England Won’t See The Best From Red Lions

On Saturday England’s World Cup will get underway in the rainforest of Manaus against Italy and many of Liverpool’s England internationals are expected to play.

In the build up to the World Cup many pundits have suggested Roy Hodgson should adapt the approach that saw Brendan Rodgers nearly win the Premier League with Liverpool.

To adapt an approach like that is difficult despite having the players in the squad capable of playing that way.

The current England boss plays to not lose a game first and is cautious, his tactics will probably be get draws in the first two games and convincgly beat Costa Rica.

If that is the case then Liverpool fans should not be surprised if the Reds in the England squad don’t perform to the level they did in the season and even be labelled as ‘flops’ by some sections of the media.

How slow and cagey Hodgson plays the game will not benefit the likes of Henderson, Sterling and Sturridge because they at their best when playing with a fast tempo , pressing high up the pitch and putting Sturridge in on goal as soon as possible.

It could be a frustrating tournament for Sturridge because of how few opportunities he will get on goal and for Sterling who will be told not to take risks and run and run at people, but to keep possession and slow the game down.

In the England friendlies Steven Gerrard has been more forward than Henderson, different to how it is done at Anfield and this is preventing Henderson showing his Liverpool form.

If Henderson was the player further forward England won win the ball back further up the pitch and be attacking a lot more and a lot faster, dominating teams.

All this will not happen.

This England squad should be putting teams to the sword but they don’t because of the way Hodgson plays.

The media won’t say a bad word the current England manager as he is so media-friendly and with that being said the media have got England fans believing that it will be an achievement to get out of the group.

England should be targeting at least the quarter-final will the technical players they have at their exposal and if they played the right way, the Liverpool Way they could go further.

England could face Spain in the last eight and they wouldn’t enjoy playing The Three Lions if Henderson was allowed to press so highly, with the pace of Sterling and the finishing of Sturridge.