Euro 2012 - England v Italy

This morning, the English nation is afflicted by an all too familiar feeling, having been eliminated from a major football tournament on penalties.  This time, however, there is no discernible feeling of injustice, or even anger.  There is a sense that the quarter-finals represented the limit of the abilities of this squad of players, and deep down many people realise that Italy were the superior team over the preceding 120 minutes of football.

The statistics on possession and pass completion tell their own story. Andrea Pirlo delivered a magisterial performance in the Italian midfield, and England proved incapable of stemming the flow of his passes.

As well as lacking in some technical areas, England also looked fatigued from quite early in the proceedings, as if the exertions and effort, both physical and mental, of negotiating the group matches had drained most of their energy. For the most part the effort was there, but it looked like a match too far, even if Italy were prevented from scoring.  If the Azzuri's forwards had been less profligate in front of goal, the scoreline would have been more representative of the balance of play.

I discussed the match with a friend late last week, and he suggested that Wayne Rooney should have been omitted from the starting line-up, because he would disrupt and disturb the balance of the England team.  As it happened, Rooney was ineffectual against Italy, but I don't feel that his presence unsettled England as such.  Formations and tactics played no major role last night, as opposed to technique and fatigue. Rooney endeavoured to make things happen, popping up all over the pitch, but he was simply lacking sharpness.

After an early flurry from England, it was Italy who dictated the course and tempo of the match.  The aforementioned Pirlo was a joy to watch, running the show consummately.  In fairness to England, they rarely lost their shape in defence, and I thought that John Terry and Glen Johnson in particular gave impressive performances.

So, not quite the sinking feeling of previous England "failures", as there is less thought of "what might have been".  England did not disgrace themselves overall, even if they were ultimately found wanting. There is now time and space for Roy Hodgson to remould and reshape the team in accordance with his own vision and ideas, and some of the personnel might be different once the World Cup qualifiers get under way.

As for Euro 2012 itself, one has to favour Germany to reach the final now, not only because of their own potency and abilities, but because of the toll which last night's game will have taken on Italy.

England 1 Ukraine 0

Well, ultimately not as nerve-racking as some might have expected, thanks to the breathing space which Wayne Rooney's slightly fortuitous goal afforded England.  It may have been stodgy and frustrating at times, but England are through to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012, and a date with a decidedly vincible Italy team.

Prior to the match, I made a note to the effect that Cole, Terry and Gerrard would have to perform well in order for England to secure a result tonight.  By and large, this trio produced the goods, with Gerrard being behind most of England's most fruitful moves, and the Chelsea pair capably marshalling defensive efforts

Unsurprisingly, Ukraine began the match energetically and purposefully, and England struggled to establish a foothold. Gradually, inroads were made, with the flanks being employed, and Steven Gerrard seeking to create space with some imaginative passing. Ukraine did not convert their possession into goals, and much of their finishing and shooting was inaccurate. When under pressure, England compounded matters by too often surrendering possession cheaply;an old failing.

England's goal may have come courtesy of a defensive and goalkeeping mix-up, but significantly it was Gerrard who once again created the danger, by producing something over and above the mundane. Indeed, I thought that one of the plus points of England's performance was the quality of their delivery, and not just from the captain.  The Roy Hodgson influence, possibly?

With regard to the John Terry "clearance" off the line, I'm not going to join in the debate about "technology".  The replay of the incident makes the case quite cogently.....

At around this time, the action became almost end-to-end for a spell, as Ukraine pressed more vigorously, and there was additional space for England.  In this context, the Walcott-for-Milner substitution made considerable sense.  In the event, the Arsenal man did not have the opportunity to make much impact, but the intent was correct.

And so on to the quarter-final on Sunday.  In terms of team selection and tactics, I think that we can expect more of the same.  England do not have the fluency in possession and build-up of some of the other teams in the tournament.  Their style is dictated by the fact that the personnel needed to accomplish this, particularly in midfield areas, are just not there.  One cannot turn water into wine.  The question remains whether this approach will work against the superior teams, and also whether England will be exposed defensively by the movement and speed of thought of those outfits.

I thought that Italy played some reasonable football, in patches, against the Republic of Ireland, and they have possibly been under-estimated by many observers.  It will be a stern examination for England, but still one which they are capable of overcoming....