England demolished 4-1 by Germany

England's phantom goal in 1966

It was really interesting seeing England's build-up to the World Cup, everything about keeping Rooney fit, making sure the golden boy doesn't get injured, and playing a 4-5-1 around him like at Manchester United. Strangely enough, Rooney was terrible this tournament, if I were forced to give him an average rating for all four matches, it'd probably be something like a 3/10.

It's also really interesting to see a reverse situation of 1966, the year England won the World Cup thanks to a goal which didn't actually go over the line by Geoff Hurst. That 1966 final which in extra time England beat Germany 4-2 with a phantom goal is England's only World Cup glory, and yet again while many talked about the "golden generation" etc, England fail to achieve on the big stage.

Klose scoring Germany's first goal

Germany - England


The first 15 or 20 minutes weren't the most exciting, both teams were analyzing each other, scared to take risks or chances which could result in errors, but once things got going, it became a very exciting match. While Germany were passing and stroking the ball around looking to create wonderful through balls and silky slide passes, their goal came in a very "route 1" type of way. Goal-keeper Neuer boots the ball up to Klose who catches Terry and Upson asleep as he gets around them to slide and tap the goal past David James.

Podolski finishing for Germany's second

England were shell-shocked, a quick, powerful goal which immobilized the English until Germany got their second with Podolski. Beautiful silky one-touch triangle passing from the Germans which eventually releases Muller outside the box with no one on him, the young German remains cool and squares it to oncoming Podolski who finished between James's legs.

England eventually woke up as Upson scored with a header from Milner's cross, Neuer had come out to challenge for the ball, but the German goal-keeper missed it completely letting Muller head it in for England's first. Right after this Lampard lobs Neuer with a wonderful volley from outside the box which pings onto the bottom of the cross-bar, the ball bounces a foot and a half in and then pings again on the bottom of the cross-bar as Neuer quickly collects the ball. An obvious goal which the referee doesn't allow, and so for England it is 1966 reversed.

Lampard's chip bouncing in the goal

In the second half we see a more convincing England, 57th minute, Lampard thunders a free kick onto the bar, but 10 minutes later Germany score their third. A well crafted counter-attack against a sleepy England allows 20 year-old Muller to strike from just inside the box, beating David James at the near post virtually ending the match. Germany had time to grab another goal, yet another crafted counter-attack with Ozil squaring the ball to Muller for the young German's second goal.

The game finished with German dominance, a 4-1 score-line which will resonate the message that just because the EPL is the top league in the world, doesn't mean that England has the top players in the world...