England Face Must Win Against Slovenia

In a group labeled “easy” by the English press, England has two mere points heading into its final 1st round match of the World Cup.

The Three Lions face group leaders Slovenia Wednesday, June 23 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in a critical tilt for both teams.

Slovenia needs a draw in order to feel safe; while it’s likely England will need a win to avoid a shocking elimination.

England tied the U.S. and Algeria in their first two matches while scoring only one goal. Even with these disappointing results, head coach Fabio Capello has maintained a positive relationship with his players.

“Really good, every time I speak to the players they follow me,” Capello said. “Whether they win or lose, we are still a team.”

Some of the blame has been placed on the shoulders of former captain John Terry, who lost his armband after his affair. Terry won back the attitudes of some fans and teammates with his recent apology. Capello has backed him through all the controversy and said he never considered dropping him for the squad.

“He is an important player for us,” Capello said.

New elected captain Steven Gerrard is aware that England’s clock is ticking following their listless games.

“After the Algeria performance, we need to focus on getting a win,” Gerrard said. “I have already seen the signs the last few days in training. We can’t wait for this game.”

The Three Lions dominated qualifying winning their group while losing one game when their World Cup berth was secured.

“In our qualifying games we were really confident, we played aggressive football, we pressed really well, we were compact and difficult to beat,” Gerrard said.

England has resembled a shell of the side that cruised through its European qualification in South Africa. Progression to the Round of 16 will be determined by England’s finishing ability in this match.

“Although we haven’t lost a game here [World Cup], things mess up in our performance,” Gerrard said. “We want to start the game very well–get the goal that we need in the final third.”

Following the Algeria game, the English were booed off the field by their fans. Gerrard said it’s up to his team to respond to the criticism in a positive manner.

“I can certainly understand it,” he said. “People have expectations; we have a lot of support out there. They expect us to win football matches and we as players take responsibility.”

It’s evident the media and fans in England are unhappy with the team. Gerrard and the rest of the English side will look to restore nationalism in their country.

“We want to change the perception of our team so far,” Gerrard said. “We want to make the nation proud and happy. A good win tomorrow will certainly give the people more confidence.”

The majority of teams under performing at the World Cup hail from the European continent. There’s speculation that the long club season in Europe, especially the EPL, where most of England’s internationals ply their trade, has contributed to these struggles.

“Maybe the long season in England does affect us, it is a difficult question to answer,” Gerrard said. “If you look at how we’re training we look fit and hungry. We need to translate that onto the pitch.”