Match Summary

England Team

Netherlands Team

First things first, I loved the new strip, much better than the awful white and blue of last year!  As for the match, it wasn't a bad game actually.  A new man at the helm, lots of young footballers picked in the team, and under a new captain too.  In the end there was some promise and much to think about.

The visit of the Netherlands would give this new look England set-up a stern test and almost all of their big stars were present at Wembley.  In fact they looked positively buoyant to be back at the home of football, anden more determined to gain a victory.  This made it doubly difficult for 'Pearce's Puppies' as there were some very experienced international players in the Dutch ranks, and no little amount of skill.  Although there was a slightly nervous start from England the opening salvoes saw both teams good going forward but a little less clever at the back.  There were chances at both ends in a first-half that was high on effort but with little pattern developing.  Gary Cahill headed just over from a corner and then a Pieters' cross to the far post had Joe Hart flapping a little.  Danny Welbeck was full of running but lacked a decent pass from his midfield, and any meaningful support.  New skipper Scott Parker busied himself in the middle and also made some superb blocks to stifle Dutch attacks.  He was also always on hand to receive a pass from his teammates.

Holland did step up the pace at times and Arjen Robben, the star of the night for the visitors, was a constant thorn to England.  He has had a poor season for his club this year but on the night he revelled at being back in England, and in the atmosphere of Wembley, and showed all his qualities.  On 13 minutes his angled shot was well blocked by Hart, but it was a warning of things to come.  It was alarming to see how much space England afforded Holland at times and only desperate defending blocked a Robin Van Persie shot.

In the 25th minute England created a good chance of their own, when Adam Johnson made a very positive run into the area.  He twisted and turned and his final goalbound shot deflected off John Heitinga to go just wide.  From the corner England had two more near misses and then good play between Johnson and Micah Richards ended with a Gareth Barry shot also being blocked.  It had been a good little spell from England and some of the Dutch defending was rather desperate.

Richards was looking strong on his return to the side, but there was a blow for England when Steven Gerrard went off and had to be substituted by Daniel Sturridge.  The Chelsea man was soon in the game and Parker sent him away down the right and the forward did brilliantly to put in a low centre which was begging to be put away.  Alas, not for the first, or last, time on the night, England's inexperience showed in that there was no one close enough to take advantage.  England still tried to press forward though and on 41 minutes Ashley Young finally made a telling contribution with a fine cross into the middle.  Again the chance was lost as both Chris Smalling and Richards missed the ball.  Young then headed over in another attack but the half ended goalless.

An early yellow card for Richards for a foul on Robben was the first incident of note after the restart although on 47 minutes a terrific effort by Sturridge almost broke the deadlock.  His quick, low shot brought a fine diving save out of Martin Stekelenburg, who pushed the ball round a post.  At this point of the match England had had their fair share of the match but you always felt Holland were very dangerous when going forward and there was another warning when substitute Huntelaar, on as sub for Van Persie, shot inches wide from a 53rd minute attack.  Then, three minutes later came a significant turning point.

Robben picked up a deflection well inside his own half and then proceeded to run at the back-peddling home defenders.  The pace and control of the Bayern Munich player set alarm bells ringing as several England players were caught out of position.  Huntelaar cleverly took Smalling away from the middle and Robben was able to sway onto his favoured left foot and drive an unstoppable shot past Hart.  It was a superb goal.

If that was a blow for England then almost immediately it was 2-0.  The ball was fed to Dirk Kuyt out on the right and he had all the time in the world to measure a perfect cross onto the head of the impressive Huntelaar, and again Hart had no chance.  As the striker scored there was a sickening clash of heads with Smalling and both players had to go off injured, Smalling, more worryingly, on a stretcher.  It was a bitter period for England and they were visibly shaken by all that had happened in that two minute spell.

Phil Jones came on for Smalling and Stewart Downing replaced Johnson.  In fact with his first touch Downing almost scored, but his excellent volley went wide of the far post.  Richards moved into the middle with Jones at right-back as Stuart Pearce shuffled his troops.  But Holland were controlling the play now and Robben was using all his experience to draw fouls from the young England side, as well as keeping Hart on his toes everytime he got close to goal.  Richards blocked one Robben shot as England desperately held on.

The home side were not quite out of it though and Sturridge missed a glorious chance when Leighton Baines popped up in the box to shoot across goal.  Sturridge couldn't quite adjust his feet to side-foot into an open goal from close range.

With around six minutes left Welbeck, who had run himself to a standstill, was replaced by debutant Frazer Campbell and a minute later England came back into it.  Baines found Cahill standing all alone in the centre-forward position, and the big defender showed some great footwork to beat a defender and shoot under Stekelenburg's diving body.  It was a gift from the Gods, especially as there was a slight suspicion of offside against Cahill.  But England were to take full advantage and right on 90 minutes they conjured up a superb equaliser.  Parker, sub Theo Walcott and Jones combined brilliantly, and Jones's pass to Young gave the Manchester United the chance to clip the ball over the diving keeper.  It was a magnificent finish and seemed to set England up for an unlikely result.  But unfortunately that man Robben had not finished his night's work.

Some naïve defending gave Robben time and space and although his curling shot took a wicked deflection off Cahill to beat the unfortunate Hart, it was probably no less than Holland deserved for their lively attacking play.

It was another bitter blow for England though, especially as they had done so well to come back from an impossible position.  Several home players can be pleased with their performance but as one of the pundits said, the game has probably raised more questions for England than answers.  The months ahead should be quite interesting.
  

Source Notes