World Cup Group C preview: Slovenia v England
When told this week that England’s players were “revolting”, many Englishmen and women would have initially thought of a different meaning of the word to the one that was actually being referred to.
They were “woeful”, “dispirited” and “Cape clowns” against Algeria in Cape Town last Friday night, according to Her Majesty’s press at any rate, but similar sentiments were being shared nationwide. It simply wasn’t good enough.
Now, chaos seems to rule. The pressures of carrying a nation’s hopes appear to be weighing too heavily on the players’ shoulders.
If it wasn’t obvious from the abject nature of their display on Friday night, or from Wayne Rooney’s post match address to the nation, then the tensions within the England camp were laid bare in John Terry’s bizarre press conference on Sunday afternoon.
Engaging whatever brain cells he might have left, Terry chose to publicly announce that England were set for “clear the air talks” with manager Fabio Capello, even going as far as to claim that Joe Cole should be in the side and that there might be a danger of some of the players “doing a Nicolas Anelka” and being sent home for a breach of discipline.
It didn’t go down well, and one managerial tongue-lashing, one “big mistake”, one contrite central defender and a whole lot of hot air later, matters can turn to the football pitch again, and how they need to.
England, the Three Lions, this “golden generation” of players, have to beat Slovenia in Port Elizabeth to guarantee avoiding the most ignominious of exits from this World Cup, their earliest failure since 1958 in Sweden.
Ever since the final whistle blew on that awful display in Cape Town, attention has been focussed on just who Fabio Capello will pick for this one, and what system he’ll use.
Cole may come in, skipper Steven Gerrard may be pushed closer to Rooney, he has many options, but whoever he picks should have enough quality to see off Slovenia, but we’ll fallen into that trap in this competition before.
Slovenia are no mugs though. They raced into a 2-0 lead against the USA in their last match, only to crumble and allow the Americans back into it.
A draw would be enough for them to qualify – a remarkable achievement for the smallest country in the World Cup – and England’s troubles have given them confidence.
“They didn't show the type of football we expect of them [against Algeria],” says captain Robert Koren.
“It gives us some hope, but we will see. We know that England is a very good team, they have brilliant players. But we will not be thinking much about England, we will concentrate on our team.”
And why not?
Their creative, attacking talents such as Koren, Valter Birsa, Milivoje Novakovič and Zlatan Ljubijankič were all to the fore against both the US and in the 1-0 win over Algeria, with Everton boss David Moyes – who observed the US game – claiming that their lack of stars gives them a togetherness and team spirit of a club side.
If England were a club team then they’d probably be the old Wimbledon at the moment. There’s been nothing but craziness in the gang.
All of the questions, finger pointing and downright anger will be forgotten about with a win though, and if Capello can fashion a winning side from the gifted players that he has at his disposal, then there is no reason to believe that England won’t go on and do well in this tournament.
Fail, and there every reason to expect that he and his players won’t be allowed back into the country.
Now, what was that about pressure?
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