England 4 Bulgaria 0: Jermain Defoe hat-trick helps Fabio Capello along the road to recovery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhRX2oMXQLsendofvid

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By Matt Lawton

All smiles: Jermain Defoe hit a stunning hat-trick in England's win


The transformation from monster to god is one Fabio Capello might never complete during his time as England’s manager, but he can remove the bolts from his neck after this.

A decent start to the European Championship qualifying campaign was just what the Italian needed after the crushing disappointment of the World Cup and he certainly got that, his team performing with more fluency, imagination and purpose than they ever managed last summer in South Africa.

Capello’s relatively passive response to Jermain Defoe’s hat-trick and a fine goal from Adam Johnson nevertheless said it all. It is far too soon to get excited and he knows it, especially when a more difficult encounter with Switzerland comes in Basle on Tuesday.

It’s a game - given how much better the Swiss should be than a Bulgarian side weakened by the absence of Dimitar Berbatov and without a win since November - that could yet blow a hole in the idea that with a new kit and a new pitch, we were treated to a new England at Wembley on Friday night.

The key difference here compared to South Africa was Wayne Rooney, and that is something Capello can forever use in his defence. Out of sorts at the World Cup after failing to regain the scintillating form he had shown prior to suffering that injury in Munich, Rooney was outstanding on this occasion.

There were no goals from England’s principal striker but he created all four that his colleagues celebrated, demonstrating once again how crucial he is to the national team. When Rooney performs, so do England. When he struggles, so do England.


Get the ball rolling: Defoe poked home on three minutes to give England the perfect start


There were plenty of other positives, too. While Defoe has now scored 12 goals in 18 appearances under the Italian to make him Capello’s top scorer — a statistic that is all the more impressive when you consider he only started half of those games — Joe Hart grows rapidly in stature in England’s goal.

There were times on Friday night when a makeshift defence, disrupted further by what looked like a nasty knee injury for Michael Dawson, looked vulnerable and Hart made the saves that protected the England advantage.

Capello’s determination to continue with a rigid 4-4-2 formation can also be a source of frustation, a spell in the first half when Bulgaria succeeded in closing down the space on Rooney and Steven Gerrard sparking concern among the supporters. At one stage they actually greeted the sight of Rooney losing possession by booing England’s best player.

In the end, however, there were far more reasons to be cheerful. England attacked with pace and width, with the wingers and the full backs combining effectively on both flanks


Driving force: A swift break bought about England's second, with Defoe slotting home between the goalkeeper's legs


Ashley Cole and James Milner were particularly impressive on the left, while Theo Walcott marked a decent display on the right by becoming the first player in England’s history to win his first 13 internationals.


That the man who replaced him, Adam Johnson, scored England’s third goal merely underlined the options Capello now has when it comes to attacking midfielders, providing hope for the future as well as pressure for places.

Having said one thing on the eve of this game, Capello did another on the night. He picked the team he pretty much said he would but did not organise them quite the way he suggested.

‘Milner and Barry will play in front of the centre backs,’ he said, before deploying Milner on the left.

There remains a strong case for looking at something closer to 4-3-3, even if it would present the problem of how to accommodate Rooney and Defoe. But England needed to improve on the performance against Germany, which they’d had to review on DVD earlier in the week, and did exactly that.

‘Start as we mean to go on,’ was the message on the cover of the match programme and England started with a bang — Defoe’s opening goal coming after two minutes and 38 seconds of their first competitive football since that demoralising defeat in Bloemfontein.


Pure delight: Adam Johnson's first senior England goal is a moment he will forever remember


Capello might not have moved from his seat but the goal was delightful in its execution, from the weight of Rooney’s chip forward to the poise Cole displayed in responding to the sight of his first effort being blocked by then delivering an unselfish ball across to Defoe.

For the Tottenham striker all that was left was the easiest of finishes, even for a player who had considered missing the game to have groin surgery this week.

There were one or two anxious moments, not least when Glen Johnson went dangerously close to scoring an own goal, his attempt to deal with a teasing cross from Chavdar Yankov forcing Hart into action.


Downside: Michael Dawson suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury and left the field on a stretcher


But with the ubiquitous Gerrard dominating midfield and Rooney running the game, England began brightly and remained in control until Bulgaria responded by defending with a bit more aggression.

England started the second half well enough, with Rooney almost beating Nikolay Mihaylov with a wonderful chip. But with Dawson’s injury and a first cap for Gary Cahill came a difficult spell for England, Hart first having to deny Ivelin Popov before producing yet more heroics to stop Stanislav Angelov and Dimitar Rangelov from equalising.


Icing on the cake: Defoe's third showcased his pace and ruthless finishing


Only 14 seconds after he had parried Angelov’s effort in the 61st minute, Defoe increased England’s advantage. The speed of thought and the quality of the passing, in particular from Gerrard and Rooney, were a joy to watch. Rooney’s delivery to Defoe was terrific, as was the finish.

Johnson scored the third 22 minutes after that, controlling another fine ball from Rooney before squeezing a left-footed shot between Mihaylov and his near post. On that occasion, Capello did at least clap.

But Defoe saved the best until last, accelerating on to another perfect pass from Rooney and driving a super, left-footed shot past Bulgaria’s goalkeeper for the first England hat-trick at Wembley since Alan Shearer put three past Luxembourg 11 years ago.

Quite a night for Capello and Defoe, because for the most part it was quite a night for Rooney.



source: dailymail
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