Buzzin Football

world cup qualifying

Last night I had the dubious pleasure of watching two of the teams who are among the favourites to win the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, both had already qualified and both through injuries or manager choice started their respective games without some of their best players. Both were facing lesser opposition and were expected to win, but there the similarities stop.

The earlier of the two games featured Spain away to Bosnia-Herzegovina in Zenica. Spain started the game without either of their favoured strikers David Villa and Fernando Torres although the latter did warm the bench – where he stayed throughout the game.

Other notable absentees included Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas, while Marco Senna came off the bench for the final 25 minutes by which time the game was over.

Bosnia had the best chances in the opening ten minutes, Spain could thank Casillas for two world class saves and a glaring miss from Bosnia’s Vedad Ibisevic which kept the score at 0-0.

Within three minutes of that miss Spain were two up and in cruise control with goals from Gerard Pique and the man of the match for me David Silva. While Bosnia continued to mount pressure the Spanish controlled the game with their usual fluid passing and movement, a real joy to watch.

After 90 minutes the score was 5-0 to Spain but a barmy few minutes of injury time saw the brave Bosnian team deservedly pull two goals back to lose the game 5-2.

Sevilla striker Alvero Negredo making his first start for Spain had an awesome game, scoring twice in the second half as well as setting up two of the other goals, he really epitomises the depth quality in this current Spanish team and this on his debut!

And frankly that is exactly the problem with England, there really is no depth of quality at all in the squad.

I already knew what to expect for the England v Belarus game and so it came as no surprise that despite the scoreline England were dreadful. Missing Rooney and Gerrard and with Joe Cole not match fit England have no creativity, despite the inclusion of pacey little wingers Wright-Phillips and Lennon.

Capello may just as well have started with Beckham feeding Crouch from the half way line- it always ends up that way – which at least would have saved a lot of headless chicken activity from the two wingers.

There was not a great deal of viewing pleasure to be had from the later game, other than the fact that England won the game with a convincing scoreline. What did Capello learn? I imagine he learned that two head down and run wingers are no better than one and while they are both top players at club level on their day, they are simply not good enough at this level, despite SWP scoring a goal.

He would also have learnt as England coaches before him, that while Crouch is not the most elegant of players he will score goals and make things more difficult for defenders than Emile Heskey manages to.

He will also have seen like all of us that Glen Johnson needs urgent coaching in his defensive play and that Wayne Bridge is suddenly nowhere near the class of Ashley Cole.

One thing that I learnt from the game was that wouldn’t it be great to have eleven James Milners in the side, an honest hard working and quality player who came on as sub for Bridge and covered not only the left back position but every where in between, a shame his beautifully created chance near the end of the game hit the post and didn’t reward him with a goal.