Euro 2012 Qualifiers - England vs. Bulgaria: Match Preview
After a dismal 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa, England finally has a chance to move forward into a new, more successful era with the qualification for the Euros beginning. Despite their show in South Africa, England were very convincing in their World Cup qualification and manager Fabio Capello will take some heart from that.
It is strange that the highly qualified Italian manager is now being seen as a liability in the English press and a lot of newspapers are predicting when (and not if) Capello will be shown the door. In fact, if England get off to a poor start to their Euro qualification, Capello could well be shown the door with ex-Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill waiting in the wings to take over if required. As a result, the pressure will be on Capello and England to deliver the results to get over their World Cup hangover.
The good news, however, is that the match looks winnable. England will have home advantage at Wembley stadium as they strive to exorcise the demons of the summer. Capello’s squad has some in-form young players who will have to translate their club form onto the international arena unlike the seniors who were unable to do so. Capello will be missing a couple of senior heads in the form of Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and John Terry. Both had to pull out of the squad with injury.
After the Robert Green horror-show in South Africa, the goalkeeping department seems safe with Manchester City’s Joe Hart certain to start. The City star has seen a terrific start in the English Premier League, single-handedly winning a point for the Sky Blues against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. He was also excellent against Liverpool and has been a rock so far this season, forcing veteran Shay Given to sit on the bench.
With John Terry out and Rio Ferdinand still injured, England will have a different central defensive pairing. Matthew Upson, Phil Jagielka, Gary Cahill, Michael Dawson and Joleon Lescott will have to jostle for a place in the heart of defence. Glen Johnson is an automatic start on the right despite his defensive frailties, while Ashley Cole should provide some stability on the left side of defence. Young Gunner Kieran Gibbs will be Cole’s understudy.
With Lampard missing, Steven Gerrard will have to find some new midfield partners. Gareth Barry is sure to keep his place while Capello will have to decide which of Ashley Young, James Milner, Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott will be on the wings. It is a good sign that Capello’s choices are young and exciting and can provide some much needed penetration on the wing. Spurs’ Aaron Lennon will be disappointed to lose out on a place against Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Wayne Rooney are familiar faces in attack, while Carlton Cole has been drafted in as the big man to replace the presence of Emile Heskey. With Rooney finally scoring against West Ham, it will be a question of who partners him in attack.
Bulgaria is not an easy team to play against, but away from home, they are not a terribly daunting prospect. Furthermore, their attack has been hit by the international retirement of their most recognizable and potent player, Dimitar Berbatov. Most of the Bulgarian team is foreign-based and have had to call on the likes of defender Veselin Minev to bolster a defence which will be expected to come under some heavy English attacks at Wembley. Of the familiar names in the Bulgaria squad will be Aston Villa midfielder, Stiliyan Petrov while former Manchester City forward Valeri Bojinov could be expected to lead the line against England. Bolton’s new flying winger Martin Petrov is also in the squad and may be needed to provide an attacking outlet.
On paper, England should coast comfortably to victory at home even with the absence of Terry and Lampard. Yet stranger things have happened in football. For the sake of Capello and a depressed, overhung England, it is paramount that they win.
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