How each England player rated at Euro 2016

How each England player rated at Euro 2016

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Cal Behrendt
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Another competition, another disappointing campaign from the Three Lions as they leave France at the round of 16 after a 2-1 loss to minnows Iceland.

It’s an all too familiar story for the England. Heading to France with expectations aplenty, Roy Hodgson’s men will be heading back home having once again underperformed, this time via a match some are calling the worst loss in English history.

Cracks were starting to show after the opening match, when England threw points in the dying seconds to draw 1-1 with Russia in Marseille.

England bounced back to secure three points with a 2-1 win over Wales, with a stoppage time goal from Daniel Sturridge being the difference between the sides. But England once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, giving up their top spot in the group after a 0-0 draw with Slovakia in Saint-Étienne, pushing them down into second place and handing them a draw against Iceland.

While Iceland was a game everyone expected the Three Lions to win, England once again bombed out as only they can, going down 2-1 to Strákarnir okkar despite taking the lead.

Here is how each English player performed at the European Championships.

Goalkeeper

Joe Hart – 4.5: The Manchester City ‘keeper was one of only three players to play every minute of England’s campaign and despite only conceding four goals, Hart had a disappointing campaign in between the sticks. His slow reaction to the second Icelandic goal will most likely standout as his main contribution to the English campaign.

Defence

Danny Rose – 6: With three full games to impress, the Tottenham defender was competent enough in his position, leading the side in interceptions but arguably failing to make a notable impact in attack.

Ryan Bertrand – 6: One full match against Slovakia, but was one of the better players in the game, crafting a number of key passes from the backline.

Chris Smalling – 7: One of the few bright spots in England’s campaign, the Manchester United man was a rock in the defence, linking up well with Cahill to provide a good foundation for the Three Lions. His solid performance against Gareth Bale will undoubtedly be his moment in the sun for this competition.

Gary Cahill – 6.5: It was his passing and speed on the ball that let Cahill down in France, but defensively he was impressive, the Chelsea man being trusted to hold the backline and even leading the nation out as captain in their match against Slovakia.

Nathaniel Clyne – 6.5: Only played one match against Slovakia, but the Liverpool man made the most of his chance, being a vital attacking asset from the defence for the Three Lions.

Kyle Walker – 6: The Tottenham full-back had a mixed bag of a tournament, impressing against Russia and Wales but a horrible performance against Iceland blotted much of his good work. The 26-year-old was directly at fault for Ragnar Sigurdsson’s goal after failing to track the Icelandic defender.

Midfielders

Eric Dier – 7.5: England’s player of the tournament, Dier was in hot form for all four games, providing fantastic cover defensively, while working well in the midfield to create chances. His fantastic free kick goal against Russia was his and England’s standout moment.

Dele Alli – 6: Featured in all four games for the English side, but never truly made his mark on the competition. He provided plenty of options in the midfield and a vital attacking asset though and the Tottenham man will no doubt be a star player of this English side in the future.

Wayne Rooney – 6.5: The English captain was vital, being the missing link between England’s defence and attack in all four matches. While occasionally not doing enough up front, despite netting England’s only goal against Iceland, Rooney nonetheless put in a solid showing and showcased the Manchester United star’s surprising versatility.

Jack Wilshere – 4: His inclusion was questionable to begin with. Two appearances off the bench and a start against Slovakia, Wilshere looked all over the place. However, his lack of fitness was once again a big issue, the Arsenal player looking out of touch and tired in what chances he was given.

Jordan Henderson – 6: Enjoyed a full game against Slovakia and performed admirably, stringing together passes and being a rock in the English midfield.

Adam Lallana – 6.5: Despite not being played against Iceland, the Liverpool midfielder can be happy with his performance in France, despite it looking a little inconsistent at times. Lallana crafted plenty of attacking options and space in the midfield. His shooting however left a lot to be desired.

James Milner – N/A: Only came on for three minutes against Russia, and failed to make any major impact in his brief chance.

Forwards

Raheem Sterling – 3.5: The Manchester City man made mistake after mistake in France, with his only decent performance coming against Russia. Sterling lacked the requisite composure to create chances up front and this shone through in his play, often leading to Sterling messing up a shot or misplacing a pass. However, his few flashes of brilliance are encouraging as England look towards the future.

Jamie Vardy – 6.5: Started against Slovakia and came off the bench twice, Vardy was under-utilized this tournament. While showing plenty of attacking promise and strength up front, he never truly got going as Hodgson laid his trust in others. He will, however, have a goal against Wales to take home with him, tapping in a misplaced header from Welsh defender Ashley Williams.

Daniel Sturridge – 6: Secured the win for England with a late goal against Wales in one of the few bright spots for England. Sturridge looked solid in the three matches he appeared, but failed to play to his potential.

Marcus Rashford – 5.5: Despite coming off the bench twice and only getting 21 minutes on the field in France, Rashford looked encouraging with the little he had to work with.

Harry Kane – 3: England pinned their hopes and dreams on the Tottenham striker and Kane had a horrendous tournament on the back of them, becoming nothing more than a joke after being placed on corner duty against Russia. Kane had an average of 3.3 shots per game yet failed to find the net once in France, wasting his shots like a Stormtrooper going after Luke Skywalker. Still has a lot to learn.

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