Match Summary

France Team

England Team

This friendly international in the Stade de France showed manager Fabio Capello just why taking on the England job can be so difficult.  Not one shot on target, hardly any worthwhile attacks and as lethargic a display as could be imagined from what, on paper at least, looked a strong England team.  The match will be remembered as the occasion of David Beckham's 100^th cap for his country, but will not be remembered for anything else.  The game was played in a subdued atmosphere with France looking comfortable without being impressive.  There were some good individual displays, for both sides, but very little to get excited about.

Capello played Wayne Rooney as a lone striker but he expected support for his star striker from all quarters.  Sadly, the plan failed as neither full-back could support the attack and Steven Gerrard had a poor game.  Owen Hargreaves did some excellent work in protecting the back four and Gareth Barry caught the eye with some good fetching and carrying.  For France Nicolas Anelka was a lively attacker, the best on the pitch, and his quick feet gave his club colleague John Terry a difficult game.  Florent Melouda also gave Wes Brown a torrid time down the left, so England were vulnerable at times.  Brown had a nightmare of an evening, giving the ball away frequently and mis-kicking on a number of occasions.  Both Anelka and Meloda went close before the deciding goal came in the 32^nd minute.  Francois Clerc sent Anelka away with a lovely through ball.  Anelka's pace sprang the attempted offside trap and he was clear.  Out came David James who arrived late to take Anelka down for an obvious penalty.  James can consider himself lucky not to receive even a yellow card.  Franck Ribery despatched the penalty with ease and the game was won.

At half-time Capello made some surprising changes, taking off four of his star players, Rooney, Joe Cole, Gerrard and Terry to show he had no qualms about taking that calibre of player off when they had not performed well.  The replacements did make England look a little better with Stewart Downing particularly lively on the wing.  All throughout the game Capello tinkered with his formation and played several different styles.  Unfortunately the players did not respond on the night and he was always fighting a losing battle.

Beckham went off on the hour to a standing ovation from the crowd, but even his performance was below par.  It is rare to report an England game with so few goal attempts from the Whites.  Rooney, before he went off, glanced a header straight at the goalkeeper and Ashley Cole did put in one dangerous cross.  But other than that chances were at a premium, at both ends, making it a tedious game to watch.  Michael Owen and Peter Crouch had come on at half-time but they never had a look in.

So, all in all, a match to forget, thankfully it was only a friendly and Capello will have learned a few things about his players for sure, and he will now work on his plans for the sterner challenges of the future.  He has a lot to do.

Source Notes

BBC Sport
TheFA.com
FFF.fr
Allezlesbleus.free.fr
Fox Sports
SkySports.com
ESPN Soccernet
Robert Owens for his unrelentless work in tracking down the fourth official.
Marcel Hoefsmit (Dutch Historian and good friend)
Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
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CG