England's chances at the Euro's.....nil

It's today that the England football squad fly out to the 2012 European Championships and look to be taking their weakest squad to an international tournament. A team decimated by injuries and Wayne Rooney's 2 game suspension, they'll struggle to not just score goals but also to create chances.

This squad includes SIX players from Liverpool, a team that languished in 8th in the Premier League and performed so badly their much idolised manager was given the sack (are the FA are due to change the team song to "You'll Never Walk Alone"?, at least in England's group the Liverpool players will know what it's like to finish 4th) . Added to this is the controversy of the non-selection over Rio Ferdinand which threatens to destabilise the squad and undermine new manager Roy Hodgson.  

 It's easy to see why England aren't fancied to win this tournament and indeed, to struggle to get out of a group which only contains France, Sweden and Ukraine (It's hardly like they have to come against Germany or Spain), add to this the withdrawal of Champions League winners Gary Cahill and Frank Lampard and it's plain to see good news has been scarce (apart from someone fisted Joey Barton in a nightclub (fisting as in punching....not that)).

The whole Rio Ferdinand situation threatens to overshadow the whole tournament for England and The FA, Roy Hodgson and his seniors would of been hoping this whole situation would of blown over by the time they face the press in Donetsk this Sunday, though with 6 players due to meet the media tomorrow in Krakow, it's going to be the burning topic everyone wants to talk about. It promises to be uneasy for England both on and off the pitch as they cope with the tournament pressures and the press.

In England's favour, the expectations for them are low and new manager Roy Hodgson has a whole catalogue of excuses readymade to wheel out when needed, the injuries, the little time he has had to prepare since taking charge only 5 weeks ago and also his claim this tournament is merely being used for experience as a stepping stone to the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil and Euro 2016 in France. So if it goes wrong against France, Sweden and Ukraine, while the fans won't be happy or impressed, the FA will think of this as the transition as managers and players bed in. Looking at the bigger picture they would claim which really seems to store problems for the future.

Under Hodgson, there have been encouraging signs, apart from the style of the way England have played, they have won 2 games, scored 2 goals and not conceded any (albeit against Norway and Belgium), they have looked well organised and solid in defence and it's an okay start given the circumstances. Then when you look at other England manager's starts they mostly start well. Glenn Hoddle won his first three and won nine out of his first ten games, Kevin Keegan was unbeaten in eight games and Sven compiled five straight victories (the only England manager ironically to lose their first game was Sir Alf Ramsey and he was the most successful of all), even Steve 'wally with the brolly' McLaren won his first three games.

In the 52 year history of the European Championships, taking out of the equation Euro 96 which was held in England, the Three Lions have only won 4 games so what chance do they have against a France side who are unbeaten in their last 20 games next Monday? Tournament play is also about ball-retention and passing, both of which England were poor with against Norway and Belgium.

Scott Parker is clearly trying to bust a gut to impress and make a name for himself at this level but his tackles in the centre of midfield have been just as scary as David Beckham's new V for Vendetta style facial hair. If he continues to play this way, he'll get himself sent off. Out wide there is a lack of penetration and selecting players simply for pace like Theo Walcott will show they are simply 'athletes in boots' on the bigger stage. James Milner simply doesn't hurt defences and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain simply hasn't shown he is a world beater, the most confounding selection though is Stewart Downing, a player who never to score a goal or even an assist, I simply don't understand why he was selected for England when Liverpool have to be thinking of offloading him surely. 

Previously we have gone into tournaments with the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen, Owen Hargreaves and Paul Scholes and it was understandable why expectations were always high, now we have Martin Kelly, Jordan Henderson (who's family friend is Bigfoot) and Andy Carroll, these three would never of got into the squad between 1998-2010 and that shows the lack of quality and strength in depth going into these Euros.

It's not all bad however, Joe Hart is being compared to the likes of Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton, he's a huge figure and can inspire confidence in the defenders in front of him. Danny Welbeck took his goal against Belgium brilliantly and has pace and quick feet that has seen him keep the impressive Javier Hernandez and the previous seasons top league goal scorer Dimitar Berbatov out of the Manchester United team. Ashley Young has scored or set up a goal in 11 of England's last 20 goals, he is priceless to the national cause right now.

The England team aren't just a ramshackle bunch of players, they are functional as you'd expect with the likes of Scott Parker and Ashley Young though they won't really get anyone excited so Hodgson is proudly making the best of a bad job and needs to make England raise their game against better sides but really, it looks to be a tournament where the nation could rue the experience of Rio Ferdinand and that will be the big talking point and abiding memory.