[1]A round of international friendlies and World Cup qualifiers provided an aberration of sorts for players ready to switch to a higher gear in their respective leagues.
With title races heating up across Europe, Spain notwithstanding, players could scarcely have wished to fly off to distant lands to play obscure friendlies.
However, the pick of the matches was definitely the England vs the Netherlands international at Wembley.
Interim manager Stuart Pearce, replete with a snazzy new hairdo, had a chance to showcase the post-Fabio Capello revolution, if you please, and try out his posse of talented youngsters against top quality opposition.
The match, which the Dutch won 3-2, was a strange affair. Strange for a variety of reasons, chiefly due to glaring lack of pace in a side blessed with the fastest wingers and attackers in Europe.
Danny Welbeck, Adam Johnson and Ashley Young provided a front-three capable of making any defence backtrack fast.
This was impeded, however by a midfield trio of Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry and Scott Parker, the new England captain.
Steady, cautious possession was ineffective, and it was only when Johnson and Young took the fullbacks on that England showed promise.
Unfortunately for them, Arjen Robben chose that very moment to roll back the years with two exquisitely taken goals — one in extra-time second-half, when England had scored two goals in five minutes to level the game.
There is still a long way to go for England and with just months left for the Euros, time is not on their side.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/03side1jpgcropdisplayjpg-992