England's View

It's over again. Not quite as disappointing as Dan Petrescu ex Chelsea and Rumania putting us out back in 2000 or Sol Campbell's goal being erroneously disallowed against Argentina back in 98 but still gutting. Creating our very own World Record of choosing 5 pen shoot outs from the last 6 tournaments as an exit ploy is not a good thing. To be fair it is a massive amount of pressure and it is equal for both sides but our boys look like they spend most of their day cossetted in wool and take to penalties like a rabbit in headlights. It is part of the game only they can get over it, Chelsea did. I cannot fault their attitude I can however fault our choice of players again. There is no doubt that each and every player did their best and are some of the best players in England but World Class, tbh most are not and even when a player is average sometimes his flash of genuis is what we need, it didn't happen. Who can argue that Milner is an excellent footballer but never world class he looked tired from about 20 minutes in to the game, he stopped covering for Johnson and hardly a single decent cross, the only thing he really does deliver at Man City. Johnson had flashes of why he's been paid big money by Chelsea and Liverpool but on this stage he looked faltering and dodgy. John Terry had a magnificent game almost as if now he is no longer Captain there was a weight gone and he proved the perfect partner for Lescott who was and is also one of our best. Ashley Cole as always excellent, his pen however was nervous. Look them in the eye Ash you are good enough mate.
Ashley Young should like Milner have been removed at half time both need to look at themselves, underperforming is an understatement. Rooney did what he does, ran out of steam but with Andy Carroll might have had success if only his fitness hadn't left him, boy he tries though no doubt. Gerrard and Parker again 'great' but getting cramp so early proved they were working harder than some of their teammates or maybe in spite of them. Wellbeck I think is one that will blossom perhaps that goal with the heel gave him some idea he was already the complete player, he isn't but boy he's good. Overall I believe we ended were our ability put us, I'm disappointed as an Englishman because yet again we've gone home but as a football fan Italy deserved the win. Roy Hodgeson is a safe pair of hands and I think in 2 years he will effect change, let's hope he also has the balls to cut players who although play well for their club don't have that needed skillset to complete the jigsaw that is an England World Cup winning team.