England falls on slippery Iceland
Hands were a significant feature during Iceland’s 2-1 defeat of England on Monday in Nice.
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England goalkeeper got a hand to Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s shot in the 18th minute but it didn’t stop the ball from trickling over the line.
That gave Iceland a 2-1 lead and they held on to it for another 72 minutes to record their most famous victory.
After England’s last attempt to equalise failed, the players slumped into the turf in despair before their disgusted fans who pointed with menacing fingers and chanted – to the chorus tune from the song Bread of Heaven tune - "You’re not fit to wear that shirt …You’re not fit to wear that shirt."
At the other end of the Stade de Nice, Iceland skipper Aron Gunnarson stood ahead of his team mates, his hands held high and wide above his head ushering silence from the fans in the stands. Following his lead, they clapped slowly while emitting a grunt scream. This was euphoria Scandi-style. Cool, calm and considered.
Hodgson resigns
Their unalloyed joy contrasted with the bleakness of the England manager Roy Hodgson who put his hand up to admit failure.
“We haven’t progressed as far as I thought we were capable of and that’s obviously not acceptable,” he told reporters soon after the match.” I’m proud of the work I and my coaching staff have achieved during my time at the helm with England.
"I would have loved to have stayed on for another two years. However I’m pragmatic and know that we are in the results business. My contract is up after the Euros and now is the time for someone else to oversee the progress of this young, hungry and extremely talented group of players."
Hodgson is right on that assessment. His squad is packed with potential. John Stones has the makings of a composed, play making centre back. Problem was he had a less than convincing season at Everton and didn’t play a minute in France.
Olly Barkley, his team mate at Goodison Park appears to have stalled too. But perhaps it’s the desires of the England supporters that need to be addressed.
The team no longer has the players who hoof the ball forward, hoping for the knock down and a rumbustious attacker to scramble the ball home. Top English clubs don’t deploy those kinds any more. It’s all about possession.
Organised Iceland rearguard
England had it. But against an organised Iceland rearguard, there was no one who could make the decisive strike. Raheem Sterling is endowed with prodigious dribbling skills. They failed him on Monday against Iceland. Wayne Rooney has a terrific shot from distance but he was directing affairs from midfield.
Bizarrely, when Hodgson needed a goal in the closing stages of the match against Iceland, he took Rooney off and replaced him with the internationally raw Marcus Rashford. Rooney’s days of leading the forward line may be long gone, but he is still a proven striker.
Hodgson will have to live with the humiliation of defeat to an unfancied side and the bald facts that there was graft but precious little growth during his stewardship. England were eliminated in the last eight of Euro 2012 just after he took over.
Two defeats and a draw catapulted them onto the plane after the group stages of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The last 16 at Euro 2016 was the last straw.
"When I took over England, I was told that players didn’t turn up or pulled out at the last minute," said Hodgson. "I’ve not seen any of that. These players love to play for their country and their commitment has been unquestioning."
The players, it would seem, need a helping hand.
To read more articles on Euro 2016, click here.
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