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England Squad Report: Hodgson has a plan to deal with Italy

Richard Heathcote / Getty

Roy Hodgson claims he has a plan to deal with Italian midfield virtuoso Andrea Pirlo – the player who passed England to death in the quarterfinals of Euro 2012.

Hodgson recognizes a change of tact is needed in Manaus on Saturday, revealing his side “will play with more energy than last time.” But will that be possible in the humidity of the Amazon rainforest? Wayne Rooney might actually evaporate should humidity levels top 90 percent, leaving just a very expensive hairpiece on the turf.

But Hodgson is right. England can’t play the way they did last time against Italy, when Joe Hart to Andy Carroll was their most common pass combination. Yet it’s not clear what his plan consists of exactly, other than “play better” as he asserted on Monday. Hodgson is keeping it under wraps.

The FA even sent guards up Sugar Loaf Mountain on Monday, which overlooks England’s training base, to make sure nobody was spying on their session. Whether Raheem Sterling or Danny Welbeck will play on Saturday is apparently highly classified information.

Two years ago Pirlo completed more passes than all of England’s midfield combined. Perhaps to stop the same thing happening again Hodgson should use the exuberance of Ross Barkley and Adam Lallana to press the deep-lying playmaker higher up the pitch.

But what England need to do more than anything is score goals. In their last 14 major tournament games they’ve scored just 15 goals. Considering the attacking potency England has in the form of Daniel Sturridge, Rooney, Sterling and Welbeck, perhaps Hodgson’s plan will focus inwards rather than on Pirlo. Is it all a bluff?

Fixtures/Results

Group D — June 14 — England vs. Italy

Group D — June 19 — Uruguay vs. England

Group D — June 24 — Costa Rica vs. England

Squad News/Rumors/Injury Report

MF Alex Oxlade - Chamberlain — Questionable for Italy game (Knee)

MF Jack Wilshere — Questionable (Match fitness).

RW Raheem Sterling could replace Danny Welbeck in the lineup to face Italy.

MF James Milner will challenge Adam Lallana for a starting place.

Five Quick Notes

1. Jack Wilshere is behind the rest of the England squad in terms of general fitness, admitting, “In an ideal world I would have preferred a few more games.” 

2. When in Brazil….. 

3. Having been criticized for his decision-making in the warm-up game against Ecuador last week, Ross Barkley missed the bus to training on Monday.

4. Jose Mourinho has revealed he was close to accepting the England job in 2007, but his wife talked him out of it.

5. Raheem Sterling is impressing at England’s awe-inspiring training camp, just below Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio De Janeiro.

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