England vs Russia Euro 2016: No more excuses, it’s time to deliver on the big stage

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James Olley11 June 2016

There has been talk of youthful dynamism bringing fresh hope, talk of a team spirit stronger than before. Talk of greater tactical variety, right tracks and surprise packages.

Now we need to see it come to fruition. There are no more caveats, no more excuses. England enjoyed a perfect qualification campaign but the opposition was weak. They beat the world champions Germany in their own backyard but it was only a friendly. They won all three warm-up games but looked flawed on each occasion.

England must peak when it matters most. Roy Hodgson’s future is on the line as a country sacrifices its heart once more upon the altar of hope. He was a late newcomer in 2012 but a swift, if a little unfortunate, loser two years later and we must witness tangible progress this summer.

The 68-year-old retained his job after the Brazil debacle because England were in the midst of working towards something more; a squad transitioning in players, style and mentality. The old guard were phased out, the new breed given their head.

For that decision to be justified and for the last four years to have meant something significant, England need to finally embrace tournament football, not feel inhibited by it. This is Hodgson’s third crack at an international competition with England but his side need to reap the benefits that his experience should yield.

He admitted his final 23-man squad is top-heavy and it is so for a reason: England’s strengths lie in the variety of midfield and forward players offsetting a vulnerability in defence. So let’s hope they make the most of it. Nobody expects a kitchen-sink approach but England need to be brave, take risks. Retain possession when necessary but attack with conviction, invention and clarity. Whoever is selected in attack, and the suggestion this morning was that Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling will be chosen while Jamie Vardy misses out, they must not overtly be tied down with defensive duties that nullify their strengths.

England have never won the opening group game at a European Championships, often because the fear of failure has prevented them from truly expressing themselves. Of course, no team win the tournament in the first match and the common consensus that the damage of a loss always outweighs the positivity of a victory, given it puts a team firmly on the back foot, still endures.

But the 24-team format gives teams more margin for error. Thanks to Uefa, third place will be enough for four teams to reach the last 16. Defeat against Russia would put England firmly under the microscope, especially with Gareth Bale and company to come, but this is a group that feels eminently winnable for Hodgson’s side if they grasp the challenge with both hands. They must seize the moment, not freeze within it. Hodgson’s future depends on it. The oldest coach here has picked England’s youngest ever squad at a Euros because of his belief in the fearlessness of this group but his methods in extracting the best from them face a defining examination. Hodgson always rejects the notion he is a conservative coach but it is in these moments of acute pressure we really find out.

Conversely, Wayne Rooney’s reputation is keeping him in the team. Standard Sport understands Rooney has been tried in a variety of positions in training since England gathered for these finals, including an experiment where he played as a holding midfielder.

There is said to have been a lengthy debate about his best role but it seems highly probable that whether Hodgson opts for a 4-4-2 diamond or a 4-3-3 — and rumour has it the latter is more likely — Rooney will be accommodated in some form. On pedigree, the existence of any debate seems absurd. The 30-year-old is England’s all-time top goalscorer and possesses almost twice as many international caps as the next most experienced player in the squad.

Years of competition at the highest level make him an assured presence and yet it can be reasonably argued that Kane and Vardy deserve to start ahead of him in a centre-forward role. Daniel Sturridge and even Marcus Rashford have competitive cases, too.

Hodgson has several No10s at his disposal, including Dele Alli, Sterling, Adam Lallana and Ross Barkley, while a deployment deeper in midfield raises questions as to whether he is sufficiently versed in the nuances of the position to depose a more natural choice.

Yet Hodgson has been unswerving in his faith that Rooney will finally deliver at a major tournament, 12 years after taking Europe by storm as a teenager.

Rooney certainly said all the right things last week — that he is injury free, in great form and full of confidence — and will no doubt do the same tonight when sitting alongside Hodgson at the pre-match press conference. But we have been here before with Rooney. He recognised the opportunity in Brazil, talked a good game but then cut a familiarly peripheral figure, despite a tap-in against Uruguay.

It is only another reminder that talk is cheap. The time for action is nigh.

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