ITPS

It's the players, stupid.

Last night was not so much to do with motivation, but with ability to deliver, to any level, even the most basic. To put that inability at the manager's door is just plain dumb. We've had some poor games in the run up to this, but nothing so bad as seeing the opposition easily nick the ball off Wayne Rooney 5 or 6 times. We know that players like Rooney, and Gerrard and Lampard, have the skills, but they didn't execute, to use the sports-psychobabble term.

How many times do we have to change the coach before we realise that it takes players with guts to succeed at EC and WC, and this generation lacks that.

Let's talk about systems, tactics etc. when we're playing against Argentina, Italy or Brazil, but not when we can't pass the ball, can't move, can't get the ball off a team like Algeria.

Posted By: Higher Wrather, Jun 19, 12:16:22