Perspective from Rhys Jaggar
My view on the World Cup so far is that England could have got two draws, even two wins, but got two losses.
The margins are fine.
The players didn’t cope with the pressure of the second game so well – much more sloppy passing and giving the ball away, whereas against Italy they were good, except at putting the ball in the net.
The obvious view about the England team is that Terry, Cole and Carrick should have been around.
One wasn’t for political reasons, one wasn’t because Mourinho didn’t fancy playing him, and the other wasn’t in Brazil due to a poor season at Utd.
The second obvious thing is that 4-2-3-1 should revert to 4-5-1 when you don’t have the ball.
The third is that England need to look at how they prospered when they were really dynamic and driving and resolve not to be static ever again. They also have much to learn about co-ordinated pressing.
As for the other teams, I’m not sure that the ‘most impressive teams’ have yet had a true test.
France certainly haven’t, nor have Germany.
Holland have for sure, but they nearly slipped up against Australia, so they certainly aren’t infallible.
Chile have won two playing to their own strengths.
To me, there is no obvious winner out there right now. Only a few teams who obviously won’t win it.
Perhaps the most pertinent conclusion from the World Cup seems to be that the media and the ex-pros now accept where England sits in the pecking order. No excuses, no lashing out, no blame games, no ‘sack the manager to stop kicking cats’ syndrome.
Just ‘we weren’t good enough’.
That’s always the necessary prerequisite for real change, although it could also be the pre-requisite for long-term acceptance of mediocrity.
It shouldn’t do, given the way so many British sports transformed themselves in the decade up to the Olympics.
Does say that there is no shortage of world-class standards in British sport, so English football really should have no excuses whatever.
I penned my contribution to the FA’s consultancy exercise, so now one waits to see if they are serious or not.
There’s plenty of public figures with a lot of air time who are a hindrance rather than a help in my view, due to defending partisan interests at the expense of the national side.
But time will tell what happens.
Still, it’s the best World Cup since 1982 football-wise with hardly a duff match.
Except the modern inability to hit an accurate cross.
Am I suffering the dewy-eyed belief that crossing was of a higher quality 30 years ago??
Because right now I wouldn’t say most internationals were worth £100 a week for their crossing ability.
Absolute pants, 95% of it…….