England goalkeeper Joe Hart believes that the national side need to work hard at every aspect of their game in order to be ready for Euro 2012.
The Three Lions defeated Belgium in an efficient display at Wembley on Saturday, with Danny Welbeck netting his first international goal. However, the main criticism aimed at Roy Hodgson’s players throughout their two warm-up games has been that, at times, they have had trouble keeping the ball.
The former Shrewsbury shot-stopper believes the team can still improve in all areas but is confident they will be ready to face France on June 11.
The 25-year-old told ITV: "I think we need to improve in all areas, but that is just the kind of team we are. We are a good side and we need to have high standards. Really, really high standards.
"We need to trust each other a bit on the ball and we've discussed that, we are going to do that, and hopefully it will come up nicely for the France game.
"We have been very resilient. I'm pretty sure we will perform differently when it comes to [facing] France. It's going to be a neutral venue, it's going to be tough.
going to be tough.
"We know we are going to have a great group of fans there who will just behind us. We are going to be united as a side and we will go out and there and it a damn good go.
“We are going to train hard, train like English players do and go into the game ready."
Hodgson made seven changes from the team who ran out 1-0 winners against Norway seven days previously, and the goalkeeper insisted that they played well against a promising and “tough” Belgium side in light of the alterations.
He also reserved special praise for goalscorer Welbeck, who was making just his second start for his country.
He continued: "It was a really tough game, a good run out. I thought we played well, [but] we were a little bit bitty at times.
"But, we came through. Obviously there were a lot of changes so it's good to get the result.
"Belgium are a very, very strong side who are going to be really good in the future. Vincent [Kompany] told me about them and said that they were coming good and I totally agree with him.
“I thought Danny took his goal well today.
"We almost had one chance in the opening 70 minutes and that was Danny's, and it was a great finish. It is always a help when you have strikers who will take those chances."
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Rank | Team | W/D/L | Pts |
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Cities & Stadiums
The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments
Year | Winners | Runner-up | Third place |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Spain | Germany | Russia / Turkey |
2004 | Greece | Portugal | Netherlands / Czech Republic |
2000 | France | Italy | Netherlands / Portugal |
1996 | Germany | Czech Republic | France / England |
1992 | Denmark | Germany | Netherlands / Sweden |
1988 | Netherlands | Soviet Union | Italy / West Germany |
1984 | France | Spain | Denmark / Portugal |
1980 | West Germany | Belgium | Czechoslovakia |
1976 | Czechoslovakia | West Germany | Netherlands |
1972 | West Germany | Soviet Union | Belgium |
1968 | Italy | Yugoslavia | England |
1964 | Spain | Soviet Union | Hungary |
1960 | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | Czechoslovakia |