Skip to content

Rating England

Rob Parrish casts an eye over how Roy Hodgson's men fared during Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Another major international tournament, another heart-breaking exit on penalties. England will fly home from Euro 2012 after their quarter-final defeat to Italy once again ruing their ability to find the net from 12 yards when the pressure is on. Here, Rob Parrish casts an eye over how Roy Hodgson's men fared in Poland and Ukraine and rates the manager and each of his players on their performances.

Joe Hart
England's undisputed No.1 did as much as any of his team-mates to drive a limited England side to the quarter-finals. Clean sheets against Ukraine and Italy were secured, albeit with a combination of good fortune alongside some excellent saves, while the Manchester City goalkeeper's command of his area and vocal presence were a regular feature. 8/10
Glen Johnson
The Liverpool right-back was the only man to muster a shot on target against Italy, which says a significant amount about England's display. Generally composed in defence and offered an additional threat going forward, but those forays were limited due to the amount of times England gave away possession. Occasionally out of sync with England's poor offside trap. 7/10
Joleon Lescott
Formed an excellent partnership with John Terry at the heart of England's defence which could well be Hodgson's preferred pairing heading into the World Cup qualifying campaign, even when Gary Cahill is back to full fitness. The Manchester City defender was strong in the air, composed in the tackle but his distribution still needs more fine-tuning. 7/10
John Terry
A controversial selection prior to the tournament given his off-field issues, the Chelsea captain demonstrated he remains a solid performer at international level and justified Hodgson's faith. Suggestions of a possible dressing room rift swiftly evaporated and Terry embodied the general England spirit by putting his body on the line where required. 7/10
Ashley Cole
Missed from the spot against Italy, but must not be held responsible for England's exit as without his displays in Hodgson's settled back five the Three Lions would not even have reached that stage. Cole won his 98th cap against Italy and it would be a travesty if he is not afforded the opportunity to reach his century and more as he remains the best left-back in the country. 7/10
Ashley Young
Unlike his namesake in the penalty agony stakes, Young is more likely to bear the brunt of England fans' frustration. Any player who steps up in the shoot-out should be respected, but his displays prior to that point were frustratingly ineffective. One of many who was profligate in possession, the Manchester United winger offered far too little in the opponents' final third. 5/10
Scott Parker
Linked well with Steven Gerrard in the centre of midfield with the Tottenham man well suited to the holding role which allowed the captain greater freedom to get forward. Kept very busy when England's inability to keep the ball - from which he was not immune - pushed him closer to the back four and looked to be struggling for fitness in the latter stages of some games. 6/10
Steven Gerrard
Flourished as England's captain and led by example with his displays on the field. Created three of the five goals scored by the Three Lions at the tournament and provided numerous other chances with his free-kick deliveries before stepping up to fire home an excellent penalty against Italy. But, as with many of his team-mates, became overrun by the Azzurri in the second half. 8/10
James Milner
Offers boundless energy and determination, but needs to bring more than just those qualities to the table if he is to remain a member of England's starting XI. Missed a glorious opportunity to score in the opening game against France and, like Young on the opposite flank, was another who struggled to retain possession and did not threaten enough going forward. 5/10
Wayne Rooney
Arguably England's most naturally talented player, and therefore the greatest disappointment. Yes, Rooney found the net in the win over Ukraine - from about 12 inches out - but he looked very rusty against both the co-hosts and Italy with his first touch, pace, passing and goal-threat all well below his best. His self-inflicted two-game suspension contributed to his lack of sharpness. 4/10
Danny Welbeck
One for the future. The 21-year-old was thrust into the starting XI for the opener against France and kept his place throughout England's Euro 2012 campaign. Demonstrated his ability with an astute finish against Sweden to seal a thrilling victory and with greater experience, which should bring more composure at key moments, can become a fixture in the side. 6/10
Andy Carroll
The Twitter critics who lambasted the decision to thrust Carroll into the starting XI against Sweden were swiftly deleting their tweets when the Liverpool striker powered home the opening goal. Everyone knows what Carroll brings to the table and there is no doubt his presence can unsettle even the best defenders, although his all-round game means he remains a rough diamond. 6/10
Theo Walcott
The game-changer against Sweden, but could not have the same impact against Italy when brought on from the bench in the quarter-final. At just 23, Walcott should have several more tournaments to come with England. The consistency of his performances remains the big question-mark over the Arsenal forward and may explain Hodgson's reticence to give him a starting berth. 6/10
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
A shock inclusion for the opening game against France and perhaps unfortunate to then be left out of the next clash against Sweden. The raw Arsenal teenager can be regarded as another who offers a glimmer of hope for the international future if he continues his development under the guiding hand of Arsene Wenger in North London. 6/10
Jordan Henderson
Drafted into the squad at the last minute following the injuries to Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry, Henderson was called upon from the bench when Parker began to tire in the games against France and Italy. The Liverpool midfielder was hardly likely to change the course of the game and is short on confidence after a tough season with his club. 5/10
Jermain Defoe
Tough to offer a rating on a 13-minute display against France, which is all the Tottenham striker was afforded during England's campaign. Showed great fortitude to deal with the death of his father on the eve of the tournament, jetting back on that occasion and again a few days later to attend the funeral. 6/10
Roy Hodgson
England's manager had little time to prepare his squad for the tournament after being parachuted into the role following Fabio Capello's resignation earlier this year. Reaching the quarter-finals with a limited squad was a decent achievement, with the majority of his team selections and tactical switches suggesting the Three Lions should have little difficult qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. How they will fare in Brazil if they are relying only on organisation and heart remains to be seen. 8/10

Around Sky