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15/06/2012 5:40:00 AM

It was not pretty but it was effective as Roy Hodgson's men earned a point in their Euro 2012 opener against France, and Iain Strachan believes that approach may be worth keeping

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ANALYSIS
By Iain Strachan

The team that held France to a 1-1 draw in Donetsk on Monday arguably showed the least ambition of any England side in the last 20 years.

And contrary to perceived wisdom, such an acceptance of their own limitations may give Roy Hodgson's functional outfit a better chance of progressing at a major tournament than many of its predecessors.

Nearly every two years since July 30, 1966, England's best players have suffocated under the weight of crushing expectations.

They have occasionally come close, suffering agonising semi-final penalty shootout defeats to Germany at the 1990 Fifa World Cup and again on home soil at Euro 96.

But in recent years, the paralysis on the biggest stage has become more acute. Not since an 18-year-old Wayne Rooney took Euro 2004 by storm have England threatened to achieve anything at a major tournament.

The nadir was reached two years ago in South Africa, where, after qualifying for the World Cup in some style under Fabio Capello, England barely escaped the group stage before being comprehensively outclassed by a young, energetic Germany team in the Round of 16.

Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine was supposed to be Capello's chance at redemption, but the Italian quit in February, ostensibly after the Football Association failed to consult him on their decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy following allegations of racial abuse.

Everyone expected Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp to get the nod, but instead the FA opted to appoint career coach Hodgson [pictured above].

Despite listing the top job at Inter Milan, Switzerland and Finland on his CV, Hodgson was a surprise choice, but is the only man ever to be appointed to the England role with prior experience of coaching at an international tournament.

Indeed, his Switzerland side shocked Italy in qualifying for the 1994 World Cup, and progressed from their group at the tournament before losing to Spain in the first knockout round.

As he has proved during the past five years at Fulham and West Bromwich Albion, Hodgson knows what it takes to get the best out of a technically limited group of players.

And while it may not have been the FA's intention to publicise such a fact with their choice of manager, that is precisely what England have become.

In the fantasy land of Spain and Barcelona enthusiasts, England would arrive at their biennial quest for glory and sweep all before them, their brand of high-tempo, one-touch passing proving irresistible to all and sundry.

Welcome back to reality. Such an approach would require an organic tradition of possession-based football totally absent from the landscape of the British game.

And even if someone tried to artificially graft that strategy onto an England squad [look away, Signore Capello], they would need the resources to do so.

There are maybe three English players in key positions with the technical ability and football intelligence necessary - Wayne Rooney in attack, Jack Wilshere in midfield, and Rio Ferdinand at the back.

On last inspection, Rooney managed to get himself suspended for the first two matches of the tournament, Wilshere is sadly absent through injury, and Ferdinand the unhappy victim of Hodgson's arch-pragmatism.

With Ferdinand marginalised for the greater good, England have no centre-back capable of playing out from defence effectively. Without Wilshere, there is no midfielder with the ability to dictate tempo and construct attacks from deep. And with Rooney sidelined, the Three Lions are shorn of their one truly world-class player.

Hodgson knows this, and has set up accordingly. It certainly was not pretty against France at the Donbass Arena.

And but for the heroics of Joe Hart, and any number of desperate blocking tackles, Laurent Blanc's men would surely have emerged with all three points.

But England now have a foothold in the tournament.

And with Sweden losing to co-hosts the Ukraine in their opener, England's next opponents will be obliged to attack when Group D resumes on Friday - an ideal scenario for Hodgson's pragmatic brand of passive aggression.

Whatever happens, England will not win any marks for style or flair.

But do you think Greece were worrying about aesthetics as they held aloft the trophy in Lisbon eight years ago?

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