England strolled to a comfortable victory to gain their first win at the new Wembley against a very poor Israeli side. England did what they had to and did it well. Even though the quality of the opposition left a lot to be desired there can be no doubt that England produced one of their most assured and cohesive performances for some time.
McClown for once got his tactics spot on. Heskey provided a much need focal point for England’s attack as he showed that even though he is relatively rubbish, he is still a million times better than Alan Smith. Playing with a genuine 4-4-2 was the key to England’s success as SWP and J.Cole exploited the wide areas and they were ably supported by Messers Cole and Richards.
SWP slotted home to settle any nerves the home crowd had, much to the delight of his appreciation society in the Match of the Day Studio. Once again, the nation saw how that the speedy little midget is now providing serious competition for that right wing position. Surely it won’t be long before Goldenballs return to the England side will soon be over with the likes of Bentley, Pennant and Lennon waiting in the wings. I think England looked much more of a threat without Beckham, with SWP and Micah Richards linking up brilliantly to scare the Israelis to death.
A fantastic goal from Michael Owen doubled the lead which led to John Motson again wetting himself.
“Has he ever scored a better goal for England? I don’t think he has.”
Again, the BBC showed why their commentators are clearly 3rd rate. Does Motty remember a certain goal against Argentina? Does he remember the stage Owen was on and the fact that it was against one of the favourites for the World Cup? Does he realise that Israel are no better than a pub team. Motty do us all a favour and retire before you embarrass yourself any further.
Richards powered home a header to seal the victory and send the England fans home happy, though there was still time for them to give Bentley the bird, something which I think was unjustified.
So what can England take forward from here? Well for starters, I thought that Gareth Barry was outstanding and provided a perfect foil for Stevie G to maraud forward. His passing and distribution was first class and he provided two assists. Who knows what would have happened if the fat one had played but I think that England’s midfield was as balanced as it has been for some time. Another obvious thing is that it gives England another option from set pieces. I personally think it’s outrageous that Beckham takes all the set pieces and think there are other players who can provide just as much quality with their service
Richards was again outstanding, the guy is simply an animal. He can get caught out positionally every now and then but his recovery pace means he can get away with it, a bit like Sol Campbell used to. As much as G.Neville and Goldenballs are legends, they were at their peak 4-5 years ago and I think that its time for them to step aside and let SWP and Richards take their positions as it gives England a completely different dimension on the right hand side.
With any sense, and barring injuries, McClown will keep the same team for the game against Russia. He may have got lucky as this performance was down to him picking players he normally wouldn’t do. However, don’t be surprised if he bottles it and decides to alter things just to keep certain players happy. If he does, it could well be his downfall.
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