England; the team of the poor pass

New boys, Rodriguez (left) and Llana, step up to the plate and pass just as badly as the established team.

Hodgson did the right thing with the Germany friendly, he blooded a couple of players. Unfortunately, what he learned was what we already knew; not many of them can pass a ball.

It really is boring watching England play a friendly football match. They pass the ball our wide, work it up the wing, poor pass giving the ball away. A player beats his man, poor cross gives the ball away. Keeping possession in midfield, no pressure from the opposition, poor pass gives the ball away. Poor pass, poor pass, poor pass. Earlier this season Rio Ferdinand caused some upset by suggesting England have no distinctive style of play. He was wrong, they are the team of the poor pass. Poor pass selection, under hit, over hit, over the head, to the head not the feet, to the feet instead of into space, into space when no one is moving into it. England; the team of the poor pass.

Do these poor passers play well for their clubs, is it a pure international phenomenon? The midfielders are the key to controlling a passing game. The best technical passing teams in the Premier League are Swansea, Arsenal and Southampton. Who is the driving force behind their passing tempo? Which players have the technical skills that allow them to play this way? They're basically all foreign. The only players available for England are Arsenal's Wilshere, Swansea have Nathan Dyer (a winger so that won't do for center midfield), and Southampton have Llana and few other English names. However, non are the driving force of their teams game. Wilshere is supported (when he plays) by Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, he is always on of three. Swansea have Dutch and Spanish midfielders controlling things for them while Southampton have enlisted from France and Belgium. The English players are supported by more technically gifted players from abroad, the exception maybe Wilshere who could be on a par with any technical midfielder but form and fitness have hampered his season. Even then he needs to play as part of the three man midfield. 

Not wanting to be out done by the new boys Cleverley made sure he too passed poorly.

If we look the other way from England's midfielders, who actually plays in a technical passing style for their clubs? Gerrard, the master of the poor short pass into feet, is a powerful midfield presence. Yet he his supported by Lucas and Adams, who are the ball retainers. Gerrard is dynamic, dominating player but lets others get on we retaining and recycling possession and Suarez is in charge of creating things. Lampard is like Gerrard, supported a cast of technically talented foreign player, another engine driving the team. Manchester United's Tom Cleverly, is not a driving force of his team nor his he surrounded by technically gifted players so is having a poor season, there is no one to hide behind. It seems his job is to give the ball to Micheal Carrick. Carrick is an excellent passer of the ball. He can us both feet, one touch, good judge of weight on the ball, can slot it through a small gap, play it short or sweep it long. United have not bought in technical midfielders from abroad to do the job for him, and I think if they had he would still retain his place in the team.

And that is all the England midfielders that Roy Hodgson has available to him. Only two of them actually do a 'passing' job for their team; Carrick and Wilshere. Carrick controls and recycles the ball. He sits back and is available for the ball to be played back to him to keep momentum going. This allows Man United to maintain the ball and string attacks together, something they continually fail to do due to the a for  mentioned poor passing. He should be picked for England as he is the only player we have who can do this sort of job. Yet England do not like him much (the fans at any rate) because of he does not run around like a headless chicken. His game is never to charge about dominating things. It is to sit, keep possession, and keep the ball moving.

Wilshere is very different from Carrick. He is quick, light, fleet footed and can dribble well and play sharp one touch passes. He wants to get forward all the time and is happy to retain possession by laying the ball back to the holding midfielder. He is constantly moving, looking for space but he is also willing and able to get the ball in a tight spot and not give it away. Arsenal have lots of players who can do this, England have one; Jack Wilshere. Yet he can not really defend, it is a waste of his talent and energy so he can not play in a two man midfield.

Carrick lacks power and intent, Wilshere lacks true box to box qualities and is a little light weight for that role. England need to plat another midfielder who can play with dynamism and have a huge impact on the game like they do for their club, Gerrard. If, like at Liverpool, he had players retaining the ball so he could takes risks, drive forward, make and score goals without worrying about needing to be too intricate or defensive, he would perform so much better for England. He could leave the mopping up to Carrick, the magical touches to Wilshere, and drive the everyone on around them.

Whatever happens with England, it is clear they can't pass very well and in the modern game that ain't gonna win you much. Hodgson needs to see the only two natural passers are Carrick and Wilshere. They need to play alongside the steel of Gerrard. That leaves Rooney upfront, and who knows who else in defense and midfield because as far as I can see it is only these four players capable of keeping a football long enough to do anything with it. And Gerrard is the only one you could do without, Lampard could replace him. What is certain is that England need to play three in midfield which will leave Rooney up front on his own. This solution and will require a radical rethink from Hodgson's traditional (ancient) 4-4-2.