EURO 2012 Qualification: Switzerland vs. England: English team’s player by player review – Part 2
English captain Steven Gerrard played in his regular midfield position for the three lions and it was once again a show of strength by the Liverpool legend as he quite literally ran the show from the centre of the park against Switzerland.
It is often said about the long standing English midfielder that his inclination towards going for the final ball a little too early or playing that Hollywood pass - that all too difficult through ball - has been his undoing throughout his career thus far.
Well, one surely cannot comment on how he will perform in England’s next fixture but his display against the Swiss was quite sober.
He was in control of his “unhealthy habits” and displayed why he has been called at times as one of the best players in modern football. Gerrard’s pass to Adam Johnson for England’s second goal of the night was the highlight of his performance on the night.
Theo Walcott played on the right side of the English midfield as a winger who was entrusted by Capello to take on players and play balls into the Swiss penalty area for Defoe and Rooney. However, it was quite a pity that his night came to a pre-mature end within the first fifteen minutes of the match as he sustained what looked like a bad ankle injury.
Little was seen of Arsenal’s number 14 but in his time on the field, Walcott was threatening on the wing as he created space for England’s right back Johnson to push forward and keep Switzerland at the back foot.
On the other wing for England, Milner gave a resoundingly concrete midfield display. Before the FIFA 2010 World Cup, Capello said that Milner was England’s “most improved player”.
That showed against Switzerland as the former Aston Villa man was spot on with his crosses, something that his predecessors like Joe Cole and Shawn Wright Phillips failed to achieve. He was also acutely aware of his defensive responsibilities and filled in perfectly for Ashley Cole’s darting forward runs.
People might suggest that Rooney is a terrible human being for what he has done in his personal life but his performance for England was not in any way affected by the Manchester United striker’s off-the-field shenanigans. Rooney was spot on for England as he was the scorer of England’s first goal.
If Defoe’s finishing was prolific in the truest sense of the word, then Rooney would have had two assists to his name as well. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Nonetheless, the former Everton man answered his critics emphatically by doing what he is best at i.e. playing football at the highest level and being a catalyst of attack for his team.
Against Bulgaria, Rooney was deployed in a withdrawn striker’s role. Against Switzerland, Capello placed him in the same arrangement, which he previously would create for his team mates, and this time around, he scored himself.
Defoe, who partnered Rooney up front, has been steadily improving as a player since Tottenham’s break through into the English Premier League’s top four. He has added strength, agility, quickness and most important of all, aerial competence to his game. In earlier times, the little centre forward would have been blamed as a one dimensional player who seldom offered anything apart from his goals.
His last two appearances for England have suggested otherwise. Defoe’s off the ball movement along with his hold-up play and passing was a key for England in securing their 3-1 win over Switzerland. England’s substitutes were reasonable on the night as well. A man who made his impression off the bench was Darren Bent, who scored England’s third goal against Switzerland.
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