What happened to the ferociousness witnessed in Sofia? The quick and timely passing that was on display seemed to disappear. The urgency to push forward and attack was obviously an enigma. The side that took to the field Tuesday may have looked the same but was visibly different.
With all the talk about a revolution brewing within the England camp, Fabio Capello stated that no player has a guaranteed place in the starting eleven. I'm not surprised to see that Frank Lampard was given the nod at Wembley against Wales, replacing Scott Parker in the midfield. The only other change was James Milner for Theo Walcott, which I heard was due to a minor knock. I really thought Parker should have been rewarded with another start after his fine performance last Friday.
An interesting stat to look at prior to kick-off, was England’s poor record at Wembley lately. In fact it has been over a year since their last win on home soil. For a country like England, that is astonishing to say the least. The new Wembley has yet to become the fortress the Three Lions would have hoped for.
The match started off slow for the home side, dictating possession but failing to create a real decent chance early on. The first fell to John Terry but he sent his header wide of the post. Ashley Young also had half a chance, racing into the box but Wayne Hennessey was able to anticipate the play and intercept the scoring threat.
Without Craig Bellamy to depend on, I knew Wales would struggle to create chances. Gareth Bale was forced to carry the entire offensive load. If scoring a goal was a long shot before, without Bellamy leading the charge it was going to be near impossible. Steve Morison was given the task of spearheading the attack for Wales. He started off well, outmuscling Terry to the ball after the English captain mistimed clearance along the wing. Morison seemed to be a little trigger happy and took a quick shot from a bad angle, sending the ball into the stands.
The buildup play was evident and England continued to put passes together, but the service from the flanks was poor to start. Ashley Young and Stewart Downing both did a great job getting by their markers; however the crosses were either over hit or behind their targets. For Wales it was Bale who was breaking down the opposition, albeit less frequent. One play that comes to mind was when he took on three players along the sideline, only for James Milner to hack him down right before he was able to get free. He was by far the lone bright spot for Gary Speed's Welsh side.
Gary Cahill earned the start at centre back once more and had another outstanding performance. Never really being pressure, but doing a good job cleaning up what was asked. As good as England looked at the back, the one obvious negative was the lack of urgency moving forward. I failed to see the same cocky attitude that bullied Bulgaria into submission. There were small sparks but they quickly fizzled out.
After over a half hour the deadlock was broken. Downing provided Young and finally England got their goal. It was deserved based on possession alone. Some blame could be placed on Welsh defender Ashley Williams for losing his marker in such a tight area, Wayne Hennessey was left completely hung out to dry. Despite the lead, Capello's defensive tactics at Wembley could be seen regardless of the formation and names on the team sheet. Only Rooney looked eager to press. He could be seen raising his hands in annoyance at his team-mates for not doing the same throughout the match.
The half time statistics read as follows: One shot, two corners and one goal for the home side. I cannot understand why England decides to play this cautious at Wembley. Instead of grabbing their opponents by the shirt collar and commanding the match, it is evident they worry about making a mistake. The pressure is intense; the repercussions of a bad result from the media and their supporters can be seen clearly in the way they perform at home.
Wales were unlucky not to get the equalizer, Bale made a timely run behind the defense that was judged to be offside, although replays showed he was clearly onside. Not that it was a given Joe Hart would have been beaten, but he would have been put to the test as Bale was in the clear. The visitors continued to press, and almost were rewarded had it not been for Barry tracking back and making a last gasp clearance on Aaron Ramsey.
England would have been two up on the hour mark, but Barry hesitated to shoot after a great individual effort to get into a perfect position. Instead of pulling the trigger, he decided to lay it off to Lampard. The chance was wasted and put over the bar. Barry has been impressive despite his passivity going forward, playing the holding position perfectly in the midfield. His good club form has only continued to flourish with England.
The most embarrassing moment of the night went to Robert Earnshaw. The Welsh striker missed a glorious chance to go level, a seemingly easy tap in was put over the bar with a wide open goal staring him right in the face. Speed could be seen on the bench in complete shock after the missed opportunity. Mistakes will happen, but for a professional to miss an open goal from that distance is cringe worthy.
A mention is needed for the ridiculous save by Joe Hart that happened ten minutes from time. He pulled off quite a remarkable robbery on Chris Gunter. The whistle went for offside but only after the shot was taken. Hart sprung out of his net and pulled off his signature starfish save to deny Gunter. You can make a good argument about his lapse in focus but he has incredibly fast reflexes which make him one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League.
The winless streak at home has ended for Capello, but the same questions will continue to be asked after the unimpressive victory. The player who stuck out the most for me had to be Downing; his speed provided much needed width and service down the wing. Never hiding and always providing an option moving forward. Barry did well also plugging the middle and getting into space whenever the chance appeared.
With only one game left to go in Qualifying, a trip to Poland and the Ukraine is on the horizon. Montenegro is the final stop in the long journey. All that is needed is a single point to guarantee qualification. I have no doubt that England will earn the crucial point despite the tough away trip. Their form away from Wembley has been perfect. The return of Steven Gerrard will be an added bonus in Capello's ranks. He's expected fit and is itching to get back into the squad. There are doubters who think the Liverpool captain will never return back to his peak form after the serious groin injury he suffered. I will say this: Gerrard has a history of silencing his critics. Come June, England will have a chance to do the same.
Man of the Match: Stewart Downing
Honourable Mention: Gareth Barry
Honourable Mention: Gareth Barry
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