The Three Lions tore through Sofia with furocious vigor as Bulgaria proved to be an easy opponent on this night. Frank Lampard started on the bench despite being healthy, Fabio Capello opting to go with the partnership of Gareth Barry and Scott Parker in the heart of midfield. A bold move by the Italian but one I think has been long overdue.
From the opening whistle England took control and dictated the run of play. The home side looked dire and seemingly willing to just sit back and let absorb the pressure, England controlled the ball and started to create chances early. The opener soon followed, Gary Cahill scoring his first international goal on his first start for the Three Lions. The finish was sublime; he showed great control bringing down the chip from Barry with his chest before calmly slotting the ball into the net.
Just as quickly England doubled their lead, Wayne Rooney scoring his first goal in fifteen matches for his country, heading home a fantastic cross from the corner by Stewart Downing. Rooney has been on fire in the Premiership coming off a hat-trick against Arsenal and continued his impressive form with a great performance in Sofia. He was everywhere on the pitch, whether it was chasing down the opponent for possession or leading the attack, his presence drove England forward for ninety minutes.
I noticed Dimitar Berbatov watching from the stands, not much of a difference than the bench, which has been his designated position so far this season for Manchester United. The Bulgarian has retired internationally and was just a spectator, signing autographs while taking in some of the action. I bet he is sick of watching Rooney get all the glory by now.
Adding to Berbatov's misery, Rooney scored his brace before the end of the first half with an easy tap in, unmarked at the far post. Ashley Young providing the assist for his United teammate. I rather enjoyed the football being played by England, finally looking fluid moving forward and compact when defending. Joe Hart was forced to make a couple good saves throughout the match but Bulgaria never really threatened offensively.
The second half looked more like a practice for England then a contest. They continued to keep possession and stifle the Bulgarian attack, if you could call it that. Capello's formation was a breath of fresh air, having Young, Downing and Theo Walcott taking turns playing behind Rooney was genius. All three are quick and continuously broke down the Bulgarians defensively. Lampard eventually was subbed on with ten minutes remaining in place of Barry, but by that time it was just to give him a run as the match was already over.
The one negative aspect was the racial abuse being hurled at English players by a section of the home supporters. Young, Walcott and Ashley Cole were all targets of this discriminatory behavior; this ignorance sadly continues to be forever present in this part of the world. Lothar Matthaus later apologized on behalf of the Bulgarian Football Federation for the actions of a select few inside the Vasil Levski Stadium.
A change seems to be on the horizon, as the old guard is being slowly pushed out by the new generation. Instead of rebelling against change, I’m glad to see Capello embracing the youth at his disposal and making a statement by showing there are no guaranteed places in the starting eleven anymore. I will be curious to see what the Italian does when Steven Gerrard is back fit and ready to command the heart of midfield. These kinds of problems are good to have; competition for places is needed and welcomed.
The win in Sofia coupled by a victory at Wembley versus Wales on Tuesday will virtually assure England qualification, only needing a point from their final match away in Montenegro. Judging by the performance tonight it is difficult to see a slip up in their remaining matches. The confidence within the camp is high and the opposition standing in the way is not of the highest standard. This could be the start of a new look for England, that can potentially be a real threat down the road. We will just have to wait and see.
Man of the Match: Wayne Rooney
Honourable Mention: Stewart Downing
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