Spain vs England
Fabio's Men Defeated by Dominant Spainiards
The true measure of England’s development under coach Fabio Capello was put to the sword last night as Spain’s Mediterranean matadors gave the Three Lions a harsh lesson in controlled, precise and ultimately dazzling football.
On a warm night in Seville it was perhaps asking a little too much of England to produce the sort of commanding, bravura display that will be needed to topple the reigning European champions, particularly on this form.
This is after all a work in progress, and while World Cup qualification looks assured last night will no doubt serve as a reality check for Capello and the 5000 travelling fans who watched England soundly beaten 2-0 by Vicente Del Bosque’s composed Spaniards.
Despite coach Capello’s predictable post-match rhetoric, the same maddening questions remain unanswered as his team fly back into London today, questions that desperately need to be addressed ahead of April’s Wembley showdown with Ukraine.
Most pressing of all is that which proved to be hapless predecessor Steve McLaren’s undoing; namely, the goalkeeping conundrum. Twelve months ago few argued with Capello’s decision to grant David James his second bite of the cherry as England number 1, but last night in the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium the veteran stopper produced the sort of wildly unpredictable display that has tarnished his career, raising further doubts about his ability to play a vital role for England in South Africa next summer.
Capello watched impassively from the technical area as James flailed at a deflected shot by Fernando Torres early in the first half, spilling what should have been a reasonably straightforward catch.
While James’ trademark clanger went unpunished, such blunders are enough to incite panic amongst players and fans alike and at 38 he shows little sign of ironing the heart-fluttering comedy out of his game.
Questions must also be asked of Capello’s perseverance with Stuart Downing, who once again turned out the sort of mediocre display that has underscored his international career to date. For all the width he offers, for all his commitment and endeavour, Downing rarely troubles his opponents and last night, against stern opposition, the Middlesbrough winger looked the physical embodiment of his ailing club side’s recent performances – drab, uninspiring and wholly average.
In the absence of Rio Ferdinand, Everton centre-back Phil Jagielka made his full international debut and was handed the daunting task of marking Mersey rival Torres, no doubt a reward for his excellent handling of the Spanish striker during Everton’s recent FA Cup fourth round triumph over Liverpool.
Within minutes he had made an impact, calmly extinguishing the threat of a marauding Spanish attack by dispossessing Torres and leaving the bewildered striker flat on the turf. However, negatives have a tendency to overshadow such confident statements of intent and it was Jagielka’s sloppy distribution that proved the catalyst for mercurial striker David Villa’s 36th minute opener.
Inevitably, much of the pre-match talk revolved around the likelihood of Serie-A new boy David Beckham earning an historic 108th England cap, and so it was that Beckham found himself jogging out as a half time replacement for the ineffective Downing, thus levelling Bobby Moore’s unbeaten record for outfield appearances at this level.
James and Jagielka also found themselves spectators in the second half, having been replaced by West Ham duo Robert Green and Matthew Upson respectively, but these were predictable substitutions.
It was the decision to push Shaun Wright-Phillips onto the left flank so as to accommodate Beckham that was baffling, not least because of the Manchester City winger’s laboured first half performance. Watching from the bench, the in-form Ashley Young must have wondered what more he can do to win an England cap.
Coming in the 82nd minute courtesy of substitute Fernando Llorente, Spain’s second goal effectively killed what little chance England had of clawing their way back into the game.
The visitors best opportunity fell to promising debutant Carlton Cole, who found himself staring into the eyes of Pepe Reina having been put through on goal by a defence splitting Beckham pass, only to uncharacteristically fire his shot wide.
Lying on the turf, Cole stared up at the Spanish skies in disbelief, but it summed up a frustrating night for England, who must surely realise the daunting task ahead if they are to be victorious in South Africa next summer.
Spain: Casillas (Reina, h-t); Sergio Ramos, Albiol (Marchena, 75), Pique, Capdevilla (Arbeloa, h-t), Senna, Alonso; Xavi (Guiza, 85), Iniesta; Torres (Llorente, 64), Villa (Silva, 56).
England: James (Green, h-t); Terry, Jagielka (Upson, h-t), Johnson, A. Cole; Wright-Phillips, Downing (Beckham, h-t), Barry (Lampard, h-t), Carrick; Heskey (Crouch, h-t), Agbonlahor (C. Cole, 75).
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