Nick Collins reviews England's 2015 record
Wednesday 18 November 2015 14:52, UK
Played 10 Won 7 Drew 2 Lost 1.
Those are the bare facts behind England's performances in 2015 and they represent another solid year of progress for Roy Hodgson's young team.
The one defeat - to a more experienced Spain side in Alicante - underlined that England still have a way to go, before they can expect to beat Europe's top sides on a regular basis.
Possession was too cheaply given away against a team that are a byword for being experts at retaining it. England must learn that lesson, perhaps above all else, if they are to make a real impact at Euro 2016 next summer.
England's year began at Wembley in March with a 4-0 demolition of Lithuania, and a new star was born... Harry Kane. Seconds after coming off the bench on his debut, Kane scored an instinctive goal which marked him down as a man with a big international future.
This match also featured the one and only England appearance in 2015 by Leighton Baines. Injury has prevented him representing his country since, and with Luke Shaw also ruled out long-term, the left-back berth is still wide open with Kieran Gibbs and Ryan Bertrand in pole position.
A battling draw against Italy in Turin (incidentally, my 250th game covering England) showed us that England do have a plan B. Second-half subs Ross Barkley and Andros Townsend changed the game, Townsend grabbed the equaliser and this was an encouraging night all round.
The goalless draw against the Republic of Ireland in June was less about the result and more about the occasion, with the two nations meeting in Dublin for the first time since crowd trouble forced the 1995 match to be abandoned in the first half.
If that was the least exciting England game of 2015, then seven days later in Ljubljana we probably had the best one.
England were behind at half-time to spirited opponents and the 100 per cent qualifying record looked under threat.
Enter Jack Wilshere with a fine equaliser and an even better second goal - his first two for England. Fit and in form, Wilshere thoroughly deserves a starting place at Euro 2016, but the question remains, will he be fit and in form come next summer?
Slovenia responded with a late equaliser, but in a breathless finish there was still time for Wayne Rooney to snatch a winner as England made it six wins out of six in Group E.
So four qualifiers left as the new season got underway. San Marino were demolished 6-0, Rooney equalling Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time England scoring record with his 49th goal.
Barkley scored his first and is emerging as a potential major player for his country at the age of just 21, while Theo Walcott grabbed two goals as a substitute to remind Hodgson of his undoubted qualities and Kane got on the scoresheet as well, as England qualified for Euro 2016 with THREE games to spare.
So to Switzerland at Wembley on September 8 and the moment of the year: with four minutes remaining, Rooney sealed England's 2-0 victory with an emphatic penalty to become the first Englishman to score 50 international goals. A wonderful landmark, a wonderful achievement. Let us hope there are plenty more to come.
Stubborn Estonia were also dispatched by the same 2-0 scoreline in October, and that made England's record nine wins out of nine. Raheem Sterling was on target - he continues to develop and looks set to be an important figure for England next summer. Premier League goal machine Jamie Vardy set up Sterling's goal, and if he continues in his current vein, he could be one of the surprise stars of Euro 2016.
Chilly Vilnius was the venue for England's final qualifier: a routine 3-0 win against Lithuania, Barkley starting it off with a great strike, and England had achieved their perfect 10 out of 10. The opposition wasn't the strongest, but the players still deserve immense credit for their consistency.
Defeat in Spain wasn't so much of a wake-up call, more a reminder that there is still work to be done.
England's final game against France went ahead against the backdrop of the Paris terror attacks four days earlier. A poignant, emotional occasion with both teams displaying immense dignity. Their message of solidarity went round the globe.
The abiding image? The players of England and France linking arms together before kick-off, a gesture which led to spontaneous and prolonged applause. A 2-0 win to round off the year with 19-year-old Dele Alli laying down a genuine marker for next summer's tournament. A spectacular first goal on his first start... could he provide England with the X-factor in France?
Defensively England look pretty solid: Gary Cahill and the emerging John Stones are an intriguing combination, as are the Manchester United pair of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones. At right-back, Nathanial Clyne and Kyle Walker both possess great speed and a genuine threat going forward.
Midfield would undoubtedly be boosted by the return of Wilshere and Jordan Henderson, but their replacements have done well. Out wide, Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, when fit, are class players.
Daniel Sturridge didn't appear for England at all in 2015, his injury woes remain a concern, while Danny Welbeck has missed England's last nine games through injury.
Get everyone fit, and the pieces of the England jigsaw could finally be coming together. One way or another, we'll find out in 2016.
