Wednesday 16 November 2011

Should England's Cautious Optimism be a Cause for Concern?

England's recent performances against Spain and Sweden have produced decent displays and results against good teams. Two clean sheets and several encouraging debut performances will have certainly pleased Fabio Capello, but as ever with England, we must not let ourselves get carried away. At every tournament, English fans allow themselves to believe, to dare, to hope that maybe this time we can do it. No matter what state the team is in, or however good the best opposition may be, the majority of England fans will believe that not only can we win, but that we should. It is this expectation which I consider to be the root of the problem. 

In major tournaments, England always play under immense pressure, both from the media and the general public. Advertisements support the team and encourage patriotism, bringing the nation together in an attempt to kickstart England's challenge. And yet, in recent years we have failed to provide what is hoped for. After England's embarrassing demise in Bloemfontein last Summer, people admitted that we just weren't good enough, that we just didn't have what it takes to compete at the top international level. But now, merely 17 months later,  the media is already sowing the tentative seeds of hope. Looking back at recent years, the harvest will be unfulfilling and disappointing. 

Journalists and pundits do not help. Innocent comments alone, about England's improvements and future development can cause trouble to a certain extent; but when the likes of ridiculous pundits, such as Adrian "overgrown-baby" Chiles, voice simply outrageous thoughts on national television, England's quiet attempt at resurgence is utterly ruined. After the victory against the Spaniards, Chiles said something on the lines of: "we've beaten the world champions, so in our eyes we are world champions." Yes, beating Spain was an accomplishment, but it does not even come close to putting us on a par with them, let alone winning a major tournament. Chiles' comment was made in jest, or at least I hope it was, but it is the kind of thing that people will remember and all it can do is heap more pressure on the team. 

The victory over Spain was an example of how we can soak up pressure against the best of sides and still manage to scrape a win. And it was nice to see a defence that looked at ease, without the lumbering form of 'captain' John Terry adding unnecessary complications to proceedings. Jagielka and Lescott gave a very good show of themselves, begging the question as to why Terry is still in the squad, let alone the captain of our national side. Scott Parker played well in front of the back four, as did Walcott and Welbeck when he came on. 

Capello allowed himself to experiment against Sweden, giving Jack Rodwell and Kyle Walker their first starts, both of whom impressed with their desire and tenacity. But England could have been made to rue several missed chances in the first half when Wilhelmsson blazed over right at the death. Similarly, Fabregas managed to expose some defensive frailties towards the end of the match against Spain.

In both games, England defended well for the most part and created chances; most importantly, we have come away with two victories. The cautious optimism and casual expectancy is most certainly a cause for concern however. We have to accept the fact that there are far better teams out there at the moment: France and Germany in particular have a great wealth of young talent and now that Spain have figured out how to win a major tournament, they will be very difficult to beat. England are not at this level yet and until we are, it is unfair for the media to big England up because it will only result in the inevitable, gut-wrenching heartbreak. 


Monday 14 November 2011

The King And All Of His Men

I have been introduced to a new song. It is a song that that has immediately become an integral part of my life and evokes a powerful response in me. Excitement courses through my veins as the introduction begins and the musical genius that is Wolf Gang sparks into life. The guitar, drums, piano and synthesiser expertly complement Max Mcelligott's vocals.

The lyric: "I need to see her face for one last time" generates a desire in me to go out and do something crazy or reckless. It's as if time is precious and important things must be done. The fact that I still feel this, a fortnight after I first heard the song, amazes me. Wolf Gang have managed to create a song which can inspire me over and over again. If I have a crucial decision to make, I will listen to this song and it will help me make that choice; not necessarily the correct decision, but a decision nonetheless.

Basically, I am rambling. I just love this song. But only once a twice a year do I find a song that I love this much, so I have worthy cause for excitement. Fortunately, the rest of the album, 'Suego Faults', is similarly fantastic. Seize the day; listen to the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZLv36LvRo8

Friday 4 November 2011

Stoke City: A European Fairy Tale in the Making?

After Stoke City's third, consecutive win in the Europa League and their seventh from eight matches in the competition, people may be wondering whether Tony Pulis' side can go all the way. The Potters looked a dominant force against the star-studded Turkish giants, Besiktas, and even more so as they brushed aside Maccabi Tel-Aviv for the second time in a fortnight.

Group E was acknowledged as a very tough group, particularly due to over 11,000 miles of travelling that Stoke will have to endure. But, if anything, they seem to have risen to the challenge. Unlike many away matches played in the Premier League, Stoke looked comfortable against an inferior Israeli side, despite an impressive unbeaten home record for the hosts, stretching back to a 2004 defeat to Bayern Munich. Far from being daunted by the task put in front of them, Pulis has managed to create a Stoke side that can pass the ball around with fluidity rather than simply troubling the opposition with a constant barrage from set pieces. Indeed, only six of Stoke's fifteen European goals have come from set pieces.

Another testament to Pulis is that every player looks proud to pull on the shirt and the group dynamic is certainly there for all to see. Pulis' late business in the transfer market was perfect for a team potentially looking to go far in Europe. Nine changes were made from the team that lost to Newcastle United on the weekend, allowing players to rest, especially important in a very busy period for the Potters.

One thing that may be playing on Pulis' mind is the danger of a European run. Despite a significantly larger squad than he has previously had at his disposal, Pulis will still have to ensure that the results keep coming in domestically. For the majority of Stoke fans, the Europa League is a fantastic sideshow for the club, but retaining Premier League status has to be the top priority. Pulis constantly stated this during the Potters' magnificent cup run last season and one can be sure that he won't lose sight of the main aim.

Just like Fulham a few years ago, Stoke City could be the big surprise in the competition this year; watch this space.