England are headed in the right direction in their quest for improvement
Despite England’s anaemic performance against Norway, they are headed in the right direction, one of instilling unerring, unstinting faith in youth. If Roy Hodgson persists with his theory that he can entice optimal performances from England’s plethora of young talent, then the results will improve.
Yet if England are to contest equally against a Switzerland side inspired by the mercurial powers of Munich’s Xherdan Shaqiri in Basel on Monday, the urgent need for a drastic improvement in performances is indisputable. England were largely conservative, failing to put the speed and direct style of Raheem Sterling and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain into efficient effect.
Positives for Hodgson
Yet Hodgson emerged with a plethora of positives ahead of England’s most arduous fixture on their road to Paris. John Stones, on his first international start, was composed and exuded confidence. Jack Wilshere, managing with the added amount of pressure after the international retirements of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, was busy in the deeper role allocated to him by Hodgson, changing over possession, orchestrating attacks and surging forward to enhance them.
There were glimpses of class from Sterling and Daniel Sturridge bur if they are to spearhead England’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, an improvement must be overseen in Basel. Arsenal’s new £16 million acquisition, Danny Welbeck, was impressive after his introduction on the 70 minute mark, seemingly reinvigorated by his move to Arsenal. International debutants Fabian Delph and Calum Chambers acquitted themselves respectably, settling encouragingly into the unique nature of international football.
Hodgson spoke of providing youth with a platform to excel and the former Viking FK manager, who managed for two years in the Norwegian league, was true to his word, assembling the youngest England starting line-up in twelve years with an average age of 24. It was the embodiment of Hodgson’s visionary vision for England.
Almost instantly, Wilshere's eagerness to impress was evident. He dropped deep to orchestrate England's attacks and was attentive in possession, occasionally releasing his handbrakes to surge forward. The Arsenal midfielder played a neat one-two with Jordan Henderson before being impeded by Norway's captain, Per Ciljan Skjelbred. The subsequent free-kick was wasted by Leighton Baines.
The fact that the Everton left-back, and Ashley Cole's England successor, was England's oldest starter in front of a record low crowd at the Wembley Stadium accentuated the magnitude of England's drastic but promising, rebuild. England acquiesced to Hodgson's demands for an intense pressing game, with Wayne Rooney, the captain leading by example, harrying Norway's centre-halves Håvard Nordtveit and Vergard Forren. The likes of Sturridge and Wilshere followed suit, perturbing Norway into unnecessary errors.
England's attacking trident continued to cause Norway problems, with Sturridge running at left-back Martin Linnes. The Liverpool striker, deployed alongside Rooney in a 4-4-2 system by Hodgson, was roaming across the final third, creating a lot of danger and concerning the resolute Norwegian resistance.
In Gary Cahill, Hodgson has an accomplished centre-half, one of the Premier League's finest, the Chelsea defender covering for the inexperienced Stones to thwart the insipid threat posed by Norway's attacking forces.
Wilshere sought to accelerate the tempo of England's game, and so continued to impress and silence his raucous doubters. The midfielder's most effective position has been frequently debated but he seems primed to benefit from the unavailability of Lampard and Gerrard, submitting a case to Arsène Wenger to feature for Arsenal in a deeper role.
Norway struggled to contain Sturridge, the striker dovetailing to impressive effect with Liverpool colleague Sterling. A back-heel from the latter provided an opportunity for Sturridge to strike towards goal, his endeavours thwarted by a belated block from Nordtvelt. The connection between the Liverpool pair is Roger and Astaire in its smoothness and will be integral in carving open the resolute defences England will confront in Group E.
Sterling is the epitome of promise, the winger coupling ability with desire as he tracked back to dispossess Cardiff City’s Mats Moller Daelhi. He displayed his eye for an assist, taking a pass from Wilshere expertly into his stride and delivering a perfectly-executed 50 yard pass into Sturridge with the striker unable to control his mesmeric pass. He displayed moments of genius which belied his years, collecting Phil Jones's long pass by use of his chest and threading in Baines without so much as a glance at the Everton full-back.
Baines's Everton colleague John Stones required no encouragement to enhance England's offensive threat, pouncing on Wilshere's delightful pass and delivering a scrumptious cross which narrowly evaded the heads of Sturridge and Rooney. It was his first international start, having featured in England's 3-0 triumph over Peru in May, but he seemed unfazed and exuded composure and maturity.
Wilshere continued to perturb Norway's respectable resistance, elusive towards brusque challenges from Skjelbred and Forren before referee Jorge Sousa refused to acquiesce to Wilshere's enquiries for a penalty.
Going forward
In Joe Hart, a player who will be vital to England's birth of a new era, Hodgson has one of Europe's finest at his disposal. He is indebted to the competence of Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini, the Chiliean responsible for restoring Hart's scathed confidence after a string of errors last season. His masterstroke and magnificent display of adroit man-management, the City manager opting to encourage Hart in training and eschew from publicly criticizing his No 1, should be included in UEFA Pro Licence courses.
Hodgson's No 1 was quality, twice thwarting Joshua King in quick succession, one a headed effort and the other a one-on-one scenario. Only five goalkeepers have made more England appearances than Hart and City's No 1 is key to Hodgson's vision for a new era.
Sterling's fearless pace and direct style will be of immense significance throughout England's Euros 2016 qualifying campaign, the Liverpool winger's propensity to bewilder with his quality earning England a penalty. Rooney duly, emphatically, thumped home to the delight of the approximately 40,000 in attendance.
Sterling, as Welbeck shone from the bench and Delph and Chambers registered international debuts, displayed his burgeoning talent and maturity past his years, sprinting onto a delightful pass from Sturridge and slipping a beautifully-weighted pass into James Milner's path, the City winger thwarted from providing comfort to the score-line by a courageous block from Nordtvelt.
And so, England, despite their anaemic display, are headed in the right direction, with their trust firmly in the country’s youth.