SBNation.com - Three Lions Finish Second: England Edges Slovenia, 1-0, Advance Out Of Group Chttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46737/sbn-fave.png2010-06-23T12:42:37-04:00http://www.sbnation.com/rss/stream/12959732010-06-23T12:42:37-04:002010-06-23T12:42:37-04:00World Cup 2010, England Vs. Slovenia: Three Points For Three Lions
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<p>England needed a win on Wednesday. England got a win on Wednesday, narrowly avoiding the criticism and backlash of entire country (for now, at least).</p>
<p>Jermain Defoe, back in the starting lineup, proved to be the difference with his goal, putting home a cross from James Milner in the 23rd minute. The slim 1-0 advantage was enough for The Three Lions, who out-played Slovenia for much of the match and earned the three points they so desperately needed to advance to the Round of 16 in South Africa.</p>
<p>It was England's first win of the 2010 World Cup, following a pair of disappointing draws against the U.S. and Algeria. England finished with five points, good for second place in Group C, and will now face the winner of Group D, either Germany, Ghana or Serbia, on Sunday in the Knockout Round.</p>
<p>With the loss, Slovenia was eliminated.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/23/1532224/england-vs-slovenia-world-cup-2010-score-result-recap-group-c-round-of-16Ryan Hudson2010-06-23T11:42:17-04:002010-06-23T11:42:17-04:00World Cup 2010, England Vs. Slovenia: Emile Heskey On For Jermain Defoe
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<p>Fabio Capello has brought on Emile Heskey for Jermain Defoe in the 85th minute of England match against Slovenia.</p>
<p>England lead 1-0 over the Slovenes and would go through to the knockout rounds as Group C winners of results hold.</p>
<p>Heskey has been brought in for his ability to hold-up play and kill-ff the remaining five minutes plus stoppage time.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/23/1532190/world-cup-2010-england-vs-slovenia-emile-heskey-jermain-defoeRichard Farley2010-06-23T11:30:42-04:002010-06-23T11:30:42-04:00World Cup 2010, England Vs. Slovenia: Wayne Rooney Subbed-Off For Joe Cole
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<p>Wayne Rooney, having put in his best match of the tournament, has been subbed-off by Fabio Capello. Making his World Cup debut, Joe Cole has replaced him.</p>
<p>Joe Cole was a controversial figure during the week as teammates and pundits called for a greater role for the attacker within the team. Now, in the 72nd minute, Cole makes his 2010 World Cup debut.</p>
<p>England maintains a 1-0 lead over Slovenia and, if the matches ended as is, would win Group C on five points.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/23/1532172/world-cup-2010-england-vs-slovenia-wayne-rooney-joe-coleRichard Farley2010-06-23T10:52:52-04:002010-06-23T10:52:52-04:00World Cup 2010, England Vs. Slovenia: Jermain Defoe Goal Has England Up 1-0 At Halftime
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<p>England has their first halftime lead of the tournament thanks to Jermain Defoe, who converted a cross from James Milner in the 22nd minute to put the Three Lions up 1-0 and on-track to advance out of Group C.</p>
<p>As it stands now, England would finish the group on five points and in first place, with Slovenia finishing second with four points.</p>
<p>Both Defoe and Milner were surprise starters, with Defoe getting the call in place of Emile Hesky while Milner occupies the place previously occupied by Aaron Lennon.</p>
<p>The result has been a more active England team, creating five shots on goal and holding 61 percent of the possession. Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson, in addition to Defoe, have had tries on goal, while Wayne Rooney is having his most active match of the tournament.</p>
<p>The main product of those numbers is Defoe’s goal, a right shinned-finished of Milner’s cross that was put off Samir Handanovic’s left shoulder and into goal.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/23/1532111/world-cup-2010-england-vs-slovenia-jermain-defoeRichard Farley2010-06-23T10:30:12-04:002010-06-23T10:30:12-04:002010 World Cup, England Vs. Slovenia: Surprise Starter Jermain Defoe Shins England Ahead
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<p>A 22nd minute goal from Jermain Defoe has given England the lead and, if action ended now, a place in the knockout round.</p>
<p>A cross from James Milner on the right wing found Defoe, a surprise starter in place of Emile Heskey, seven yards from goal. Defoe got ball-side of his mark as he ran onto the cross and got a shin to the ball before Marko Suler could break-up the play. The ball beat Samir Handanovic high to put England up 1-0.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/23/1532084/2010-world-cup-england-vs-slovenia-jemaine-defoeRichard Farley2010-06-23T09:05:59-04:002010-06-23T09:05:59-04:00World Cup 2010, England Vs. Slovenia Preview: Wayne Rooney Must Be Something Better Than Terrible
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<p>Few picked <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/England">England</a> to finish second in Group C, let alone miss the knockout stage, but as we enter the final match of group play, England starts the day in third place - on the outside looking in at advancing. Worse, they are a team in disarray, with a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110210/John_Terry">John Terry</a>-led coup being squashed earlier this week, the effects of the insurrection still unclear. Beyond those political concerns, England has scored only once in 180 minutes f and are set to play one of the draw’s best defensive teams.</p>
<p>That team, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Slovenia">Slovenia</a>, is coming off a second half collapse against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/USA">United States</a> that may cost them a spot in the second round. Had they held on, Slovenia would have the group clinched. As is, the Slovenes may need a result against England to make the final sixteen.</p>
<p><b>England, Going Forward:</b> The Three Lions have gone almost two full matches without scoring a goal, and while a disproportionate amount of blame has been placed on <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110226/Wayne_Rooney">Wayne Rooney</a>, the criticism has been deserved.</p>
<p>The Manchester United starlet is central to a team that’s built around his talents. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110225/Emile_Heskey">Emile Heskey</a> doesn’t start for Enland unless Fabio Capello’s trying to get the most out of Rooney. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110218/Frank_Lampard">Frank Lampard</a> and Steve Gerrard have been deployed so that they are not infringing on Rooney’s preferred space. The entire England set-up is predicated upon Wayne Rooney performing, so when he doesn’t, it’s a legitimate cause for concern (read: panic).</p>
<p>And this isn't a matter of Rooney underperforming in a "Messi doesn't have a goal" way. Rooney hasn't come close to a goal. He hasn't come close to generating goals. His first touch has been terrible. He has lacked energy. He seems more removed from the play than he's ever been. He may be tired, may be unhealthy - who knows? </p>
<p>Perhaps not surprising, given how the team is set-up: England has been terrible because Wayne Rooney has been terrible.</p>
<p>The question Capello has to address is whether it’s time for a Plan B. That Plan B would presumably replace Heskey with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110223/Peter_Crouch">Peter Crouch</a>, bring <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110217/Steven_Gerrard">Steven Gerrard</a> in from left wing and place Frank Lampard in a more advanced role. That would again beg the Lampard-Gerrard question, but with only two points through two matches, England has no perfect solutions.</p>
<p>Such is the level of discontent within their support that players like Joe Cole and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110215/Michael_Carrick">Michael Carrick</a> - players who have not played well for six months - are being called upon by fans. If Capello doesn’t have better ideas, those are refrains that will live-on long past today’s Slovenia match.</p>
<p><b>Slovenia, Going Forward:</b> The Slovenes are through with a draw and have a team set-up to get one. Allowing only four goals in qualifying, they showed they’re able to lock the back door. But the Slovenes also scored 18 goals in that timespan, showing an ability to take advantage of their opponents' mistakes.</p>
<p>When you have a back line that features John Terry, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110211/Matthew_Upson">Matthew Upson</a>, Glen Johnson and no true play-destroying midfielder, Slovenia’s approach is cause for alarm, particularly if the match gets to a point where England, needing a win, must throw players into attack to chase a goal. Isolating their slow defenders against a counterattacking team is a recipe for zero, not three, points.</p>
<p>Slovenia will be best served by waiting out this match, being patient until England has to start throwing more resources into attack. Then, they counter (like Kirk versus Kahn). Qualifying with a tie, the Slovenes can afford to be conservative, and with one eye on Pretoria, they may see a match play out where they could lose to England and still make the final sixteen. Matzaj Kek can afford to be conservative, at the start.</p>
<p><b>How The Match Turns:</b> If Slovenia can keep England off the scoresheet early, it will be telling when Fabio Capello starts to make substitutions. Cole and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110224/Jermain_Defoe">Jermain Defoe</a> are the England coach’s probable impact subs. How early he goes to them will show how confident he is in his starting XI.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/23/2316831/world-cup-2010-england-vs-slovenia-preview-wayne-rooney-must-beRichard Farley