World Cup Warm Ups - England v Honduras

England are just a week away from their World Cup opener against Italy and they can warm up in fine style with a convincing victory against Honduras, who look set to struggle over the coming month, in America this evening

England were held to a 2-2 draw in midweek by Honduras’s Group E challengers Ecuador with a changed team in differing circumstances but Ecuador finished fourth in the Conemebol qualifying section to compare to Honduras’s struggle through the third and fourth rounds of CONCAF’s qualifying section – for a comparison, 5 FIFA rankings slots separate the two sides.

Roy Hodgson’s men line up in identical fashion to the side that took to the field at Wembley last weekend, which is a vastly different side to the one that ran out and impressed in midweek, playing much better football than the product on offer last Friday. To be held to a 2-2 draw will have frustrated many of the 3 Lions faithful but defensive errors with a makeshift and very much second choice back four contributed greatly towards that – James Milner was playing as a makeshift eight back while Chris Smalling is a level below the first choice centre back pairing – and a lack of attention had a lot to do with their two goals, but the first choice back four of Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, and Baines should prove to be infinitely more solid today.

Danny Wellbeck is yet to win everyone over and so is Wayne Rooney after some below par performances but Daniel Sturridge has had a fine season for Liverpool and scored last Friday, while Adam Lallana provides good intentions and pace out wide.

Regardless of what lineup is put out, England should have enough to beat Honduras and beat them well. Luis Suarez’s side (not the one you’d think) have lost their two warmup games in the states to sides that failed to make Brazil in Turkey and Israel, conceding 6 goals in just those two games where a very shaky defence was exposed on many occasions and England have the tools in all areas to move to comfortable success. Nearly 2-1 is offered for them to win by 2 and the 7/2 offered on a three goal success or greater which is too tempting to pass up against a side that has leaked leaked 16 times in six internationals.

Advice

2 pts England -1 (13/10 Paddy Power)

1 pt England -2 (7/2 general)