Steven Gerrard – ‘we couldn't do it for 90 minutes’
Fabio Capello completed his education in the English way of life as he watched England beaten 4-1 by Germany in their last-16 World Cup tie in Bloemfontein.
Fans may rage about the first-half shot by Frank Lampard, which had quite clearly crossed the line, only to be ruled out by referee Jorge Larrionda. However, the England manager could not hide from the fact that England had been completely undone by a rampant Germany.
Capello, who had originally targeted the final as an attainable achievement spoke in positive terms of the performance which hardly seemed in sync with the way the match had unfolded. When asked if the disallowed goal had been pivotal to England’s chances, he grasped the point like a drowning man finding a piece of driftwood.
“It was, I think, one of the most important things in the game,” he said of the moment when England would have drawn level. “The draw was very important. We can play a different style, because they counter-attacked when we were going forward. I don’t understand, in the time of technology, the fifth referee, we still talk about this. A goal, no goal – I don’t understand why but the result is negative.”
The Italian had a valid point but that cannot paper over the cracks of a defence that had more leaks than a colander. “We play, I think well, when we played 2-1. After the third goal I think it was a little bit disappointing for the mistake we made for the third goal, when they made the counter-attack after the free-kick for us.”
The bluntness of England as an attacking force, and the number of key players who simply did not perform at any recognisable level was one question that the manager was as uncomfortable tackling as his back four had been with the German forwards. “They played well, because Germany is one of the biggest teams here. We made some mistakes when they played the counter attack, the referee made a bigger mistake but this is football.
“Today we played a good game – the little things decide the result always.”
The man whose shot was ruled out made the inevitable call for the introduction of technology that would avoid such farcical situations. “We had a meeting before the World Cup when we were told about a million different rule changes that hardly affect the game,” Lampard said. “The big one, the one that affects the game today, hasn't been brought in so it is a no-brainer.”
England were 2-1 down when Lampard hit the bar with a shot that, as TV replays confirmed, dropped well over the line. "It was a clear goal, 40,000 knew it and I knew it, but there were two people that didn't,” Lampard said, in reference to the match officials. "It certainly affected the game and we're bitterly disappointed."
For Steven Gerrard, the England captain and one of the so-called golden generation, there was disappointment as he was left to contemplate what must be his last chance of winning the World Cup. “I think it's difficult, we are suffering,” the Liverpool player said.
“It looks like we took a hiding today but that wasn't the case. As a team we weren't defensively solid enough. There were key decisions in the game. At 2-1 we had a goal disallowed. At this level the small details dictate games and that would have been a key goal for us and maybe we would have gone on and won it.
“During the summer you go away and have a think about why we went wrong. Confidence was high, we were training well but couldn't do it for 90 minutes.”
England’s early exit from the World Cup, after some indifferent performances in the group games, raise questions about Capello’s position. However, the man himself seems ready to carry on. At a post-match press conference he said that he will not resign but will discuss his future with the Football Association when he returns to London.
“I have time to decide and I have to speak with the chairman [FA club England chairman Sir Dave Richards],” Capello. Pushed as to whether he was considering quitting, he replied: “Absolutely no. We have to wait until I get back to London.”
There are likely to be more questions on this subject during England's final media conference at their training camp in Rustenburg tomorrow.
http://www.senore.com/2010-World-Cup-Germany-v-England-full-time-report-a13932
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