Andy Dunn's Big Match Verdict: Defence the new approach for Capello
That's it then, Fabio’s cracked it. The genius — the coach worth £6million a year — has finally emerged, blinking into the Wembley lights.
The world champions vanquished, Euro 2012 cannot come quickly enough. In fact, stock up on the bunting. Er, not quite.
Let’s face it, the biggest contributory factor to this England victory was a Spanish performance tinged with showboating, laced with arrogance and reeking of complacency.
Lauded by all and sundry — including Fabio Capello himself — the Spaniards came more with exhibition than execution in mind.
So to read too much into this triumph would represent an amateur mistake, albeit one typical of the English mentality.
But this was a significant occasion. Certainly not an exhilarating one, certainly not one worth the entry fee. But a significant one all the same. This was a signpost for the new way forward under Capello — the route he will take all the way to Poland and Ukraine and as far as it will take him in that tournament. Gone are the days when Capello trusted in adventurous instincts borne of Premier League mentality.
Gung-ho has gone, heave-ho is here. The cautious, stereotypically Italian approach we all expected from day one has belatedly arrived.
And even against opponents less accomplished than Spain, it is probably here to stay. This was an exercise in maintaining defensive concentration for 90 minutes against a quality side.And an odd-looking England line-up achieved that.
Whatever the personnel next summer, expect attrition from Capello.
Expect conservatism.
Of course, if it delivers results such as this one, everyone will be delighted. Just as the majority was when exiting Wembley last night.
England will take a tournament win any way they can get it. It is not going to entertain though. Capello did not care that a full house was in expectant mood.
There was a time when the common gripe from an England camp was of how teams came to Wembley with the unambitious intention of putting nine outfield players behind the ball, clinging to slim hopes of breakaways.
That happened last night, and that team, under Capello’s instructions, was England.
Practical? Perhaps. A way to avoid humiliation? Probably. Ultimately successful? Yes. Depressing? Just a bit.
Actually, Phil Jones was one player who looked tempted to burst out of the Capello straitjacket. But the chances of Jones playing in midfield for England at a major championship are slim and none — or at least they should be.
In the second half, England developed a greater hint of ambition as Spanish interest, limited to start with, waned even further amidst the myriad substitutions.
There were nice cameos from Stewart Downing, from Danny Welbeck and Jack Rodwell. All should feature on a more regular basis.
The players, in what Capello touted as an experimental line-up, that we learned most about were ones already very familiar. Scott Parker should have cemented his place at the base of the midfield —even when Jack Wilshere and Steven Gerrard are fit.
And Frank Lampard, aside from his nod-in, showed that reports of his demise were spectacularly premature.
Maybe, in the absence of John Terry, Joleon Lescott was the most startling eye-catcher. It was certainly his best game in an England shirt.
But there were no revelations last night, no signs that England are ready to take their game to a new level or that a new golden generation is ready to seize power.
What we did learn is that the ruthless, defensive, win-at-all-costs Capello has finally arrived in an England blazer.
England 1-0 Spain: Sunday Mirror match report
Lampard proves his leadership credentials in Spain win
England rely too much on Rooney, claims former Sweden star
Andy Dunn's Big Match Verdict: Defence the new approach for Capello
Anthony Clavane's Big Match Verdict: Young Lions repay Capello's faith to prove the future's bright
Paul Smith's Big Match Verdict: England chased shadows in fluke win
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