End of English football's golden era, a new look English Brigade?
Who said the future for the national England team looked bleak? The second week of the English Premier League gave a strong case for young English players who were adjudged unfit to replace their much vaunted and overrated seniors in the national team for South Africa 2010.
In the immediate aftermath of the World Cup, England was in a stupor of depression. Their golden generation had failed them and the young brigade did not look capable of making it to the next level. During this time, England’s Under-19 side had the misfortune of meeting Spain in the U-19 European Championships. The young Spanish side, which plays like a mirror image of their senior team, dismantled the young English Lions with such ease that the future did not look all that bright. Critics yelled out that there was no hope for English football. The Italian tactician Fabio Capello had failed them. The Golden generation of footballers had failed them. Their grass-roots system of coaching based purely on strength and pace had failed them. It seemed like the apocalypse.
Sure, one weekend does not make for a permanent change, yet the mood may be palpably changed after the conclusion of football action at this weekend. Young Englishmen starred in at least three important fixtures and performed at such a level so as to give the national side and coach Capello some hope and food for thought.
Theo Walcott led the charge for the English as he put Blackpool to the sword by scoring an excellent hat-trick. His three goals contained all the hallmarks of a genuinely scary striker - pace, control and a cool head under pressure. Walcott used both his feet and showed considerable technique whilst keeping a higher ball possession in small spaces given to him by Blackpool. His finishing was top-notch and his overall performance put his critics to shame who had alleged that he lacked intelligence and a footballing brain.
Andy Carroll from Newcastle United showed the nation that there can be a future after legendary striker Alan Shearer after all. The big man showed great strength in the mould of the classic English centre forward. Aston Villa's defence were unable to keep up with him wilting against his aggressive hurly-burly performance throughout the match. With Emile Heskey having retired, Peter Crouch lacking the necessary quality to play against top class opposition and Bobby Zamora at a rather old age of thirty, only Carroll has all the ingredients to make the national big-man role his own.
Manchester City, despite the millions that they spent, had six English players representing their team against Liverpool. This puts the tag of "international mercenaries" that City is subject to, to shame.
Joe Hart is fast becoming a shoo-in for the number 1 jersey in the national side. After a miraculous performance against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, Hart continued his heroics with a magnificent double save against David N'Gog and Fernando Torres. He looked in full command and complete control in his area.
James Milner on his debut for Manchester City was full of a bustling energetic performance. Full of tricks, precise passing and canny running, Milner stretched the Liverpool defence and provided excellent assists. Despite playing on the left of midfield, Milner produced a performance to savour.
The right and left backs of City in Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards also provided food for though. Even though Lescott will have a hard time in displacing Ashley Cole from the national side and his understudy Kieran Gibbs, his composed performance means he can still play the role of a utility man. Micah Richards provided a case for his inclusion by playing very well as well as providing an assist (which should really have been his goal).
Finally, Adam Johnson was the scourge for Liverpool. The south-paw playing on the right side of midfield was mesmeric. His bag of tricks, dribbling and incisive wing play caused Liverpool left-back Daniel Agger numerous problems. So good was his performance that despite Walcott and Carroll's hat-tricks, Johnson could probably be the player of the week, given that his performance was against an opposition of high quality (even though Liverpool was dismal).
All in all, the future seems to be bright for England. England’s doomsday believers have been put in place and if this weekend is any indication, the English national side is expected to turn into a very young and exciting side in the days to come.
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