With England’s recent 2-0 win over Poland securing their place on the plane to Brazil, manager Roy Hodgson will now turn his attentions to getting his squad prepared for the rigours of the World Cup next summer.
A win was needed over the Poles to guarantee that England would be taking part in the World Cup in 2014, and a win was what they got as goals from Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard gave England the win.
The preparations for the competition have already begun, with the FA expecting to host a friendly against Germany on November 19th, making it the first meeting between the two rivals since Germany knocked England out of the 2010 World Cup with a thumping 4-1 victory.
Joachim Loew’s side qualified for the tournament without losing a single game, and are expected to be one of the favourites to lift the trophy come next summer.
It could be a double header of not-so-friendly friendlies, as another of England’s fierce rivals – Argentina – have also been lined up to to face England in the same week, as England look to to defeat their adversaries in the warm up games.
Hodgson will have a number of crucial decisions to make over the coming months, and the friendly matches serve as a good platform to build on. The poor form of goalkeeper Joe Hart has led to Hodgson admitting that Celtic’s Fraser Forster and Ben Foster of West Bom could be giving the chance to impress during the friendlies, in a bid to put some pressure on Hart, who has been firmly entrenched as the first choice stopper since the end of the last World Cup.
In defence, the injury that ruled Ashley Cole out of the last two games could have damaged him even more, as replacement Leighton Baines proved his worth, leading to many suggesting that the Everton defender should keep his place in the starting lineup, even when Cole returns.
Frank Lampard will bid to keep his spot in the squad despite his 36th birthday looming, and pressure from Everton’s Ross Barkley mounting, whilst Andros Townsend’s displays against Montenegro and Poland have put him in a great position to make the squad, especially with Theo Walcott nursing an injury.
England aren’t necessarily expected to win the World Cup, but with competition for places tough, Hodgson will hope to spring a surprise or two in Brazil next year.
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