The Italian opted to go with a 4-3-3 formation for the second time in the space of four days, suggesting he has finally come to the conclusion that such a system is the way forward, after years of rigid and predictable 4-4-2.
A midweek outing at Wembley, in front of a lively crowd swelled by some 21,000 Ghanaians, also allowed the likes of Matt Jarvis and Danny Welbeck to make their senior debuts, while Andy Carroll, Leighton Baines and Stewart Downing got important minutes under their belt.
There were, however, a number of questions posed by a 1-1 draw, not least at the back where the Three Lions wobbled badly before being breached by Asamoah Gyan's late leveller.
This is still a work in progress, though, and the side held by the Black Stars will be much changed by the time England face Switzerland in their next Euro 2012 qualifier on 4th June.
Stick with 4-3-3
A demanding public and press pack had been crying out for Capello to ditch his tired 4-4-2 system for years, even before last summer's lacklustre and dispiriting showing at the 2010 World Cup. Those calls finally appear to have been heeded, it is just a shame it has taken three years for the message to get through. Having switched to 4-3-3 against Wales on Saturday for a Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff, the impact of a tactical re-think was immediate. The Three Lions flowed forward in a manner many supporters felt they would never see again, at least not under Capello. The performance at the Millennium Stadium - well at least the first 30 minutes - proved that modern football is about striking the right balance between attack and defence. Having accepted this, Capello stuck by the new system against Ghana and found it worked equally as well, in parts. Seven alterations to the starting XI and the absence of key figures such as John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney should not be overlooked, but the signs were positive again. Ashley Young finally appears to have found his preferred position at international level, while Stewart Downing put in easily his best display in an England jersey. Maybe the fact that he had been handed the armband helped to raise Gareth Barry's game, but he was fiercer in the tackle and more comfortable on the ball than he has been for some time. Jack Wilshere also appears to be well suited to 4-3-3, with the system allowing him to get up and down safe in the knowledge that he has cover in and around him. It could be argued that the formation does not make the most of Andy Carroll's talents, as he works best with a partner alongside him, but he still found the target and will only get better with improved fitness and more caps. All in all, it would come as a big surprise were Capello to tinker with the set-up for another home date against the Swiss in June.
Confidence is back
A shocking display in South Africa ripped the heart out of the England side and their long-suffering supporters. In truth, there has been little to get excited about since then, with a defeat to France and a draw with Montenegro doing little to raise morale. The past week has indicated that there could yet be signs of life in the Three Lions though. Yes, Wales were poor and anything other than a comfortable victory would have been deemed a failure, but at least the performance gave cause for optimism. The emergence of Wilshere as a potential star of the future has also raised spirits, while there is still plenty more to come from the likes of Carroll and Young, who has now put in eye-catching showings in back-to-back fixtures. Throw Rooney and Gerrard back into the mix, in roles they are accustomed to playing at club level, and suddenly the future looks a lot brighter. Victory may not have been achieved over Ghana on Tuesday, but the Black Stars are no mugs and came within the width of a crossbar of reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup last year. They are currently ranked above France in the Fifa world rankings, so given that Les Bleus strolled past a similarly experimental starting XI in November, progress would appear to have been made. Whether that continues remains to be seen, but you would fancy that qualifying fixtures against Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales and Montenegro will hold no fear. A friendly date with Holland in August will provider a much stiffer test and it would be advisable to judge progress again after that game. For now, though, let us enjoy the fact that England appear to have found their feet again and are heading in the right direction.
Defensive issues
While keen to highlight the positives which can be taken from England's latest outings, it is worth noting that not everything is rosy in Capello's garden. A toothless Wales side may have caused them few problems on Saturday, but they did create a handful of decent opportunities. Worryingly, Ghana exposed some serious flaws in the England back-line in midweek, with a new-look defence playing like complete strangers at times. Phil Jagielka endured an evening he is likely to want to forget, with the Everton man slipping up on numerous occasions, both at centre-half and at right-back. The absence of an experienced international performer alongside him probably did not help his cause, with Gary Cahill earning just his third cap at the heart of the back four. Questions also have to be asked of Joleon Lescott, who offered little upon entering the fray and allowed Asamoah Gyan the kind of time and space he required to twist and turn his way into the box and stroke home a dramatic equaliser. The goalkeeping issue is another which England are yet to fully address. Joe Hart is a shot-stopper of considerable potential and has undoubtedly benefited from being Manchester City's number one this season. He is, however, still prone to the odd lapse in concentration. He was fortunate to get away with a couple of poor clearances against Ghana and needs to work on cutting potentially costly errors out of his game. He is only 23, though, and has plenty of time to iron out the creases and become a mainstay in the side for many years to come. He will also benefit from having England's tried and tested performers back in front of him, with John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole all missing against Ghana.
Pubic support
The final thing to be noted from Tuesday's clash with Ghana is that the English public are yet to forgive and forget the failings of the recent past. They are coming back on side slowly, but they will need further convincing before they fully embrace the national side again. The same can certainly not be said for Ghana, whose followers got fully behind their troops from the moment they entered North London, never mind the stadium. They danced down Wembley Way, belted out their national anthem and generally made the efforts of the home support seem rather tame. It could be said that the atmosphere they helped to create brought the best out of both sides, with it some time since Wembley has rocked like that. The cultural differences between Europe and Africa mean it is probably too much to ask for England supporters to embrace the party mentality of their midweek visitors, but a bit more noise and a bit more support would not go amiss over the coming months. After all, there is a major tournament due to be staged next summer and it is our duty as Englishmen to get overly-excited and place unrealistic expectations upon those selected to lead the pursuit of international glory!
الرئيسية 
موضوع: Lessons learnt 
الأربعاء مارس 30, 2011 6:15 am
