Grand Opening?
The new Wembley opened today with a match between the Under 21 squads of England and Italy. Without question, this was one of the more exciting matches of the year. Finishing in a 3-3 draw, there could easily have been 8 or 9 goals scored! The missed opportunities (Gabriel Agbonlahor we're looking directly at you) highlighted why players for both countries are not getting call ups to the senior squads this week.
However, it has to be noted that Giampaolo Pazzini put on a stunning show of attacking football. Not only did he score the fastest goal at Wembley - 25 seconds in - he managed to pull of a hat trick in front of the 60,000 spectators on hand today. The stadium holds 90,000 and looked quite empty but there was still a fantastic atmosphere and the play on the pitch elevated the noise level on a regular basis.
David Bentley was the Man of the Match for England. His first half free kick was a piece of brilliance and he was spreading the ball around the pitch with accuracy and he was a positive presence for the full 90 minutes. Bentley is quietly having a great EPL campaign with Blackburn Rovers and looked the most deserving of a senior call-up in the future. His crossing ability is likely to draw comparisons to a former England captain - and newest member of LA Galaxy - and Vein of Form thinks he deserves all the accolades that come his way.
Once the excitement over Wembley opening to a six goal match calms down, the England U21 defense will come under heavy scrutiny. They were shocking from corner kicks and looked out of sorts on a consistant basis. England was lucky not to concede 4 or 5 goals. The back line cannot be blamed entirely as the England midfield was giving away posession often. I thought the substitions that brought on James Milner and Matt Derbyshire were the best additions to the squad over the course of the full 90.
Yes, it was a great way to kick off what is going to be a fortress for the England National Team. But...yes, there are several questions that will have to be asked regarding the preparedness of England's future to step up to the big stage.
However, it has to be noted that Giampaolo Pazzini put on a stunning show of attacking football. Not only did he score the fastest goal at Wembley - 25 seconds in - he managed to pull of a hat trick in front of the 60,000 spectators on hand today. The stadium holds 90,000 and looked quite empty but there was still a fantastic atmosphere and the play on the pitch elevated the noise level on a regular basis.
David Bentley was the Man of the Match for England. His first half free kick was a piece of brilliance and he was spreading the ball around the pitch with accuracy and he was a positive presence for the full 90 minutes. Bentley is quietly having a great EPL campaign with Blackburn Rovers and looked the most deserving of a senior call-up in the future. His crossing ability is likely to draw comparisons to a former England captain - and newest member of LA Galaxy - and Vein of Form thinks he deserves all the accolades that come his way.
Once the excitement over Wembley opening to a six goal match calms down, the England U21 defense will come under heavy scrutiny. They were shocking from corner kicks and looked out of sorts on a consistant basis. England was lucky not to concede 4 or 5 goals. The back line cannot be blamed entirely as the England midfield was giving away posession often. I thought the substitions that brought on James Milner and Matt Derbyshire were the best additions to the squad over the course of the full 90.
Yes, it was a great way to kick off what is going to be a fortress for the England National Team. But...yes, there are several questions that will have to be asked regarding the preparedness of England's future to step up to the big stage.
posted by Anonymous at 9:27 AM
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