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| England break Italy’s grip thanks to Andros Townsend’s late strike | England break Italy’s grip thanks to Andros Townsend’s late strike |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| As Gary Lineker volunteered, let’s hope Harry Kane can come out of this worrying goals slump. England’s man of the moment found it difficult on his first start although in fairness he was not the only one struggling for momentum before the substitute Andros Townsend sugarcoated the occasion with a splendid equalising goal. | As Gary Lineker volunteered, let’s hope Harry Kane can come out of this worrying goals slump. England’s man of the moment found it difficult on his first start although in fairness he was not the only one struggling for momentum before the substitute Andros Townsend sugarcoated the occasion with a splendid equalising goal. |
| Townsend ought to cherish the moment he took aim from over 20 yards out and produced a shot with the power and precision to beat a goalkeeper of Gianluigi Buffon’s distinction. The ball was still rising as it hit the net and England could conceivably have gone on to win from that point. Wayne Rooney could reflect on three second-half chances without managing to get the goal that would have drawn him level with Lineker’s total of 48 England goals and got him closer still to Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 49. | Townsend ought to cherish the moment he took aim from over 20 yards out and produced a shot with the power and precision to beat a goalkeeper of Gianluigi Buffon’s distinction. The ball was still rising as it hit the net and England could conceivably have gone on to win from that point. Wayne Rooney could reflect on three second-half chances without managing to get the goal that would have drawn him level with Lineker’s total of 48 England goals and got him closer still to Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 49. |
| Related: England’s Andros Townsend hits back at critics after Italy draw | |
| Overall, though, it was an erratic night from Roy Hodgson’s team. Theo Walcott’s first start since September 2013 fell flat. Kane let the game pass him by for the opening hour, even if he did eventually grow into it, and Hodgson’s own performance deserves scrutiny bearing in mind the unsuccessful experiment with Phil Jones as a defensive midfielder and the peculiar way Walcott was used in a new-look attack. | Overall, though, it was an erratic night from Roy Hodgson’s team. Theo Walcott’s first start since September 2013 fell flat. Kane let the game pass him by for the opening hour, even if he did eventually grow into it, and Hodgson’s own performance deserves scrutiny bearing in mind the unsuccessful experiment with Phil Jones as a defensive midfielder and the peculiar way Walcott was used in a new-look attack. |
| Hodgson started off with Rooney playing behind a Walcott-Kane double act but what followed was bordering on inexplicable bearing in mind Walcott was then shifted back to operate in the hole. All that came of it was the hard evidence that the position is totally unsuited for a player of Walcott’s qualities, whose game is built around speed and directness. Walcott was replaced 10 minutes into the second half and must feel confused by Hodgson’s tactics. For all his talents, the Arsenal man has never before operated in the No 10 role and probably never will again. | Hodgson started off with Rooney playing behind a Walcott-Kane double act but what followed was bordering on inexplicable bearing in mind Walcott was then shifted back to operate in the hole. All that came of it was the hard evidence that the position is totally unsuited for a player of Walcott’s qualities, whose game is built around speed and directness. Walcott was replaced 10 minutes into the second half and must feel confused by Hodgson’s tactics. For all his talents, the Arsenal man has never before operated in the No 10 role and probably never will again. |
| As for Jones, a player in that position surely needs to be able to put his foot on the ball and pick out a team-mate and the ideal candidate, Michael Carrick, was on the bench. Hodgson duly abandoned this experiment, just like the Walcott one, bringing on Carrick and moving Jones back into defence after Chris Smalling was forced out of the game because he felt unwell. Hodgson admitted afterwards England played much better with Carrick pulling the strings rather than Jones acting as “a destroyer”. | As for Jones, a player in that position surely needs to be able to put his foot on the ball and pick out a team-mate and the ideal candidate, Michael Carrick, was on the bench. Hodgson duly abandoned this experiment, just like the Walcott one, bringing on Carrick and moving Jones back into defence after Chris Smalling was forced out of the game because he felt unwell. Hodgson admitted afterwards England played much better with Carrick pulling the strings rather than Jones acting as “a destroyer”. |
| It was no coincidence England looked at their most menacing during the final half-hour when Ross Barkley had taken over from Walcott. Italy made six substitutions and once the game became more like a free-for-all than a real tactical battle England did frequently pick a way through the defence. It was before that point when it looked beyond them and their shortcomings were obvious. | It was no coincidence England looked at their most menacing during the final half-hour when Ross Barkley had taken over from Walcott. Italy made six substitutions and once the game became more like a free-for-all than a real tactical battle England did frequently pick a way through the defence. It was before that point when it looked beyond them and their shortcomings were obvious. |
| Italy took the lead after 29 minutes with a goal that also exposed Jones’s occasional flaws as a defender. Graziano Pellè has not scored in the Premier League since 20 December, a slump that has seen him lose his place recently for Southampton, but he will rarely be left in the amount of space he was afforded once Giorgio Chiellini had eluded Jones on the wing to put over the cross. Pellè was unmarked and angled an expertly-weighted header just inside Joe Hart’s left-hand post. | Italy took the lead after 29 minutes with a goal that also exposed Jones’s occasional flaws as a defender. Graziano Pellè has not scored in the Premier League since 20 December, a slump that has seen him lose his place recently for Southampton, but he will rarely be left in the amount of space he was afforded once Giorgio Chiellini had eluded Jones on the wing to put over the cross. Pellè was unmarked and angled an expertly-weighted header just inside Joe Hart’s left-hand post. |
| Rooney had struck the crossbar with a deflected shot eight minutes earlier but it was a subdued start from England and, for the most part, the opening half plodded along without any real pattern. These kind of occasions have been arranged to add a dash of colour to what has been, for England, a grey Euro 2016 qualifying process. Another has been arranged with France at Wembley in February and the Football Association is also in the process of tying down fixtures against Spain, Germany and Holland. Yet the vast expanses of empty seats told their own story. The people of Turin were clearly not that enthused by the idea of a friendly at this stage of the season and at times it felt like the same could be said of the players. | Rooney had struck the crossbar with a deflected shot eight minutes earlier but it was a subdued start from England and, for the most part, the opening half plodded along without any real pattern. These kind of occasions have been arranged to add a dash of colour to what has been, for England, a grey Euro 2016 qualifying process. Another has been arranged with France at Wembley in February and the Football Association is also in the process of tying down fixtures against Spain, Germany and Holland. Yet the vast expanses of empty seats told their own story. The people of Turin were clearly not that enthused by the idea of a friendly at this stage of the season and at times it felt like the same could be said of the players. |
| Related: Italy 1-1 England: five talking points from the friendly in Turin | Simon Burnton | |
| “There wasn’t a lot of passion from the crowd and the first half just seemed to drift,” Hodgson said. “From our point of view it drifted very badly. We fell well below the standards we have been setting.” | “There wasn’t a lot of passion from the crowd and the first half just seemed to drift,” Hodgson said. “From our point of view it drifted very badly. We fell well below the standards we have been setting.” |
| Kane had been given a classic, old-school Italian introduction, courtesy of Chiellini dumping him on the floor inside the opening minute. Kane worked hard but England were so dishevelled early on his first chance did not arrive until seven minutes into a second half in which England’s Tottenham contingent was increased not only by the lively Townsend but also Ryan Mason winning his first cap. | Kane had been given a classic, old-school Italian introduction, courtesy of Chiellini dumping him on the floor inside the opening minute. Kane worked hard but England were so dishevelled early on his first chance did not arrive until seven minutes into a second half in which England’s Tottenham contingent was increased not only by the lively Townsend but also Ryan Mason winning his first cap. |
| Townsend’s goal was struck brilliantly and in England’s next attack Rooney had the chance to turn the game on its head, denied by Buffon’s sprawling save. Barkley looked eager to impress and finally England started playing with real impetus. Yet Italy could also reflect on some decent opportunities to win, most notably when the substitute Luca Antonelli dragged a left-foot shot narrowly wide. | Townsend’s goal was struck brilliantly and in England’s next attack Rooney had the chance to turn the game on its head, denied by Buffon’s sprawling save. Barkley looked eager to impress and finally England started playing with real impetus. Yet Italy could also reflect on some decent opportunities to win, most notably when the substitute Luca Antonelli dragged a left-foot shot narrowly wide. |