FIFA World Cup 2010: England Not That Bad

A Time article, "Is England The Most Boring Team in the World Cup?" captures the frustration of English fans around the world. They showed their displeasure yesterday after the England-Algeria match by booing the team. BBC sport page called it "a performance that was the worst of Capello's reign," while the Mirror thought the English team "struggled to a shocking goalless draw against unfancied Algeria."

This last may be a window into understanding what may really be wrong with England: a superiority complex, which is not a problem of the players alone nor of the English nation, but of the so-called powers of football as a collective whole.

There seems to be this mistaken assumption that countries such as England, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Holland, Portugal, France, and Argentina are guaranteed automatic success at the World Cup. Put differently, they are expected by their fans to simply walk over the assumed lesser nations. Thus the sentiment that Algeria is an unfancied nation and therefore the frustration and ire that result when the reality differs from assumption.

The reality is, there are no minnows in football anymore, to state a truism. Time was when the so-called super powers of football had it easy in international competitions, where they easily defeated  lesser countries, but in the last decade, the minnows have narrowed the gap. And in a competition of this magnitude, fancied countries should not expect the less-fancied to simply fold over.

What has transpired so far in the World Cup is an example. Italy were lucky to escape defeat from Paraguay, a team they should have easily defeated. Spain were outmaneuvered by Switzerland, a country one Spanish golfer dismissed as a country of watches and chocolate.

Holland have not been fantastic either, neither have Brazil though they defeated North Korea. I thought their performance was lacklustre even though almost everybody else seems to have been awed by their sluggish performance; after all, they are Brazil.

France are almost certainly out  of the competition after a defeat from Mexico, though it may be argued that Mexico are no pushovers. But on paper, France should beat them. Portugal were bested by Cote d'Ivoire, though their match ended in a  draw. Japan beat Cameroon, though almost everyone thought Cameroon should have easily won the match.

Argentina have won two matches but they are yet to face tough opposition. That is, if you believe that Nigeria and South Korea are minnows. Though Germany were fantastic against Australia, they weren't as impressive against Serbia even when playing at full strength.

My point? It is not only England that are struggling against teams they should beat easily. The reality is, every team in this World Cup should be assumed to be a strong. It is time to cast away the superiority delusion. Should the English fans do so, they might see the situation differently and perhaps be more supportive of the 11 players on the pitch, who happen to be the best in England.

As a person who supports England, even though from a less invested perspective, I can say that I do not think that England are that bad. The players seem to be putting in their best in the games contrary to what fans think. Were the results of their two matches different, these same performances would have been hailed as fantastic. What is it they are doing wrong apart from scoring?

Perhaps the problem is that England lack a playmaker, head and shoulder above the opposing sides, a factor that could free up Rooney to play an attacking role properly. His role as it is, a quasi-attacking-midfield role, or a supporting striking role if you will, ties him deep in the midfied,and this has made him ineffective.

If I may presume, I should like to encourage English fans to stand behind their team. Who knows, their recent dearth of goals may yet pass. There is still hope for England to qualify for the second round of the World Cup. Good faith would not hurt.