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Martin Swain: England fall short

England's World Cup finished as it began. In all three games, Roy Hodgson's team has done enough to author a very different story at Brazil 2014.

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But in finishing goalless against Costa Rica in their 'dead rubber' closing fixture, they provided a perfect parting image of a campaign of under-fulfilment.

England made all the running against Group D's surprise winners and created the chances of significance.

But, just as against Italy and Uruguay, they came up short in the critical moments.

There is no hiding from the conclusion that so many have been drawing away from the tedious hysteria demanding heads roll – in the critical moments in either penalty area, England are just not good enough.

It adds up to the chronic tale of disappointment that is England's companion for nearly 50 years of World Cups. That suggests there is more to resolving this despair than hoping and praying for a better run of the ball.

And yet, it is so easy to go down that route. As England dominated this game against an energetic Costa Rican team built around the virtues of the counter-attack, Uruguay were squeezing past the Italians in their contentious final fixture thanks to a goal scored by captain Diego Godin.

In a parallel universe, Godin would not have been on the pitch against Italy but he escaped a suspension – and more pertinently a very clear sending off – against England in one of the second game's decisive moments.

And this final fixture saw England again come out the wrong side of a refereeing decision. In the 28th minute, Daniel Sturridge was fairly obviously blocked off from shooting by Oscar Duarte from close range but Algerian official Djamel Haimoudi decided otherwise.

Such moments aggravate England's sense of injustice, a grievance that goes back to when? Bobby Moore's jewellery 'theft' or Maradona's hand ball? However, in a game of minimal opportunities, this doesn't explain Sturridge's second-half miss after a lovely exchange with Jack Wilshere and James Milner when he curled an effort the wrong side of the post.

It was the sort of chance Luis Suarez would have taken, the sort of moment which symbolised so perfectly this entire venture to South America.

Hodgson can brace himself for the predictable hostility that will greet such an underwhelming challenge, but that would be like blaming the man behind the wheel of a faulty car.

For the first two years of his tenure, he has been urged to commit to youth and risk whatever that may bring at this World Cup.

He has done that and, what is more, answered the demand for our national team to go to a major tournament and play a type of game that reflects the regular fare of the Premier League.

It has been found wanting, just as have the players, but that is not to say that with more experience, these same footballers won't qualify for the European Championships and go on to give a better account of themselves.

But, yes, they have to learn quickly, make better decisions in the critical moments and certainly find a solution to the glaring weakness of the England team in this era – a lack of real class in the centre of defence.

It is right to point out at this moment that there was a positive and impressive World Cup blooding for Ben Foster in this game, the first Baggies player to appear for England at this tournament since Jeff Astle in 1970.

I can only recall one errant kick from Foster in an otherwise commanding and fault-free performance which featured one excellent save, a leap to tip on to the top of his crossbar an early free-kick from Celso Borges.

And thank goodness for the Albion man's stability because, although Costa Rica contested this fixture with a game of such minimal intent they could have been Japan, the best defenders available to the England manager are less than convincing.

Manchester United's Phil Jones and Chris Smalling were like an accident waiting to happen, leaving England relieved that Costa Rica never directed enough traffic towards Foster to cause a crash.

Surprisingly, for representatives of a club which for 20 years has provided some of the technically best English players, Smalling and Jones were repeatedly shown up in possession.

It is a weakness that has undermined English football for more years than many fans care to remember and, tacked on to the struggles of Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka, shows the Achilles heel is back to curse this generation too.

In front of the defence, however, England were able to lodge signs of their potential if and when they can add the calm, the poise and the experience of this unique type of football to their emerging ranks.

Luke Shaw may have doubts about his defensive reliability but some of his attacking forays on a boiling hot afternoon confirmed the excitement for his future.

Sturridge and Raheem Sterling, having started the tournament as rising stars, may have levelled out a touch in the subsequent games but Adam Lallana nudged himself back over the gain line for the tournament, Jack Wilshere may have just got round in par and Ross Barkley continues to add fleeting moments of excitement.

It isn't enough to carry England home with anything approaching redemption, but neither should this group of players be condemned. And, no matter where you stand on his overall quality as an international coach, neither should Hodgson.

Thankfully the FA have not yet reduced the post of England manager to the cycle of perpetual regime-change that dominates the nation's domestic club football.

By giving Hodgson security of tenure immediately after the Uruguay disappointment, they granted him the freedom to make wholesale changes for this game and offer vital experience to untested players.

This could have been such a different experience for England. There has been no shortage of commitment or passion as some will inevitably cry.

England have fallen the wrong side of some slender, slender margins. But they are the best we have – indeed they are all we have – and while the game waits to provide longer-term solutions to our long story of international failure, they need faith not scorn.

And a little luck wouldn't go amiss either.

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