Euro 2016 Qualifiers: Winners and Losers from Sunday's Matches
Sunday's Euro 2016 qualifiers are in the books, and we've got a full rundown of our winners and losers from the action around the continent.
England, Ukraine and Austria all pulled out tight one-goal wins, while Spain, Slovakia and Sweden punished their opponents in strong displays.
Read on to see whom we've picked, and if you've got anyone to add, slam his name in the comments below!
Winner: Jack Wilshere, Who Played Very Well in Midfield for England
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Sunday, Jack Wilshere collected his second official Man of the Match award in two games (Joe Hart has received the two fans' versions as a form of protest against the fixtures England are playing).
Many were impressed with his performance in the engine room as he adapted to the midfield role in Roy Hodgson's diamond much better, showing sharpness and movement previously missing.
"Great performance from Wilshere. Showed up his captain in terms of leading by example. Great dynamism, sharp on the ball & direct movement.
— Joe Krishnan (@joekrishnan) October 12, 2014"
Wilshere paid tribute to England's team dynamic, telling SkySports.com: "On the pitch and off the pitch we are really close. On the pitch we are starting to become a horrible team to play against. We've got a great, compact unit there in the middle, we get after the ball and we win it."
Loser: The Rest of Arsenal's England Contingent?
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Danny Welbeck exited England's 1-0 victory over Estonia with an injury, went straight down the tunnel and was replaced by Rickie Lambert.
"Welbeck heads straight to the England Physio room. Of course. Arsenal injury list isn't allowed to drop below 10 at one time. #FootballLaws
— Sam (@samuelJayC) October 12, 2014"
Arsenal are already without Olivier Giroud, and the thought of playing Yaya Sanogo up front drains blood from the face; if Welbeck is out for even a few weeks, the Gunners are in trouble.
Calum Chambers too irritated some viewers with a second questionable performance at right-back in a row. With Nathaniel Clyne, formerly Chambers' superior at Southampton, on the bench, Hodgson must be considering giving the new boy a go.
Winner: Marek Hamsik, Who Is in Fine Fettle for Slovakia Right Now
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Slovakia's Marek Hamsik played up front against Spain in a slightly odd role midweek but nevertheless got through the yards and helped his side win 2-1.
Against Belarus he was restored to a more natural No. 10 role behind Adam Nemec, and he rewarded manager's Jan Kozak's decision by grabbing a brace in a 3-1 victory.
"Marek Hamsik needs to try his hand at Premier League football. He'd be a wonderful addition to any side. Let's make this happen!
— Peter Hall (@PeteHall86) October 12, 2014"
His first of the night was a Frank Lampard-esque beauty.
Loser: Lithuania, Who Fell Apart After Conceding Despite Playing Well
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Lithuania played well against Slovenia in the early stages, but they fell apart at the seams as soon as they conceded the first goal against the run of play, losing 2-0.
They're a better football team than many give them credit for, but a weak mentality is obvious. And that means there's very little chance of them upsetting anyone—especially the big guns in the group.
Winner: Vicente del Bosque, Who Nailed It
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Here's a list of things that went right for Spain manager Vicente del Bosque on Sunday in the 4-0 win at Luxembourg:
- Switched formations (to a diamond) and it worked.
- Gave debuts to big talents in Juan Bernat and Rodrigo.
- Saw Diego Costa finally get off the mark at international level (seventh attempt).
- Presided over a rare David Silva masterclass (in the red of Spain).
- Saw Paco Alcacer score. Again.
A fairly tidy night's work for the under-fire boss, wouldn't you agree?
It was lowly Luxembourg, sure, but you can only beat what's in front of you. It felt like del Bosque made positive steps in the right direction stylistically, and he has fewer questions to answer for the next international break.
Winner: Sweden, Who Won Without Zlatan Ibrahimovic
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic was listed as a substitute for Sweden against Liechtenstein, but in no way was he truly fit to play a part on the pitch.
Instead, he was essentially a cheerleader during the 2-0 win, and he was seen postgame sharing hugs and smiles with Jimmy Durmaz and Erkan Zengin—the Swedes' two goalscorers on the night.
Whenever Erik Hamren's men win without Zlatan, it's a big achievement, considering how important he is.
