It shouldnt come as a disappointment anymore for England supporters. They are used to this. Losing. It isnt underachieving when the team isnt good enough. This is as good as it gets. Whenever Englands Brazilian journey comes to an end (they havent been eliminated, yet) the diehard support and those responsible for overseeing English football will hold on to the positive moments. Flashes of ability and promise are what constitute hope. "They werent that bad" is excused as progress. The play of the likes of Sturridge and Sterling, and the futures of Barkley and Shaw will be used as evidence brighter days ahead. Yawn. Weve heard this before. Weve done this song and dance. The days of a semi-final shoot-out loss in Italia 90 are long gone. Lets not go back to 1966. The failures have piled on, one less painful than the next. Success would be a surprise. Losses to more intelligent and superior football nations are the expectation. The English should be immune from the feeling of devastation or outrage. From a Golden Generation not good enough, to the likes of Rooney, Lampard and Gerrard who have failed to capture the imagination. Its a vicious cycle of mediocrity. A 2-1 loss to Uruguay is just the latest chapter. England was poor. Nothing new. The how it happened is what drives home the obvious. Too weak in too many areas and lacking true top talent to break down their competition. Out-managed. Out-witted. Out-classed. Uruguay only completed a pathetic 64 per cent of passes. The South Americans struggled in build up and were content to sit back. It was an astute page out of Italys book from Englands opening match; sit-back and force England to break you down. Dont get beat for speed. And counter-attack. Thats what Uruguay did, and credit for executing. They got stuck in and remained organized. Forget basic statistics telling you England dominated possession with Uruguay on the back-foot. It was calculated. It worked to perfection. A basic approach against a basic team. Simple. The game winning goal incredibly came directly from the Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. A ball put on the ground and a long ball played out. Simple to defend, right? Apparently not. Edinson Cavani dropped deep all match to expose long-in-the-tooth Steven Gerrard sitting on top of the England backline. For what the England captain has in experience, he lacks in legs because of the kilometers accumulated. Cavanis aerial challenge of Gerrard forced a wayward header backwards from the England midfielder. Luis Suarez, as proper poachers do, tucked in behind the backline looking for an advantage. He gambled and he won, as Gary Cahill got caught. Suarez was clinical in finish and again showed his special talent. A game breaker and match winner, something England doesnt have. Likewise on Suarez opener, he exposed Englands backline. The Uruguayan number nine did well to create the needed space on the far post behind Phil Jagielka. The ball played to Suarez by Cavani was all-world. But it was two Uruguayan players on six England defenders. Nobody put pressure on the ball. And to leave Suarez lurking on the far post wasnt good enough. Not to mention is was a missed tackle by Gerrard in the midfield, leading to the attack. Two England centre-backs and two mistakes leading to goals conceded. Cahill and Jagielka are experienced at the position, at least at the club level. They are the best in the country at the position and they were exposed. The best England has at an all-important position and not good enough. Its the same story at the other end of the field. Not good enough. Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge are more than fine players. They are very good. But they are not at the same levels of other top forwards in this tournament, let alone not the top forwards on their own club teams. Therein is the difference. The likes of Rooney and Sturridge require real substance around them to be at their best, and thats fine. They are better the complimentary piece rather than the focus at this level. When played appropriately, they can shine. In this England team, their play often times is representative of the whole. These are the best England has and they are not good enough. The midfield, a make-shift, comprised of decent parts with no direction on how its supposed to work. Jordan Henderson had a fine season on a good attacking Liverpool team. Yet something suggests he has the makings of becoming the next Sinclair, Wright-Phillips, Mills, or Parker – take your pick of the long list of players youll ask, "Did he really play for England?" Is he really the best England really has? The rest of the midfield is all over the place. The left-side exposed defensively and the movement in attack not creative or consistent. Passing the ball around without purpose wont break down a back line. Its no surprise this area of the field is stagnant and lacks influence. And the manager, oh the manager. Roy Hodgson saw fit to keep Englands double-pivot of Gerrard and Henderson on the field in a game begging for attacking players to breakdown the Uruguayan defensive wall. Comically, two holding players were preferable to keeping on Sterling or Welbeck, or even throwing on a Rickie Lambert until after England went down. The options at Hodgson arent flattering. But neither were the tactics. The very least Hodgson could have done was shuffle the deck. Bring off a defensive midfielder or ineffective wing-back in preference of another attacking player. Change the shape. Instead, the end result of a cautious approach was not good enough. Some will suggest Ashley Cole and Jermain Defoe should have been in the England set-up. Leighton Baines has struggled and another forward option off the bench could have proved decisive. Arguments can be made but how much of a difference they would have made most likely would have been negligible. It made more sense to include Michael Carrick in the squad as a holding midfielder able to provide distribution. But then again, this is a country deeming Paul Scholes not a proper fit to be an England regular over the course of his career. The best England had, but not good enough? Theres a pattern here. Selection issues are nothing new. But no matter who dons the England kit, are they ever good enough? There have been phenomenal performances over the course of the first week of the World Cup, both by individuals and team. Honest assessment would tell the standard of football played by the true top football nations is a step beyond England. Its all very disturbing considering important players for the likes of Chile and Colombia (etc…) are buried in the League Championship, or in some cases not deemed good enough for even that. This should trouble the English to the core. But it wont. Overrating their own talent has become a past-time and feeds the beast. Criticism and finding scapegoats has become a past time. In reality, these are the best players they have. And they are not good enough. The Premier League is the most entertaining league in the world and the most popular. It is not the best. Englands best players are not even the top talent in their own domestic league. Taking a look in the mirror doesnt always cast a pretty reflection. But the look in the mirror is necessary. Acceptance is needed. This was a day England will never have a better context to beat a Uruguay team as such on a stage made for a statement performance. The weather was an ideal 14 degrees Celsius for the hardened English. The opponent was missing two of their preferred back-four. The star player was not 100 per cent. And Uruguays confidence was shaky coming off a shock 3-1 loss. England didnt let it slip away. They were incapable of seizing the moment. It is possible England can still advance from the group stage, even though a team losing their first two games at a World Cup has never done so. Italy must beat Costa Rica then Uruguay, and England will need a comprehensive victory over the Ticos to have superior goal differential. But really, would that constitute success? Squeaking by would be as good as it gets for a team not good enough. Custom Nike Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Watch the 2014 NBA Draft on TSN, Thursday at 7pm et/4pm pt. Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys Wholesale . 25 against Miami. Hillis left Browns Stadium about two hours before kickoff, a decision that has led to speculation he was upset over ongoing negotiations with the club on a contract extension. https://www.customjerseysnikebaseball.com/custom-nike-st-louis-cardinals-jerseys/ . Head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed on Sunday that his starting goalie has a head injury and the team will take it day by day. Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys 2020 . - The Detroit Lions have placed tight end Brandon Pettigrew on injured reserve, ending his season. Custom Nike San Francisco Giants Jerseys . Adding playoff teams. Monitoring instant replay from league headquarters. Possibly creating a set of guidelines to prevent locker-room bullying.CALGARY - The Calgary Flames were sellers heading into Wednesdays NHL trade deadline, but buyers had yet to open their wallets a day out. The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Interim general manager Brian Burkes theory for slow business was shoppers were temporarily preoccupied elsewhere. Other forwards said to be on the market were New York Rangers captain Ryan Callahan, Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler, Matt Moulson of the Buffalo Sabres, Ales Hemsky of the Edmonton Oilers and Thomas Vanek of the Buffalo Sabres. "I think theres a logjam thats been presented or created by two, three, four players thats going to paralyze the rest of the league," Burke told reporters Tuesday at Scotiabank Saddledome. "Youll see other deals happening but I think the hold up for a high-end forward has kind been captivated by two, three, four players. "I think were on the backburner for a lot of teams right now. Doesnt mean nothing is going to happen, but thats where we are today. "Weve been in discussions with every team in the league and what theyre trying to do. We have some unrestricted free agents we will move if the price is right. Im not close on anything that makes sense for us." Trade speculation in Calgary has centred on Cammalleri, but with a record of 23-31-7 and destined for a fifth straight season out of the playoffs, the only Flames that Burke considered off limits were captain Mark Giordano and rookie sensation Sean Monahan. "When youre in the place we are in the standings, your list of untouchables should be either nonexistent or tiny," Burke said. Burke, the Flames president of hockey operations, stepped in as interim GM when he fired Jay Feaster on Dec. 12. He intends to hire a new GM. But Burkes mandate is to speed up Calgarys rebuild by whatever means necessary: trades, spending to the cap or the signing of free agents. "You cant be waiting for the next guy," Burke said. "Were going to do what we can to improve. If that means theres a few less decisions for the new guy, thats fine. "The dynamic of the trade deadline is, you want to show your players first and foremost, if youre close, you want the room to feel youve done something to add. You want the players to believe management is trying to make the team better." Only the Buffalo Sabres have scored fewer goals than Calgary in the NHL this season, but uupgrades are needed both up front and on the blue-line.dddddddddddd Cammalleri, 31, scored 39 goals and had 43 assists as a Flame and a linemate of Jarome Iginla in 2008-09. Cammalleri is in the final year of a five-year contract paying him $6 million annually. With the right linemates, Cammalleris offensive skills and experience make him an attractive rental for a playoff push. "Things change very quickly in the business," Cammalleri said. "When it comes to that, I think you understand why certain things take place and why they might be thinking along certain lines. "I feel my best hockey is ahead of me and I feel great about my game. Whether its here, or whatever happens, Im not concerned about my ability to help my team out." Stempniak, also 31, is in the second year of a two-year deal that counts $2.5 million against the salary cap. He has eight goals and 15 assists in 52 games this season. His wife gave birth to twin girls following the Olympic break and he could be on the move Wednesday. "I know thats a very likely possibility and have sort of braced myself for that," Stempniak said. "Ill either get a phone call or I wont get a phone call. "It could be two big life changes in the span of five days, but its part of the business. Thankfully on the family front, everything is going well there and everyone is healthy. Thats the most important thing. Whatever else happens, you think you can deal with it." Defenceman Chris Butler, whose salary is $1.7 million this season, is also scheduled for unrestricted free agency in July. Burke said he prefers adding a player who can upgrade the Flames immediately over acquiring draft picks. Calgary has a healthy dose of cap space to take on unwanted contracts as part of a deal as well. "I hope to be up here in a year talking about buying players, not selling players. Were selling," Burke said. "That being said, if we can salvage a hockey deal out of this were going to do that. "If we can turn our cap space into assets were going to do that. It could be a very important day for the franchise, the next 24 hours, but its not the same as when youre adding to try to make a push." The Flames host the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. Coach Bob Hartley said Joni Ortio will get the start in net. Ortio was called up from Abbotsford, B.C., when goaltender Karri Ramo injured his knee Feb. 2. Ramo skated Tuesday for the first time since the injury prior to Calgarys optional skate. ' ' '