Do or Die!

Now it’s just over 12 hours until the 3 Lions take on Uruguay in a match that if the result goes the wrong way , could have us travelling home like the current World Cup holders, Spain.

All indications seem to show that Hodgson is likely to start with Rooney playing in his natural Number 10 role. We all hope he can perform in this preferred role otherwise Hodgson has to make a swift change, who vows to use any weapon we have at our disposal and Sturridge will do anything he can to win. Sounds like we’re running out with the right attitude!

Apart from the Camp England psychologist working with the players individually and as a group to help them achieve the right mental state Stevie G has warned there is no hiding place if they fail. Needless to say he didn’t study Psychology at Liverpool Uni, but he’s got a point!

To add to the ‘corrected’ forward formation Uruguay are without Pereira and Lugano so there should be an even greater opportunity to penetrate the Uruguay defence, that looked vulnerable particularly during the second half against Costa Rica.

Of Suarez, Cavani, Forlan and Ramirez, only rigorous hard work will ensure they can’t impress their presence on the game.

It is certain to be another high tempo encounter, with the 3 Lions emerging victorious.

3-1 to En-ger-land, En-ger-land, En-ger-land!

2 Wins, should be enough…

Now the impact of the defeat against the Azzuri has sank in and the focus is firmly on winning against Uruguay on Thursday and Costa Rica next Tuesday.

Uruguay are not invincible, conceding three goals against Costa Rica, but seem likely to have Luis Suárez back in the team.

Football, whilst being more important than life or death (paraphrase – Bill Shankly), is still simple, we need to score more goals than the opposition. There are 2 questions facing Roy Hodgson before Thursday’s do or die match with Uruguay, how to stop Suárez and how to organise the attack to score goals.

Probably the biggest, and most talked about is whether to play Rooney or not. Playing out of position on Saturday he was uncomfortable and with the exception of the pass that enabled Sturridge to score, didn’t do a lot and missed a key chance. There are options, but one choice that is no longer an option is the inclusion of England’s most threatening weapon since Gascoigne, the 19 year old genius of Raheem Sterling.

Raheem Sterling skirts Pirlo

So then how to best deploy the attacking diamond, with the likes of Sterling, Wellbeck, Sturridge, Rooney, Lallana and Barkley at Hodsgon’s disposal. Should Rooney play, it must be in his natural position, with Wellbeck on the left and Sterling on the right. Alternatively dropping Rooney to the bench and Sterling as he started against Italy. A fully recovered Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a a welcome addition to Hodgson, but not sure if that will be the case. Still without the Ox we have enough capability up front, if organised in the optimal way.

Then the Suárez issue, pity we didn’t have a Nobby Stiles, or Norman Hunter, a few delicately placed knocks and he would either give in or bite somebody in retaliation. Hodgson has to give someone the task of keeping a tab on him, and hope that he is not fully fit after his knee op.

So, all is not lost, 2 wins and we should be in the next round.

A repeat of Costa Rica’s victory over Uruguay, not so sure, but the goal scoring tallies are going up!