Good evening one and all
A friendly international that's bordering on the mouth-watering, eh?
Who'd a thunk it? But that's what you get when Brazil come to town to
help celebrate 150 uninterrupted years of what some might say has been
often bumbling ineptitude and bureaucracy at FA HQ.
But let's not lose the run of ourselves altogether. Despite the talent on show this Brazilian side is a team managed by Luiz Felipe Scolari, a big cuddly man who has always been more Yogi Bear than Joga Bonito, preferring substance over style throughout his managerial career. This is his first match in charge since his reappointment and be under no illusion that he has been drafted in ahead of World Cup 2014 to turn this team into winners. If they can pull off a few step-overs en route to victory, so much the better - but rest assured, any players who Big Phil considers to be faffing around unnecessarily will get very short shrift.
Tonight's match could prove a fascinating contest with several intriguing sub-plots: the kind of reception the often unfairly maligned Ashley Cole will receive on the occasion of his 100th cap, the return of Scolari to London after his dismissal as Chelsea manager, the resumption of Jack Wilshere and Steven Gerrard's midfield partnership in England's central midfield after a brief taster in Stockholm last November and the prospect of seeing Santos superstar Neymar strut his stuff.
There's been plenty of fascinating blather in the build-up to this evening's match, much of it published in the Guardian. So, as you wait for the team news, why not catch up on some of it?
Here's our chief football writer Daniel Taylor on how tonight's match offers England manager Roy Hodgson the opportunity to boost (or potentially destroy) his players' confidence ahead of a crunch World Cup qualifier against Montenegro, while Barney Ronay has been busily comforting Big Phil, who claims he is still hurting at having to turn down the England job upon being offered it several years ago. With Ashley Cole becoming an England centurion tonight, Dominic Fifield has been waxing lyrical on how the classy left-back is both a phenomenon and a largely unloved enigma and Paul Campbell has been rummaging around in the Guardian vaults, from where he emerged coughing, spluttering and covered in dust, but brandishing this account of the mercurial Ronaldinho chip that settled the last competitive match between these two sides.
But let's not lose the run of ourselves altogether. Despite the talent on show this Brazilian side is a team managed by Luiz Felipe Scolari, a big cuddly man who has always been more Yogi Bear than Joga Bonito, preferring substance over style throughout his managerial career. This is his first match in charge since his reappointment and be under no illusion that he has been drafted in ahead of World Cup 2014 to turn this team into winners. If they can pull off a few step-overs en route to victory, so much the better - but rest assured, any players who Big Phil considers to be faffing around unnecessarily will get very short shrift.
Tonight's match could prove a fascinating contest with several intriguing sub-plots: the kind of reception the often unfairly maligned Ashley Cole will receive on the occasion of his 100th cap, the return of Scolari to London after his dismissal as Chelsea manager, the resumption of Jack Wilshere and Steven Gerrard's midfield partnership in England's central midfield after a brief taster in Stockholm last November and the prospect of seeing Santos superstar Neymar strut his stuff.
There's been plenty of fascinating blather in the build-up to this evening's match, much of it published in the Guardian. So, as you wait for the team news, why not catch up on some of it?
Here's our chief football writer Daniel Taylor on how tonight's match offers England manager Roy Hodgson the opportunity to boost (or potentially destroy) his players' confidence ahead of a crunch World Cup qualifier against Montenegro, while Barney Ronay has been busily comforting Big Phil, who claims he is still hurting at having to turn down the England job upon being offered it several years ago. With Ashley Cole becoming an England centurion tonight, Dominic Fifield has been waxing lyrical on how the classy left-back is both a phenomenon and a largely unloved enigma and Paul Campbell has been rummaging around in the Guardian vaults, from where he emerged coughing, spluttering and covered in dust, but brandishing this account of the mercurial Ronaldinho chip that settled the last competitive match between these two sides.
Updated
Remembering the fallen
There'll be a minute's silence ahead of kick-off tonight, in memory
of those who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster 55 years ago
today and more recently, the 235 people who perished in the dreadful nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, last month.
England team news we've pulled from the wires
Jack Wilshere is named in an England starting line-up alongside
Steven Gerrard for the first time as Roy Hodgson's men begin a year they
hope will end in World Cup qualification with a Wembley friendly
against hosts Brazil.
The partnership has been two-and-a-half years in the making given Wilshere made his debut in August 2010, only for injury to rule either him or Gerrard out of action. The pair did eventually find themselves on the same pitch last November, although they had only 13 minutes together before Gerrard was substituted.
On the 55th anniversary of the Munich tragedy, Hodgson selects four Manchester United players, with Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverley joining attacking duo Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney.
With Theo Walcott also selected, it appears Hodgson is meeting the most adventurous side in world football with attacking intent. As Hodgson confirmed yesterday, Ashley Cole becomes the seventh player to win 100 England caps, a feat made even more remarkable by the fact he has started every single game.
The partnership has been two-and-a-half years in the making given Wilshere made his debut in August 2010, only for injury to rule either him or Gerrard out of action. The pair did eventually find themselves on the same pitch last November, although they had only 13 minutes together before Gerrard was substituted.
On the 55th anniversary of the Munich tragedy, Hodgson selects four Manchester United players, with Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverley joining attacking duo Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney.
With Theo Walcott also selected, it appears Hodgson is meeting the most adventurous side in world football with attacking intent. As Hodgson confirmed yesterday, Ashley Cole becomes the seventh player to win 100 England caps, a feat made even more remarkable by the fact he has started every single game.
England's line-up
Hart; Johnson, Cole, Cahill, Smalling, Gerrard, Walcott, Wilshere, Cleverley,Rooney, Welbeck.
I'll bring you the teams in full just as soon as they pitch up on the source of all copy-and-paste fun that are the news wires.
I'll bring you the teams in full just as soon as they pitch up on the source of all copy-and-paste fun that are the news wires.
Roy Keane gets a reducer in early doors.
On ITV, presenter Adrian Chiles kicks off by telling pundit Roy
Keane that he never really had him down as a samba boy. "I did used to
play the game I didn't just go around kicking people," says Keane, by
way of reply. Chiles 0-1 Keane.
Updated
An email from Duncan S
"Does a cynic such as yourself get instructions from on high to be
upbeat about occasions such as this, or is your potential antipathy for
England and friendlies here to stir up controversy?" he asks.
Thanks for the mail, Duncan. To be honest, I'm not sure which is more amusing, the notion that high level Guardian meetings are staged on a regular basis in which very important people debate who should write which minute-by-minute report and why, or the notion that anyone who thinks international friendlies are almost always a waste of time is a cynic.
Thanks for the mail, Duncan. To be honest, I'm not sure which is more amusing, the notion that high level Guardian meetings are staged on a regular basis in which very important people debate who should write which minute-by-minute report and why, or the notion that anyone who thinks international friendlies are almost always a waste of time is a cynic.
Updated
Still no teams on the wires ...
Gah! You don't expect me to type them out myself, do you? Four of
the Brazilian starting XI go by christian name and surname. See for
yourself: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, David Luiz, Dante, Adriano, Paulinho,
Ramires, Neymar, Oscar, Ronaldinho, Luis Fabianoi.
Updated
England v Brazil - line-ups
England: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Smalling, Cole, Cleverley,
Gerrard, Wilshere, Walcott, Rooney, Welbeck
Subs: Walker, Butland, Baines, Jagielka, Lescott, Milner, Lampard, Osman, Lennon, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Brazil: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Luiz, Dante, Adriano,
Paulinho, Ramires, Ronaldinho, Neymar, Luis Fabiano, Oscar.
Subs: Diego Alves, Filipe Luis, Leandro Castan, Miranda, Arouca,
Jean, Lucas Moura, Fred, Hulk.
Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal)
Gerrard, Wilshere, Walcott, Rooney, Welbeck
Subs: Walker, Butland, Baines, Jagielka, Lescott, Milner, Lampard, Osman, Lennon, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Brazil: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Luiz, Dante, Adriano,
Paulinho, Ramires, Ronaldinho, Neymar, Luis Fabiano, Oscar.
Subs: Diego Alves, Filipe Luis, Leandro Castan, Miranda, Arouca,
Jean, Lucas Moura, Fred, Hulk.
Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal)
Not long now ...
The teams emerge from the Wembley tunnel and line up, with Sir Bobby
Charlton and FA chairman David Bernstein being introduced to both sets
of players, then congregate alongside a little plinth containing a glass
case containing a golden cap, which will be presented to Stephen
Gerrard, who won his 100th cap against Sweden last November. Engl;and's
record cap-holder Peter Shilton (125 caps) presents him with ther
commemorative headwear. Moments previously, Ronaldinho was presented
with a commemorative Brazil jersey for winning his 100th cap, on this
the occasion of his, er, 95th official appearance for Brazil.
Don't ask.
Don't ask.
It's national anthem time
Brazil's jaunty Hino Nacional Brasileiro
gets the crowd going and is promptly followed by God save the Queen, a
comparatively portentous dirge. Then again, Block Rockin' Beats by The
Chemical Brothers would sound like a comparatively portentous dirge when
played after the Brazil national anthem.
It's time for the minute's silence ...
And as is depressingly customary at Wembley Stadium, there are a
clearly audible handful of morons who roar and shout their way through
it.
An email from Andrew M
"To argue that friendlies are a waste of time for international
teams is like saying that sparring is a waste for boxers," he says,
comparing apples and oranges. "It might not be as interesting for the
spectators or even the participants, but it's important," he continues,
failing to explain why it's important, or how 22 players half-heartedly
going through the motions is in any way similar to two boxers leathering
the bejaysus out of each other in a gym.
Updated
1 min: We're off and England go close to taking a
very early lead as Jack Wilshere plays the ball through the centre for
Wayne Rooney to chase. His effort is put wide for a corner, from which
nothing comes.
2 min: Dante clattered into Jack Wilshere as he
made that pass to Rooney, but the Arsenal midfielder is OK. England go
on to win a second corner on the back of a loose pass from the Brazilian
defender.
4 min: Neymar and Ronaldinho exchange passes as
they gallop down the right flank, but Gary Cahill slides in to
dispossess the younger of the Brazilian duo before he can control the
return pass. A corner for Brazil.
5 min: Neymar spins away from Gary Cahill to get in
behind the England defence and chase down a marvellous Oscar pass from
deep. The Brazilian's first touch is poor, however, and allows Cahill to
get back and clear up at the back. You can see the whites of Cahill's
eyes already - this could be a very long night for him.
8 min: More good play from Oscar, who picks up the
ball on the right flank and tries to drill a 25 yard pass along the deck
between Ashley Cole and Chris Smalling for Luis Fabiano to chase.
Smalling is alert to the danger and is able to intervene.
9 min: From a corner, Wayne Rooney steals a yard in
the box and brings a marvellous one-handed reflex save out of Julio
Cesar with a header from six yards out. The goalkeeper's heroics are in
vain as the whistle is blown and Brazil win a free-kick. Replays show
Rooney had shoved his marker in the back in the process of stealing that
yard.
Updated
11 min: Brazil get in behind England's defence
again and after a lightning fast exchange of passes between Oscar,
Neymar and Luis Fabiano, Neymar shoots high over the bar from distance
when perhaps a pass to a team-mate would have been the better option.
14 min: England go forward, with Gary Cahill
picking out Tom Cleverley in his spot out on the right wing. He turns
and sets off goalwards, but runs down a blind alley and moments later
England win a throw-in on the far side of the pitch, somewhere around
the edge of the final third.
16 min: Award-winning Guardian photographer and
Frank Skinner lookalike Tom Jenkins is at Wembley tonight, snapping away
like an angry crocodile.
PENALTY FOR BRAZIL: Ronaldinho tries to cross into
the England penalty area and Jack Wilshere blocks the ball with his arm
on the edge of the penalty area. It's a spot-kick for the visitor.
RONALDINHO MISSES THE PENALTY Having won the
spot-kick, Ronaldinho proceeds to miss it, shooting rather tamely
towards the bottom right-hand corner, where Joe Hart does superbly to
get down and save. Hart can only the parry the ball a couple of yards in
front of himself and to the right, but does splendidly to get back on
his feet and block Ronaldinho's follow-up under pressure from Tom
Cleverley.
21 min: From a fairly narrow angle, Danny Welbeck
skies a right-footed effort over the bar after being played in behind
the Brazil defence by Jack Wilshere. If he'd gone with his left foot
there he'd have had a better chance of scoring, but under pressure from
two Brazil defenders who were sliding in to intercept his shot, he
snatched at it too early with his favoured foot.
23 min: Going back to that Brazil penalty - it was
actually Neymar who was denied while trying to follow-up and score from
the rebound and he should have won a penalty too, as Tom Cleverley dived
in from behind to upend him without getting anywhere near the ball.
25 min: The ball breaks kindly for Glen Johnson on the edge of the Brazil box and he shoots over.
GOAL! England 1-0 Brazil (Rooney 26) Wayne Rooney
opens the scoring for England after being on hand to slot the ball into
the Brazil goal from the edge of the penalty area after Julio Cesar had
parried a Theo Walcott effort into his path.
Updated
27 min: Jack Wilshere deserves immense credit
there, for the marvellous defence-splitting pass which sent Theo Walcott
on his way in the build-up to the goal. He proves it was no fluke by
providing another one for Walcott moments after Brazil restart the game,
and the Arsenal player beats Dante and Alves, before unsuccessfully
trying to square the ball.
30 min: Theo Walcott picked up a knock in the
build-up to the England goal and requires treatment. I'm not sure what's
wrong with him, but he looks fit enough to continue for the time being.
33 min: Theo Walcott runs straight into David Luiz
after sent on his way into the Brazil penalty area by a short pass from
Tom Cleverley.
36 min: "Why should anybody bother emailing you at
all if you're just going to be obtuse and dismissive no matter what we
say?" asks Matthew H, who should go away.
37 min: Another sensational delivery from Oscar,
who skins Ashley Cole for pace down the right wing and curls in an
inch-perfect cross for Neymar. Scoring should have been a formality for
the Brazilian, but he somehow contrives to slide in and poke the ball
wide. Having singularly failed to deliver against England for 38
minutes, the only conclusion we can draw is that all the fuss
surrounding the youngster is clearly hype and he's obviously nowhere
near as good as he's been cracked up to be. Call it the Zlatan Paradox -
unless you've performed against England, you're clearly rubbish,
despite all availbale evidence to the contrary.
Updated
Updated
42 min: Wilshere charges forward, but runs down a
blind alley and is enveloped by a pocket of defenders on the edge of the
Brazil penalty area. The ball breaks to Rooney, who sends a rasping
drive fizzing a foot or two wide of the left upright.
44 min: Julio Cesar parries the ball wide to his
left after having his palms stung by a low drive from Theo Walcott, who
was shooting from a tight angle.
Updated
45 min:Brazil go forward, but their sortie is
stopped in its tracks by a shrill peep on the referee's whistle. England
go in a goal to the good at the interval, with Roy Hodgson's deviation
away from the prehistoric 4-4-2 to an attack-minded 4-1-2-3 having
yielded the only score of the game thus far. It's been a fairly evenly
matched game thus far, but the ease with which both defences have been
carved open time and again will be a source of concern for both
managers.
Half-time
Some idle half-time observations ...
• Danny Welbeck has looked hopelessly out of his depth
• I can't remember typing Stephen Gerrard's name once in that half
• The England brass band are incredibly annoying.
• Many football writers who should know better will be getting way too excited Jack Wilshere's performance this evening.
• He's playing very well, but has a lot to learn.
• I can't remember typing Stephen Gerrard's name once in that half
• The England brass band are incredibly annoying.
• Many football writers who should know better will be getting way too excited Jack Wilshere's performance this evening.
• He's playing very well, but has a lot to learn.
In what is almost certain to be a futile attempt to prevent a deluge
of angry correspondence from angry Liverpool fans, I should point out
that by saying I didn't recall typing Steven Gerrard's name once in the
first half, I wasn't having a go at him or his performance. He's on
sentry duty tonight, sitting back in front of the back four while
Cleverley and Wilshere go forward in search of mischief. Players in that
role rarely get much of a look-in as far as minute-by-minute reports
are concerned.
Mass substitutions
England substitutions: Leighton Baines for Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard for Tom Cleverley.
Brazil substitutions: Fred for Fabiano, Lucas for Ronaldinho, Arouca for Ramires.
Brazil substitutions: Fred for Fabiano, Lucas for Ronaldinho, Arouca for Ramires.
Updated
46 min: Early in the second half and England spurn a
chance to double their lead. From the edge of the penalty area on the
right-hand side, Steven Gerrard's dipping shot bounces just in front of
Julio Cesar, who can only parry the ball into the path of Jack Wilshere,
but he pokes it wide under pressure from a defender.
Updated
GOAL! England 1-1 Brazil (Fred 47) Gary Cahill
tries to run the ball out of defence, only to be dispossessed by, I
think Neymar, about 40 yards from his own goal. The ball ricochets into
the path of Fred, who advances and rifles a low drive past Joe Hart from
the edge of the England penalty area. That's shocking defending from
Gary Cahill.
48 min: Yikes! This is the England we're more
accustomed to seeing, as another defensive rick - this time it's Chris
Smalling who gets caught in possession - almost gifts Fred a second.
With the ball at his feet the Brazilian substitute curls a great chance
narrowly wide, sparing the defender's blushes in the process.
55 min: England take their finger off the
self-destruct button for long enough to win a corner, courtesy of
Leighton Baines. Steven Gerrard swings the ball in from the left and
Gary Cahill manages to evade the rugby tackle of his Chelsea team-mate
David Luiz to shoulder the ball goalwards. Close, but no cigar. If he'd
got his head to that, he'd probably have scored. Luiz's marking was
risible and we all know how good Cahill can be in the air.
57 min: Theo Walcott skins Adriano down the inside
right channel and pulls the ball across the face of goal. The ball is
cleared, but only as far as Wilshere, who plays it into the path of
Steven Gerrard, who shoots over the bar from about 20 yards. Decent
effort - England have regained their composure after their early second
half wobble.
GOAL! England 2-1 Brazil (Lampard 59) The ball is
prodded towards the feet of Frank Lampard on the edge of the Brazil
penalty area when a Brazil defender is caught napping. With his first
touch he steers the ball goalwards. It hits the angle of upright and
crossbar and bounces down and over the line.
England substitution: James Milner on for Danny Welbeck.
Brazil substitution: Jean on for Paulinho.
Brazil substitution: Jean on for Paulinho.
64 min: Brazil go forward in search of an
equaliser, but a poor touch from Neymar, who's had a poor game this
evening (the accusations of big game bottling start here!), gifts
possession to Joe Hart.
67 min: Fred and Neymar exchange passes on the edge
of the England penalty area and the man with the boy-band haircut
attempts to become the second player to beat Joe Hart with an overhead
kick in consecutive internationals. His effort is admirable but
unsuccessful.
69 min: From the left touchline, Leighton Baines
sends in an absolutely splendid low cross, which results in the ball
bouncing through the corridor of uncertainty between goalkeeper Cesar
and his defenders Dante and Jean. Sadly for England, Theo Walcott can't
quite poke it home, with the ball remaining tantalisingly out of reach
as he tries to get a toe on it and divert it goalwards.
Updated
72 min: Theo Walcott tries to play a one-two with
Frank Lampard inside the penalty area, but runs into Dante as he tries
to pick up the return pass. The idea was excellent, but the execution
let them down.
England substitution: Theo Walcott makes way for Aaron Lennon.
Brazil substitution I forgot to mention earlier: Filipe Luis on for Adriano.
Brazil substitution I forgot to mention earlier: Filipe Luis on for Adriano.
Brazil substitution: David Luiz off, Miranda on.
Miranda, Fred and Jean among the substitutes to have taken to the field
for Brazil - not exactly names likely to strike terror into the hearts
of their opposition.
80 min: Felipe Luis gallpos down the left wing in a
bid to latch on to a splendid Miranda pass from deep. Glen Johnson
intervenes and takes the pressure off England. They're holding their
shape well here.
83 min: Marvellous interplay between Oscar and
Lucas (no, not the Liverpool one), who charges into the England penalty
area and lays the ball off to Fred, who fires off a shot while off
balance and falls to the ground looking anguished after seeing his
effort sliced wide.
This just in ...
87 min: Neymar gets the better of Chris Smalling,
galloping in behind the centre-half and passing towards Fred, but to no
avail. That Burkina Faso win, I'm hearing, was in spite rather than
because of one of the most inept refereeing performances in the history
of tournament football.
88 min: England midfielder Jack Wilshere is
announced as the man of the match over the PA and rightly so. He's put
in a great shift tonight.
89 min: With that infuriating England supporters'
band, who are by all accounts nice fellows, but a blight on the game of
international football in this country, play The GHreat Escape over and
over again, Brazil go forward again in search of an equaliser. None is
forthcoming.
90+1 min: Wayne Rooney presses high up the field,
pressurising Dante and appealing for a corner when the ball is prodded
out of play. None is forthcoming. Dan the must be wondering what the
devil is going on there, with an opposition player pressurising him down
near his own bye-line this late in a friendly.
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It's all over and England
have notched up a morale-boosting win against Brazil; only their fourth
in 24 attempts against the five-times World Cup winners. They've played
very well tonight and can take heart from many aspects of this
performance, but there's plenty of room for improvement too. A defensive
lapse shortly after half-time cost them dearly, while they were lucky
to get away with another one moments later.
But there were plenty of positives too - Jack Wilshere and theo Walcott were a constant source of irritation for the Brazilian defence, while Mr Roy's experimental midfield triangle of Stepehen Gerrard sitting back while Wilshere and Tom Cleverley were given to licence to roam worked well. Kudos is also due to Joe Harte, who had an excellent game that was in stark contrast to some of his comparatively awful recent England performances.
But there were plenty of positives too - Jack Wilshere and theo Walcott were a constant source of irritation for the Brazilian defence, while Mr Roy's experimental midfield triangle of Stepehen Gerrard sitting back while Wilshere and Tom Cleverley were given to licence to roam worked well. Kudos is also due to Joe Harte, who had an excellent game that was in stark contrast to some of his comparatively awful recent England performances.
