To get involved use Twitter (via hashtag #BBCFootball or text us via 81111 with FOOTBALL before your message. (Not all contributions can be used. Messages will be charged at your standard operator rate.)
From Robert Hardie, Derby, Text 81111: "Arsenal have apparent been offered Thiago by Barcelona as part of a Fabregas transfer - on this performance, it might not be a bad deal for us!"
2057: Frank Fielding's attempts to play the ball out to his centre-back are verging on the ridiculous - he's clearly been told by Pearce to build momentum from defence, but what can you do when your centre-backs and full-backs keep passing the ball back to you because of incessant pressure from Spain's enterprising front line?
From Martin in Welling, Text 81111: "Wouldn't matter if it went in via his hand we're being outclassed and not as though we deserve to be level anyway."
2048: Spain, who had a whopping 62% of possession in the first half, get the second-half under way. Somehwat surprisingly, Michael Mancienne, who looked thoroughly unconvincing in the first half, starts the second 45.
From Jack in Belfast, Text 81111: "Bring on Connor Wickham, let's see if he's worth £10m!"
2042: Now then. If you, like me, have just been watching a close-up of Spain's goal, you would have seen Ander Herrera's hand - situated almost on top of his head - make contact with the ball in extra slow motion as he diverts it past Frank Fielding. But at full speed it's not the easiest infringement to detect. Thoughts?
2034:HALF-TIME: SPAIN 1-0 ENGLAND
2033: England burst into life just before half-time as Kyle Walker bursts down the right wing before sending over a teasing cross for Daniel Sturridge, only for a Spanish defender to stick a large size 10 out and divert the ball goalbound. However, the very alert David de Gea shows why Manchester United are willing to shell out serious millions for his talent as he tips the ball beyond his right-hand post after being initially wrong-footed. Bright end for England, but still, they are a long way off the composure of their opponents in that first half.
From another Anon, Text 81111: "Anon's text. Whilst I'm not overly convinced by the England management structure, I'm fairly sure they know enough about football not to pick some one just because they've joined a new club. Its possession football they know little about!"
2029: "It's like a first team playing against the youth team at the moment," says BBC Radio 5 live summariser Danny Mills attempting to describe what he is witnessing on the pitch. For those of you just tuning in, I think the youth team are England... Two minutes to go - half-time cannot come soon enough for Pearce's team.
From Steve in Cheshunt, Text 81111: "This is men against boys. I mean, boys against er...? "
2025: BBC Radio 5 live summariser Danny Mills the sizeable skills gap between the two teams, although just as he says that some good old-fashioned English grit sees Danny Rose ping a superb left-wing cross for Daniel Sturridge, only for the striker to stumble at the crucial moment to completely miss his header from six yards.
2021: England's frustration is palpable as Spain continue to ping the ball around with impunity. Danny Welbeck becomes the second player in the referee's book as he scissors Jeffren on the touchline with a badly timed challenge, earning a deserved yellow card in the process.
2018: Beautiful skills from Thiago, little drop of the shoulder and a subtle flick with the outside of his boot and Mancienne is left looking like a fool, but the son of former Brazil international Mazinho shoots high and wide. But still, classy. His old man would be loving that flick.
From Anon, Text 81111: "It's a real shame that Pearce hasn't opted for his best team in this match. Rodwell is the best player in the side and to leave him out of the game is criminal. Why is it that just because an individual club value a player so much (eg Henderson) the national teams follow suit instantly. Carroll was put straight in the England team following his big move, however before the move was not on the cards. Now Pearce seems to value Henderson higher than Rodwell based on a move? 2 years ago Rodwell was excellent in this tournament so why is he left out of such a key game?"
2013: Three rather earnest Spanish players surround Chris Smalling as he goes up for a free-kick, all three upset because they felt the Manchester United defender had stamped one of their comrades as he landed on the ground. Referee Strombergsson looks utterly livid - like a schoolteacher admonishing a bunch of 11-year-olds for leaving a load of drawing pins on his chair. Spain are dictating the tempo, lots of Barca-style keep ball and England look a tad lost at the moment.
2010: Apologies, but Frank Fielding is at Derby County rather than Blackburn, although one anonymous texter has demanded "R u the best the bbc has.?" Meanwhile, a rather ungainly challenge from Thiago Alcantara on Kyle Walker sees the Barcelona player become the first player to be shown the yellow card.
2005: A few questions from you lot via text and Twitter pondering whether Herrera's hand rather than his head made contact with the ball. Tellingly, there were no England protestations to Swedish referee Markus Strombergsson when the ball was bundled in, but we'll bring you more when we can analyse further angles of that goal.
2003: Poor misjudgement from Kyle Walker as he attempts to cut out a cross-field ball to Jeffren, allowing the winger to attack the left flank. England are rattled.
2001: Less than 15 minutes into the match and the tournament favourites are 1-0 up as Juan Mata's corner finds Javi Martinez unmarked inside the 12-yard box. The defensive midfielder's powerful header looks to be sailing past Frank Fielding's left-hand post until Ander Herrera nods a point-blank header past the Blackburn keeper and past the static man on the line. Oh dear, poor set-piece defending by the top seeds.
1958:GOAL: SPAIN 1-0 ENGLAND (Ander Herrera)
1957: The big guns are in the Herning Stadion; Sir Trevor Brooking and England boss Don Fabio Capello are shaking hands with a bunch of randoms in the stands, Capello in particular looking delighted to be out in Denmark. The camera cuts to Stuart Pearce, who has Steve Wigley beside him, although no early signs whether he will do what Capello did to him on the bench in South Africa last year. So far nothing of real note on the pitch, lots of pretty Spanish passing but nothing of real attacking intent. Saying that, England earn a corner through Danny Rose.
1951: England boss Stuart Pearce is without four full internationals because of injuries/burnout fears. So that's no Jack Wilshere, Andy Carroll, Micah Richards and Kieran Gibbs. Just imagine if that quartet where out on that pitch right now against the tournament favourites. Unfortunately for Pearce, it's all hypothetical.
1948: Ooooh, sloppy pass from Javi Martinez to David de Gea sees the goalkeeper toe-poke the ball beyond the onrushing Danny Welbeck, who almost pounces but in typical Iberian fashion, there's no panic as the ball is passed out towards midfield without any need of a Row Z hoof. Classy.
1945: England, in a brilliant all-white ensemble, kick things off. Spain are in their usual red and blue number.
1942: A few changes for England with Manchester United's Tom Cleverley starting on the right side of midfield with new Hamburg signing and England captain Michael Mancienne partnering Jordan Henderson in the middle. All 11 squad members are on the bench.
1935: For all you Manchester United fans - apparently there are a few out there - it's an ideal opportunity to see three-fifths of your defensive future in action with David de Gea, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones all on the same pitch together, albeit with one playing for Spain. It's also an excellent opportunity for Liverpool fans to run the rule over Jordan Henderson and his £20m of talent. Spain have two World Cup winners in their starting XI in Juan Mata and Javi Martinez, along with the supremely talented Thiago Alcantara, who has stirred things with his assertion that he is not particularly au fait with England's line-up.
Spain: De Gea, Montoya, Botia, Dominguez, Didac, Thiago, Javi Martinez, Ander, Mata, Adrian, Jeffren. Subs: Mino, Azpilicueta, San Jose, Parejo, Bojan, Diego Capel, Nsue, Jose Angel, Victor Ruiz, Ruben Perez, Muniain, Marino.
England: Fielding, Walker, Smalling, Jones, Bertrand, Cleverley, Henderson, Mancienne, Rose, Welbeck, Sturridge. Subs: McCarthy, Muamba, Albrighton, Sinclair, Tomkins, Cork, Lansbury, Rodwell, Delfouneso, Wickham, Steele.
Referee: Markus Strombergsson (Sweden)
0 comments:
Post a Comment