ijjysmith
Calm
That's what Phil Jagielka said in an England press conference this week. I guess he has to say that though doesn't he?!
Confidence and hope for England fans hit an all time low this week with the injury to Lampard (not so much Barry, who let's be honest doesn't really do anything except be my freinds mate), and the full call up for Jordan Henderson. On paper our squad is dire. Good keeper, alright defence....i'll stop there as it will get embarassing.
This Saturday sees the final warm up match before we lose/shock win agaisnt France in the proper competition. Wembley sees the visit of Belgium. Who by all accounts have a more talented squad than half the squads at Euro 2012. Look down the list of players they have, and so many of them would walk into the England squad......sigh.
Belgium missed out on the upcoming tournament losing out to Germany and Turkey. With players like Hazard, Kompany, Vertonghen, Witsel, Defour, Dembele, Vossen and our very own Fellaini, you have to wonder how the hell they aren't winning everything. I guess they are young and their time will come in the next few years. This will be a major test for England.
England beat Norway. As an England fan that's all we could ask for. For 15 minutes Roy had them passing like Spain, Carroll hit a header wide, Young scored a decent goal....that was it. For the next 75 minutes Jagilelka and Baines clearly had a word and England looked rubbish with a 1-0 lead. But if any England fan expected anything different to that then they are badly deluded.
More than likely Roy will start this game with the starting line up that will start against France. Keeper and back four, pretty certain, everything else up for grabs i'd say (captain apart). Parker will be in, but who do you go with alongside him? Jones? Henderson? I can't bring myself to think about it. Carroll looks almost certain to start again. Christ knows why. Whoever starts this will start the tournament, injuries permitting of course.
This will be the first chance for Chelsea fans to get a look at Eden Hazard after he claimed he would be joining them. I wish I could say he wasn't all that but sadly he is completely awesome. Let's just hope he has first season syndrome at the Bridge and looks rubbish next season.
Now back to the Henderson problem. He is badly Henderson. And I don't even think it's his fault. At Sunderland he was a promising youngster who probably took a big move too soon. He'll have my full support should he actually get a game, but that support will be met equally by pure fear of a terrible back pass to Karim Benzema who will score. Even my Liverpool supporting mates feel sorry for him.
Again, the result isn't important here. A win would be nice and breed the confidence we so badly lack. But as long as it's a decent performance I'll be happy. Unfortunately, if England take this easy, it will end very embaressingly against a top top national side.
From those two to Downing and Henderson in 22 years. Makes me want to cry like Gazza that.
