Note to US national team: forget Rooney

The match v ENG looms on June 12th for the US and all supporters of the Men’s National Team are on tenterhooks. It’s the sort of match that in some ways is meaningless but yet could mean oh so much. An hour ago, England coach Capello released his final roster, with few surprises. It’s a fine squad, with some illustrious names but eminently beatable.

Since the WC draws were made, the CounterAttack and a Dutch friend have been mystified how anyone can rate England as one of the favorites to actually win the World Cup. The Three Lions should advance from Group C, yes (along with the US), and they should even advance to the quarterfinals. But the key word is “should” because the reality is that they could lose to the US and they could lose to Slovenia, who after all beat a Russian team that are only out of the tournament because they self-destructed.

For all the acclaim and hoopla surrounding England, the reality is that they have exactly three players that truly scare anyone. Wayne Rooney moved onto a higher plateau this past season and probably would have won the Golden Boot in the Premier League but for being injured most of the last month of the season. Rooney, however, is a workhorse and goal-scorer who is unable to take over a match on his own. He is not Messi or Torres or even Henry, strikers who can take over the match and make it their own. Rooney can be shut out and get frustrated – and the longer he is shut out, the more frustrated he gets. We follow Manchester United; we know this about Wazza quite well.

Steven Gerrard, despite having a sub-par season, is a class player. We would fully expect the real Stevie G to show up in Rustenberg on the 12th to create havoc. Now he is a player that can take over a match. But will he?

The only other English player who should scare anyone is…Frank Lampard. Ironically, he is a given on the squad but is rarely mentioned as a tipping point. The CounterAttack will propose that Fat Frank (we never understood this – he isn’t) is precisely that game breaker. His ability to create goals from distance and to force GKs into action is not to be taken lightly. The ball, as they say, is round and anything can happen. Lampard plays to that axiom better than any other Englander. He is impossible to shut down because he just pops up when you’re not paying attention to him. Easily overlooked, until he blasts a shot from 30 yards on the wing.

And that’s it. Sure, you can talk all you want about Aaron Lennon (a player the CounterAttack rates very highly, btw), Jermaine Defoe or the (non-brothers) Coles. Whatevs, we are unimpressed. Yes, perhaps they step up. Perhaps. They haven’t done so yet, so the question really is, when?

The England defense is quite suspect – nothing speaks louder than the fact that international retiree Jamie Carragher was called back into service. He and Rio have suddenly and shockingly lost a full step on the ball in a very short time. The CounterAttack has always considered John Terry to be overrated. Better, perhaps, than most American defenders, but still overrated. Let’s not even talk GKs….

The way to beat England is actually quite simple: isolate Rooney. Don’t lose sight of him, of course, but make sure his shots and passing options are limited. In other words, force England’s other players to rise to the occasion. Easier said than done but can be done.

Because that’s where the questions begin: Can Stevie G come back to form? Can Lampard be more than a threat and actually score? Can Terry link between defense and attack without leaving holes? Will the ENG second striker (probably Heskey) step up to the challenge? Will Defoe or some winger become the new hero? Will Glenn Johnson offer more on offense than he surrenders on defense? Can Barry continue where he left off with City?

Look, let’s be quite clear: any and all of these could very well happen. But will it? We just don’t believe it will, at least not enough to get past the second round.

The Japan match on Sunday was not a uniquely sub-par performance from England. The score line flattered to deceive, what with two JPN own goals. There was no “oomph” from anyone in a Three Lions shirt, not even with a few roster spots still at stake. Instead there was a rather tepid performance. It’s not just this match – little Mexico gave England fits, again with a score line that flattered.

Absolutely 100% the final score is more important than how you play in the World Cup. The CounterAttack fully expects that England will try play better when it really counts, because that's the problem: playing well is not something you just switch on.

We expect ENG to get out of the group but we would not be shocked if they didn’t get past the second round. They could beat Serbia (but then again not) but Germany? So it all depends on beating the US, setting the tone and winning the group.

And that all comes down to the MNT forgetting about Rooney. Just make sure the other Englanders don’t beat you.

Image via Getty Images, from ESPN Soccernet