Are England beginning to suffer from defensive frailties?

England are exposed without Ferdinand and Terry

England have always been one of the best defensive teams in world football. However, in recent times, the defence has become a major problem for the Three Lions. In spite of getting through to the World Cup without having to go through any play-offs, England have been noticeably weak at the heart of their defence. The 2-0 defeat to Chile showed England’s weakness, with Alexis Sanchez totally exposing the defence. The recent 1-0 loss to Germany was also a tough pill to swallow as the Germans were a constant nuisance for the English defenders up front.

Rio Ferdinand and John Terry are truly missed by England. The duo were among the best in the world and it was extremely difficult for any opposition to break them down. Manchester United full back Rio Ferdinand officially retired from international football in favour of young talent, but the truth is the youngsters are just not up to the mark yet. Former Three Lions skipper John Terry stepped down from the national team due to racism allegations which further weakened England. The Chelsea captain was without doubt one of England’s best players in the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 and is still going strong with Chelsea.

The partnership of Chris Smalling and Phil Jagielka has worked out reasonably well, but they lack the command that Terry and Ferdinand possessed. Gary Cahill has also been decent for his country but needs to work a bit more. The 27-year-old is without doubt a talented player and will surely mature as time goes along. Cahill himself stated that he is learning a lot from John Terry and that he hopes to become a permanent starter for his country.

Manchester United youngster Phil Jones is the shining light of England’s defence. The 21-year-old is blessed with heaps of talent and is so versatile that he can even operate as a midfielder. Injuries have always been an issue for Jones, which threaten to limit his international appearances. The former Blackburn Rovers player will certainly have a big role to play in Brazil next year but some weight needs to be lifted off his shoulders.

England have a good chance of reaching the finals but will have to be extremely careful when they face attacking teams. The Three Lions are famous for adopting a defensive style of play when they are faced with a fast-paced opposition and they will certainly do that in Brazil next year.

Roy Hodgson has a wealth of options in the forward and midfield department and unless a major injury crisis crops up, the Three Lions are extremely safe up front. The flanks are also in safe hands with players like Kyle Walker and Leighton Baines shining in recent months. The only crippling block is the heart of the defence, and the issue will have to be plugged if England want to lift the World Cup after 48 long years.