Richard Sutcliffe: England’s preference for patience over pace left us all puzzled

“When we saw the team sheet before the game,” said the striker who had just led the Denmark attack in their 1-0 defeat at Wembley, “and with all the different players coming through, there is a lot of good, young talent coming through.

“They play for big clubs and I think they have a good chance.”

Thirty or so yards away in the bowels of the national stadium, however, Denmark coach Morten Olsen’s verdict was rather more scathing. It was also much closer to the truth.

“I wish you good luck at the World Cup,” the veteran Dane told the English media as he got up to leave the room after completing his press conference duties. “You’ll need it.”

The assembled journalists laughed.

Later, England coach Roy Hodgson brushed aside the quip when addressing the same reporters. The damage, though, had been done as – thanks to Twitter – the quote had quickly gone viral.

While no offence was meant by Olsen, pictured right, his verdict was nevertheless one that held weight with even the most one-eyed supporter surely realising that England will need a lot of good fortune this summer just to get out of Group D, never mind progress through the knockout stages.

That much had been laid bare in the previous 90 minutes against a Danish side who will spend this summer watching the finals at home on television.

England may have ended the game strongly. They may also have won much more convincingly, but for several saves by Kasper Schmeichel.

But the night had still been a struggle right up until the point that Daniel Sturridge settled matters by heading a cross from Adam Lallana beyond Schmeichel with just eight minutes remaining on the clock.

Not only had England laboured for long periods, but they also once again adopted a safety-first approach that opposing teams find easy to play against.

Displaying the conservative traits that their manager has become renowned for during a long career in the dugout, the Three Lions players continually looked for a percentage pass rather than take a risk.

With the pace of Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge in the starting line-up this patient, biding your time, approach made little sense.

Defenders – whether they be top internationals or Sunday league hatchet men – fear pace and being forced to turn towards their own goal. It is why Andros Townsend made such a big impact last autumn when rescuing England’s qualifying campaign in the nick of time.

On Wednesday night, however, the tactic seemed to be to retain possession at all costs – something that plainly does not suit this group of players, who give the ball away far too cheaply.

Better, surely, that England get the ball forward quickly and leave the pacey players to do the rest.

In the end, the 68,573 crowd – a remarkable turnout for what was, in effect, a game played at testimonial pace – were just glad to see England break the deadlock before heading out into the London night.

And this against a team beaten 4-0 at home in qualifying by Armenia and who had the worst record of the nine group runners-up, which is why Olsen’s men did not even make the play-offs.

Jack Wilshere, who was yesterday ruled out for six weeks with a hairline fracture of his left foot that the Arsenal midfielder suffered in a 50-50 challenge with Daniel Agger, had an explanation after the game for why the match had never really got going.

“There aren’t many teams that come to Wembley and take the game to you,” he said. “So, we tried to take the game to them.

“We had a few chances in the first half, and their ’keeper was really good. We got the goal in the end. But I think as well that patience is going to be crucial when it comes to Brazil.

“It is going to be hot, teams are going to be getting tired, and you have got to keep going until the end.”

The humidity in Brazil – and, in particular, Manaus, the stage for the opening group game against Italy – will be a problem for all European teams, that much is certain.

But, surely, that means a rearguard action similar to what Hodgson employed in Euro 2012 is going to make life even harder for a squad that has sufficient natural pace to ask serious questions of the opposition.