England lose: but surely Chelsea must be to blame somehow?

England’s fortunate 2-1 loss to a rejuvenated French side last night saw another file added to the international side’s library of underwhelming performances. The collection has started to overflow of late.

But it’s all a bit confusing. Normally when England disappoint it’s because John Terry has sown disharmony throughout the squad (through any number of tried and tested egotistical tactics) or is an over-rated Sunday league footballer. Alternatively, it’s because Frank Lampard is an average and slightly overweight footballer with a propensity to miss the target (20 international goals notwithstanding). Sometimes defeat has even been because Ashley Cole is an unreliable, conniving and money-grabbing love rat.

England fans leaving the stadium yesterday must have stared blankly at each other, queuing silently and solemnly as they meandered up towards Wembley Park tube to make their way home. With none of the devil’s own footballers on the pitch, for what possible reason can mighty England have succumbed to the old enemy, pretty much the only team to have put in a more under-par performance in South Africa?

It’s too much to hope for that Terry, Lampard and Cole will have been missed by England fans, but maybe it will beg the question elsewhere. Most likely they will be missed by other members of the squad, who suddenly found themselves the target of the England boo-boys due to the normal candidates being unavailable.

I write this post mostly in jest of course. Regardless however, perhaps it will sink it that England has no god-given right to be good at football. Whether or not Capello is worth £6m a year is another debate (I can’t point to much he’s done right over the last six months), but the simple truth is that he can only work with what he’s given. Chelsea players or no, he hasn’t got much to work with.

You might also like to read:

• Some thoughts on how England could spend Capello’s wages

Comments

[Itz Mahoney Starr]

Its Chelsea's fault when our players play, It's Chelsea's fault when our players don't play, they might as well blame Chelsea for WW2.

[buddha9]

You obviously know which way the wind blows in english football and no you're not being humerous you're being accurate.

Last nights clumsy performance by the northern england 11 + a couple from arsenal was testimony to the bullshit sprouted by most of the so called english football community -- the alan green and mark lawrenson 11 -- all good northern chaps from the home of english football

[J Spencer]

This really made me laugh. I made the exact same comment to a friend. I honestly don't know why they don't just retire. They are clearly more patriotic than I am, because if I was booed that much I would just stop playing and let the 'paying england fans' have the team they want. I'm really looking forward to the inevitable 'Wilshere is so much better than McEacrhan' debates already.

[Kman23b]

No clue how Cole puts up with it. Not only is he an English starter (which gets you booed this year) but he left (beloved) Arsenal for horrible, cheating, Chelsea because he's a $ whore, his marriage ended with Miss England because he's a cheating douche and his scandal has been read by everyone in Europe. Good god if I was him I might retire (or go play in the US where he'd make millions while being out of the spotlight). Gotta give the kid tons of credit for the crap he puts up with.