Republic of Ireland 0-0 England: Five talking points from a dull draw
Sunday 7 June 2015 19:17, UK
Adam Bate picks out five questions for England manager Roy Hodgson after the team’s 0-0 draw with Republic of Ireland on Sunday…
Republic of Ireland and England played out a dull 0-0 draw in the Dublin sun on Sunday afternoon that provided more questions than answers for Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson.
While Jack Wilshere's efforts were encouraging, the midfield blend needs work and Raheem Sterling's form appears to have been affected by recent speculation.
Here we pick out five questions that the England manager might be asking himself ahead of next week's European Qualifier against Slovenia...
Euro 2016 Qualifiers
What has happened to Sterling?
The boos that rang out around the ground confirmed Raheem Sterling's new status as pantomime villain following his contractual shenanigans this past season. The Liverpool forward looked to be shaken by the experience too.
This is a player who might have fancied his chances of dribbling past any defender around when on song - only two Premier League players managed more in 2014/15 - but he found Marc Wilson and Robbie Brady more than a match for him in Dublin. Have the off-field issues affected the momentum of a 20-year-old player who relies on confidence to perform?
What is Rooney's best position?
This was not exactly a game to remember for many people in the Aviva Stadium but few performed further below par than Wayne Rooney. The low point came when the England captain squandered the clearest opening of the game - failing to control a Jordan Henderson pass that looked to have put him through on the Ireland goal.
He cut an isolated figure for periods of the game, attempting only 14 passes in 74 minutes, and while England assistant Gary Neville has admired the way that Rooney had embraced seeing less of the ball at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal, this was a test of that theory.
Can Wilshere thrive from deep?
Hodgson has put plenty of trust in Jack Wilshere to play the deep-lying midfield role for England and he's been rewarded. It remains intriguing to watch the Arsenal midfielder interpret the position. His natural inclination to carry the ball forwards provides possibilities for the team in terms of opening up opponents, but it can be a dangerous tactic when coming from the man who is supposed to be covering.
Who holds for the holding midfielder? It's been a success in qualifying and elevated England but there is the nagging suspicion that Wilshere's adventure could be punished by the best.
What is Jones's best position?
Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes suggested in the build-up to Sunday's game that Phil Jones, his former team-mate, might not be clever enough to succeed at centre-back. Jones found himself at right-back against Ireland and produced a typically spirited performance in getting forward up the flank.
However, his physical characteristics mean that he is surely better suited to a central role. As Scholes points out, showing he has the savvy to match is another matter. Jones is 23 now and needs to nail down a role soon.
Will Milner and Henderson work?
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher recently questioned what James Milner’s arrival at Anfield will mean for Henderson. "His best position is tucked in from the right in a central role which is also Jordan Henderson's so it'll be interesting how those two fit into next year's midfield set up," said Carragher.
The two men lined up alongside each other in Hodgson’s England team on Sunday but there were few real answers to the question of whether or not it might work for Liverpool. Getting the best from both men is a matter for both Hodgson and Brendan Rodgers now.
