No matter what Chelsea did this season you cant consistently keep winning without the ball. 37% possession and 12 shots to 49 really is an indictment of Englands performance. Much as it pains me any other result would have been a footballing travesty.
I wont go through each England player individually but just give a short comment in the context of fantasy premier league. How much can you comment when they had so little ball.
Joe Hart was fantastic, made some great saves and looks to be the premium fantasy premier league keeper.
The back 4 were great especially Johnson and Terry. However it was a backs to the wall performance of blocks, headers and interceptions rather than getting forward although Johnson did in the first half.
The theme in the midfield was the same. The first half saw the England team get behind the Italian defence on a number of occasions, Milner in particular surprisingly. Young was poor, always giving away possession and crossing poorly. The penalty miss summed up his performance. You really have to think that Young is far behind Nani for his fantasy premier league Man U spot after this performance and in the tournament.
Gerrard and Parker, again it was a case of chasing, tackling and harrying rather than creating. However, the situation was of their own making as they continually gave the ball away either through sloppy passing or a continued desire to play the long ball rather than construct an attack with any patience.
Of the forwards, it was another poor game from Rooney and didn’t reflect his fantasy premier league season. He didn’t hold the ball up well or passed and his touch was poor. His finishing, what chances he had, didn’t look as sharp as we would normally expect. Additionally, if he was designated to pick up Pirlo he sure didn’t bother after the first half.
Welbeck overall did well in the tournament and has to have enhanced a starting spot come the season kick off. Today his highlights, ironically, were his defending.
The only fantasy premier league player in the Italian team was Ballotelli who was excellent and unlucky not to score. He led the line well, positioned himself in the box cleverly and again enhanced his case for a starting spot come the 18th August.
