International Football - Friendly - England 1 France 2

Published: 17 November 2010
by PAUL COWLING

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY AT WEMBLEY STADIUM
ENGLAND 1 FRANCE 2
Attendance: 85,495

TWO of England's traditional strengths have been its military and its football, and one of its oldest foes have been the French.
UK-wise, and to derision from flagwavers, we'll now be sharing aircraft carriers with them, and for followers of the England national football team, France humiliated the famed Three Lions.
England were so bad, that Fabio Capello might as well have sent out the three foam lion mascots that were prancing around the perimeter fence prior to kick off.
This was the clearest indication yet that England will go another hundred years, and still won't have won anything. 
Whisper it, but, we are heading for that second tier of world football, where we will be lucky to draw away to Denmark in a friendly.
We are stuck with a white elephant of a Wembley Stadium, that will forever have to pay its way, and with no national football academy like the French have had since 1988! Ironically, the St George's site in Burton, Staffordshire has just been given the green light and should (big should) be up-and-running by 2012. Better late than never.
France, like Fabio Capello's men, endured a pathetic World Cup in South Africa, but they are re-born under coach Laurent Blanc. They completely outclassed England, and were will worth their victory. 
Forget the close scoreline, and the fact that England had six shots on target, to France's five; there was a gulf in class.
Arsenal's Bacary Sagna and particularly Samir Nasri will be gallic crowing when they meet up for training with England pair Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs, as they plan ahead to the derby with Spurs.
Where the ineffectual Walcott ran into blind alleys; Nasri was one of France's string pullers. His attacking bursts, coupled with the forward threat of Valbuena, Malouda and Benzema, ensured a torrid night for England, and especially debutant Jordan Henderson.
The 20 year old Sunderland midfielder was a boy thrown overboard. He couldn't get to grips with a midfield controlled by the outstanding Yoann Gourcuff. Once when Gourcuff bamboozled him with a nifty swivvel, all Henderson could do was hack him down: he was rightly booked by Danish referee Claus Bo Larsen.
At the other end, Newcastle powerhouse Andy Carroll made a sound, if unspectacular debut. At least there should be more to come from the Geordie striker. This time though, he was left on his own up front, with no support, as Gourcuff and holding midfielder Yann M'Vila smothered the supply line of Steven Gerrard and James Milner.
England were left to chase their own floodlit shadows, as France enjoyed nearly all the possession.
They cut through the England back line at will, and it was no surprise when Karim Benzema fired them into the lead on 16 minutes. He exchanged one-two's with Chelsea's Florent Malouda, before dispatching the ball past the hapless Ben Foster in the England goal.
France were masters in possession; whenever England got the ball, they predictably lost it.
Capello's men left the field at half time to deserved boos, but the 1-0 deficit should have been more, given France's superiority.
The French extended their lead on 55 minutes, when the pint-sized Mathieu Valbuena, dinked home a cross from Arsenal's Sagna.
France were 2-0 up with a scintillating goal all the way from the Academie Clairefontaine, and England's humiliation was confirmed.
It could be said that a succession of second-half substitutions broke up the free-flowing French play, but it was more that they took their foot off the gas, such was England's malaise.
For England, Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd came on for Carroll. A championship striker! This tells you all you need to know about the paucity of the England national side right now, and where they are heading. At least, and more encouragingly, Micah Richards was an improvement on the woeful Phil Jagielka at right back, who moved to centre half, while Adam Johnson, on for Walcott, started to whip in crosses in the hope that England could get back in the game.
They did - sort of - on 86 minutes. Peter Crouch stabbed home Ashley Young's corner. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, France were a little erratic at the back, as England went in search of a completely undeserved equaliser. The French started to time waste, but they needn't have bothered.  England, guillotined by a French revolution, were left to run about like headless chickens, when they should have been hunting like rampant lions.
At Wembley, France gave an indication of a blueprint for a successful future, and  at Arsenal's training ground, it'll be the figurehead French cockerel that will be crowing the loudest.
For England, their ship looks like it has already sailed.