Skintagain 1983
And Smith Did Score!
No-one seems to have mentioned how bad Gareth Barry was.. and not just against Germany. Capello was triumphant about Barry being fit and able to play after USA, but he might as well not have bothered. England had Carrick available after all.
With Oezil playing in the hole between the main midfield line and the back 4, a certain G Barry was supposed to be sitting in there as the holding player protecting the back 4.
Posted missing all game!
Not even the pundits really picked up on this in any detail. They did identify Oezil as the key German player to hurt England, and he did, but can someone explain why Barry was not there to pick up Oezil's runs? I thought that was what a holding player was for.
With Oezil playing in the hole between the main midfield line and the back 4, a certain G Barry was supposed to be sitting in there as the holding player protecting the back 4.
Posted missing all game!
Not even the pundits really picked up on this in any detail. They did identify Oezil as the key German player to hurt England, and he did, but can someone explain why Barry was not there to pick up Oezil's runs? I thought that was what a holding player was for.