn't fit the system'. But with the young talents of Welbeck and Cleverly, along with Wayne Rooney, these three players at least can develop an undertsanding at club level that will only be benefical to the national team. 3-0 to England on Tuesday. Lets hope the post match Moldova hype hasn't caused me to believe this.




Dan