TONY LANIGAN
AN eminent sports hack observed in his pre-World Cup analysis
that if Ecuador were a Premiership side they would be Manchester
City - plenty of passion and capable of a shock result but nothing
else.
That comparison will hardly have been well received by Blues fans,
yet they must feel it has an element of truth.
So let us hope that the South Americans' surprise scoreline has
already been achieved in their opening first-round match against
Poland and they will therefore on Sunday provide a mere stepping
stone for England.
None of us, of course, believe that for a moment.
The group games revealed that `the most talented England team since
66' were woefully below the standard set by our heroes of 40 years
ago.
England were decidedly fortunate to survive to top Group B and
avoid hosts Germany in the last 16 with the 2-2 draw against
Sweden.
England gave a start to world-class wonder boy Wayne Rooney but it
was quickly apparent that the Manchester United striker was, hardly
surprisingly, well short of his best following his broken
metatarsal injury.
He sparkled only fleetingly and was rightly replaced in the second-
half when he again displayed typical displeasure at the gall of
coach Sven Goran Eriksson in pulling him off.
He might well have benefited from the `dream partnership' with
Michael Owen but, as is now well documented, the Newcastle
goalscorer lasted less than a minute before succumbing to a nasty
knee injury.
A serious blow if England are to progress much further in the
competition, but hardly an excuse for another abysmal, second-half
performance that went close to handing the less demanding tie of
Ecuador to Sweden on a plate.
Viewing the almost incessant repeats of Joe Cole' stunning volley
that gave England the lead was inspiring.
Yet the euphoria soon subsided as we witnessed the unforgivably
inept defending from set pieces that cost England two goals, the
second when they appeared to have the match won through substitute
Steven Gerrard's classic header.
It is mystifying why, at this level, average players, some of whom
flopped in the Premiership, can raise their game and their
endeavour while England's star men repeatedly perform way below
their club standard.
It cannot just be put down to inadequate or misguided coaching.
England have players talented enough to make their own decisions on
the pitch and respond to demands set by the opposition, although
you would never have guessed it as Sweden exploited their frailties
with two strikes that should have been prevented.
Yet we must keep the faith.
Despite themselves, England have achieved exactly what they sought
from the early skirmishes and unless they catch Manchester City -
sorry Ecuador - in one of their contrary moods, a place in the
quarter-finals could signal a transformation and a burgeoning
belief that this, after all, could still be their year.