England will never erase the memory of a wretched World Cup but their seventh win on the spin since Brazil was greeted rapturously by Wembley, a venue where crumbs of comfort are traditionally gathered up and made into feasts of hope.
Leaving aside Wembley’s excessive triumphalism, there is hope for the future with Wayne Rooney leading the line like this, Danny Welbeck playing as vibrantly as this, Raheem Sterling lighting up the second half and Harry Kane, in pure Roy of the Rovers fashion, coming on for his debut and scoring after 79 seconds. All four attackers scored.
So at the halfway stage of qualifying for Euro 2016, Roy Hodgson and his players are halfway across the concourse at St Pancras, strolling towards the waiting Eurostar. They lead Group E by six points, winning all five ties, scoring 15 times and conceding one. Throw in friendly victories over Norway and Scotland and England have done well since returning with heads bowed from Rio. Rooney even claimed opponents should now be “frightened” of England.
Such a bold statement can be judged properly only when they face more significant opposition than Lithuania, who are ranked just behind Malawi, Bolivia and Benin at 94th in the world. They were so unthreatening that Joe Hart could have been added to the 83,671 total of spectators. They defended in such numbers that one wall, being erected to combat a free-kick, was so large it almost required planning permission.
So some tempering of rising optimism levels is sensible. England did defeat Switzerland in Basel last September, a good performance and result, but it will only be in the group stage of Euro 2016 that the revival can properly be measured, although Tuesday’s trip to Turin for a friendly against Italy may place the team’s development in perspective.
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Without getting carried away on the wave of euphoria that rolled in the Mexican Wave around Wembley, there are hugely encouraging signs, particularly in the increase in options, both in tactics and in personnel. England looked comfortable in Hodgson’s 4-1-2-3 system against Lithuania just as they had impressed previously when operating a diamond, most notably against the Swiss. England now have a Plan B.
Wayne Rooney opens the scoring for England with a header
They also boast a depth of alternatives, particularly upfront. Rooney’s 47th international goal took to him ever closer to Gary Lineker’s 48 and Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 49. He could have equaled Charlton in the first period but was thwarted by the frame of the goal. Such a whole-hearted, team-minded player, Rooney also created Sterling’s goal.
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Welbeck was voted man of the match, deservedly so for a display of pace, energy, running, intelligence, creativity and spiced with a goal. Sterling was quiet in the first period but his quick feet, constantly shifting the ball past bemused Lithuanians, delighted Wembley after the break. Kane was so feted by Wembley that he almost came on midway through the second half to rose petals strewn in his path. He scored with his third touch and looked totally at home in international football, albeit with the proviso that this was Lithuania.
This was an evening of many positives. Michael Carrick was a figure of calm in deep midfield, although there was little in Lithuania’s movement that was ever going to trouble him. Just ahead of Carrick, Jordan Henderson and Fabian Delph constantly raced upfield to press Lithuania. Ross Barkley came on and looked to maintain the momentum.
There were negatives. England will travel to Turin without Sterling, who has returned to Liverpool for an injection in a troublesome toe, according to Hodgson. It is hard to imagine Liverpool being thrilled at the England manager revealing such detail about the medical condition of one of their players.
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They will also be missing, in all likelihood, Welbeck, who tweaked his knee, was taken off limping, and headed straight down the tunnel. James Milner’s knee problem has ensured his return to Manchester City. The only call-up is Ryan Bertrand, who has come in for Leighton Baines.
The Everton left-back took an early whack from Karolis Chvedukas, a sign of the visitors’ limitations. England took control. Hodgson had built a platform for Rooney. Welbeck and Sterling provided pace, width and service. Delph created an early chance for Rooney, hooking the ball forward for his captain to sprint on and fire in a low right-footed shot that beat Giedrius Arlauskis but bounced to safety off a post.
Danny Welbeck bundles in England's second goal
Rooney did not have to wait long to move on to 47 goals for his country. Welbeck dribbled into the box, and shooting. Arlauskis parried the effort but there was Rooney, the poacher supreme, heading England in front. Eschewing his recent boxing celebration, Rooney looked to the heavens, blew some kisses, and got back on with the game. Welbeck’s smile at the goal was even more understandable as his involvement confirmed the logic behind Hodgson’s loyalty.
It was not simply that Welbeck has been so prolific in qualifying. It was also that Rooney was the main man, the centre-forward, the focus. For all the frustration amongst many fans at seeing Kane held back for 71 minutes, England have dominated this group with Rooney and Welbeck excelling. The expectation is that Kane, the most prolific Englishman this season, will begin in Turin. England need a proper look at a Rooney-Kane axis, giving them another option. But Welbeck’s performance justified his selection.
Raheem Sterling makes it three for England
Rooney could have added a second but sent his header on to the bar. Rooney kept chasing the second. When Arturas Zulpa leaned in to Welbeck on the edge of the box, Lithuania constructed an eight-man to combat the free-kick. Welbeck positioned himself at one end of the wall, peeling away when Rooney made contact with the dead ball. Arlauskis dropped down low to his left to smother the strike.
Welbeck’s tireless running was rewarded just before the break. Henderson swirled a shot in that Welbeck intercepted, turning it towards goal. It hit Tadas Kijanskas and deceived Arlauskis. In his 33rd international, Welbeck’s 14th goal moved him alongside Paul Scholes and George “Gatling Gun” Hilsdon, a prolific force over a couple of seasons before World War I.
Harry Kane celebrates his first goal for England
Arlauskis denied Delph and Welbeck after the interval but just before the hour, England had a well-merited third. Rooney played the creator, crossing from the right to present Sterling with the easiest of close-range finishes. The local lad with the tattoo of the Wembley arch on his arm had his first international goal in his 14th appearance.
Rooney’s hopes of drawing closer to the record ended for the evening after 71 minutes when he was withdrawn for Kane, whose arrival was greeted with near rapture by Wembley. His family were in the crowd, cheering him on. He did not disappoint. His first two touches involved controling the ball, then lay it off. He then moved to the far-post as Sterling jinked in from the left, lifting the ball across for the unmarked Kane to open his England account with an easy header. The Spurs forward ran away, looking to the skies, arms outstretched, before sliding towards the corner-flag. England will see that again.
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