England prepare for their first game under Sam Allardyce as they begin their FIFA World Cup 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign against Slovakia.
England prepare to battle a familiar foe as they face Slovakia in the first match of their 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign. The two teams were in the same group at Euro 2016 and their match raised a lot of hue and cry among English supporters as then Three Lions manager, Roy Hogdson, made a surprising decision of making a lot of changes to his lineup including dropping Wayne Rooney to the bench.
The game ended in a 0-0 draw that prevented the nation from finishing first, which in turn matched them up against Iceland, who ultimately spelled doom for their Euro 2016 campaign. Even though Slovakia did not manage to beat England, the result did shake the confidence of the players to an extent as Marek Hamsik & co. look to impress the world by starting their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign on the right foot.
Team News & Tactics
Slovakia
Slovakia would aim to play similarly to their previous match-up against England where they sat back and soaked pressure while latching onto chances of catching the Three Lions out on a break. Jan Kozak’s side are habituated with having lesser number of attempts than their opposition, but are known to be more prolific with their shots.
Slovakia are likely to play with a deep back-line built to absorb pressure while the midfield will be tasked with the job of closing down open space on the field. Marek Hamsik is likely to be the man the squad will look to pass the ball to in order to get the offence up and running as the Serie A talisman will be the key to Slovakia’s chances of snatching a victory against England.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1) : Kozacik; Pekarik, Skrtel, Gyomber, Svento; Hrosovsky, Kucka; Mak, Hamsik, Duda; Duric
England
England would be looking to put the ghosts of their Euro 2016 performances behind them as they aim to begin a new chapter under a new manager in Sam Allardyce. Big Sam is renowned for building a sturdy defence while also being known for his physical playing style.
The former Bolton manager doesn’t seem to prefer players that do not fight, which could be a significant factor in the future England starting lineups. The new England boss has been tasked with the responsibility of ending a nasty run of sides filled with world-beaters that have gone on to acquire virtually nothing in terms of international accolades after the 1966 World Cup.
The nation has already seen Michail Antonio called up and Big Sam reiterated that he shall be looking towards more foreign players that are eligible to play for England in the near future. Fraser Forster’s injury has seen him being replaced by Southampton’s Alex McCarthy which is likely to make it a two-horse race for the goalkeeping spot in Allardyce’s first starting lineup.
One would wonder if Big Sam decides to back the out-of-form Joe Hart or prefer the former Manchester United player Tom Heaton in goal with the keeper impressing in his recent outings for Burnley. Elsewhere, Wayne Rooney is slated to start the match as captain of the side but it would be interesting to see where the former Evertonian is deployed.
Dele Alli, Wayne Rooney and Adam Lallana are all equally adept at playing as the number 10 but one things it is most likely to be between Alli and Rooney for the spot as Lallana is more than likely to be happy to slid to either side of the field to accommodate his counterparts.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1) : Heaton; Clyne, Cahill, Jagielka, Shaw; Drinkwater, Henderson; Alli, Rooney, Lallana; Vardy
Key Stats
- The two teams have matched up on the international stage on four occasions with England undefeated thus far, having won three of the four matches
- The four meetings have seen a total of 10 goals being scored in the match with at least 3 goals in each match.
- The last match, however, was an exception as the two teams played out a stalemate, which also was the first occasion between the nations where England failed to score.
- Both the teams got knocked out of the Euros in the Round of 16 stage.
- Their 0-0 scoreline was also the only match in the Euro 2016 where England failed to score.
Prediction
Slovakia 1-3 England
Even though Sam Allardyce’s teams are known for their defensive solidity, the match is too soon for Big Sam to stamp his own tactics upon the players. Slovakia have a more than decent front-line and Marek Hamsik’s efficiency could prove troublesome for the Three Lions.
England’s front-line though appears as star-studded as it could have been and the star power is likely to push England through to mark the beginning of Sam Allardyce’s England reign on a positive note.