ENGLAND
Hodgson's England are now a reasonably slick outfit, employing either an adventurous 4-3-3 system or switching to the midfield diamond (which saw them come from 2-0 behind to win 3-2 in Germany in March).
STRENGTHS
Finally, this is a young, dynamic team with two effervescent Spurs players likely to make a difference this summer in the way they attack - Dele Alli and Harry Kane.
WEAKNESSES
The defence looks vulnerable, with Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill prone to the occasional lapse. Hodgson, remarkably, has only three centre-backs in his squad (although Dier can play there as well).
SLOVAKIA
Slovakia are resurgent under Jan Kozak, who prefers a 4-2-3-1 system with Marek Hamsik in a free role. Beat Spain in qualifying to finish ahead of Ukraine in their group.
STRENGTHS
Marek Hamsik had not played as well for Slovakia as he had for Napoli before Kozak took over, but now he makes the national side tick with his tireless running and ability to create and score goals.
WEAKNESSES
Hamsik again, sadly. Slovakia rely heavily on the 28-year-old, which means there is little in the way of attacking threat should he be n |
semi finals 1968, 1996
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winners 1976 (as Czechoslovakia)
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ENGLAND
Kyle Walker and Danny Rose are the favourites to take the full-back roles in a side that will have a distinct Tottenham Hotspur flavour, with as many as five players from White Hart Lane in the starting XI. Dier has strong credentials to be the holding midfield player but Hodgson is a staunch admirer of Jack Wilshere and the Arsenal midfielder could play a considerable part as long as his fitness holds up after a season in which he started only one league match. Hodgson’s side will not feature natural wingers but the front players will be expected to move out wide and the team will have overlapping full-backs.Eric Dier has excelled this season for Tottenham in a defensive midfield role and, if England have problems in the back four, his shielding could be vital.
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SLOVAKIA
Kozak is a very conservative coach, not prone to throwing youngsters in at the deep end – Ondrej Duda, the Legia Warsaw midfielder, and Milan Skriniar, a centre-back who joined Sampdoria in January, are, at 21, the youngest members of the squad – but he should give the winger Robert Mak a chance to catch the eye. The 25-year-old is a graduate of Manchester City’s academy, whom he left aged 19 in 2010, spending four years at Nuremberg before going on to become a key player for PAOK in Greece. He has brought his good form into the national team, too, having scored the only goal in the crucial qualifying match in Ukraine. Technically gifted and quick, Mak, reportedly on the radar of a number of Italian clubs including Milan and Fiorentina, has a big chance to prove his qualities and earn a transfer to one of Europe’s biggest leagues. |
