Scotland vs. England: Winners and Losers from International Friendly
England beat Scotland in a passionate friendly at Celtic Park on Tuesday evening, as Wayne Rooney scored twice on the way to a 3-1 victory.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain broke the deadlock in the first half with a deft header, before Rooney's first goal of the game gave Roy Hodgson's men a deserved cushion mere moments after the half-time break. Andy Robertson's goal with seven minutes remaining then threatened to set up a tense finale, but Rooney slid home less than two minutes later to finally confirm the victory.
Click on for some winners and losers from Tuesday's game.
Winner: Jack Wilshere
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In his 26th appearance for England, Jack Wilshere finally contributed his first assists. His first goal continues to elude him (although he had a couple of half-chances), but this was nevertheless a promising improvement from the Arsenal man.
The debate may continue about where Wilshere's best long-term role actually is, but for this game Roy Hodgson stationed him at the base of midfield, a role that he applied himself to impressing throughout. Not only did he help snuff out Scotland attacks, but he was also invariably involved in any good attacking play from the Three Lions—with the opening goal a case in point.
The ball Wilshere produced to find Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was simply sublime, with the goal an appropriate reward for his technique and vision.
Wilshere also had a role in the second goal (his misguided shot being deflected back into Rooney's path) and continued to be the dominant influence on the game as it wore on. The holding midfield role might not be his forever, but on this night he proved himself to be the metronome of the side as it powered to a comfortable win.
Loser: Gordon Strachan
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After the joy of Friday's hard-fought victory over the Republic of Ireland, this was a disappointing defeat for Gordon Strachan—with the performance as much of a concern as anything else.
Most neutral fans would concede that facing England would always be a tough task for Scotland, considering the relative disparity in the experience and quality of the two playing squads. But the home side struggled to raise its game to the level of its opponents on Tuesday. Once the opening goal went in, Scotland was a distant second-best, and the score could arguably have been far worse than 2-0 by the time Robertson notched against the run of play.
Given the option of only winning one of the two games, Strachan would undoubtedly have sacrificed this match against the "Auld Enemy" to get three vital European Championship qualification points. But the manner of this display will have tempered the enthusiasm surrounding the national team and raised questions about Strachan's ability to get this team to elevate its standards against the bigger and better sides it will hope to be facing in two summers' time.
Afterward, Strachan told Sky Sports:
"I take it as a year, and the year has been good to us. Our objective was to get three points against a good Republic [of Ireland] side and we got that. But we are disappointed to finish the year with a defeat.
There were a couple of things [that caused that]. Firstly, an England side that were as determined as I've seen for a long time.
We maybe being a bit tired mentally and physically from the Friday. England spooked as at the beginning and we never got our rhythm going again.
"
Winner: Nathaniel Clyne
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Time passes at both a quicker and slower rate at the international level. Qualification campaigns seem to progress at a glacial pace, while individual players can see their own prospects enhanced or crushed in the space of one international break.
England's right-back position is, in theory, a competitive one—with both Kyle Walker and Glen Johnson established and experienced at this level. But both of those players are horribly injury-prone and, in their current absence (Johnson being left out of the squad by Hodgson due to his infrequent games for Liverpool), Nathaniel Clyne went a long way to making his case as the new long-term fixture.
His debut against Slovenia was a relatively straightforward affair, with the east Europeans offering only a limited attacking threat down his flank. Scotland, however, posed a different challenge, with Watford winger Ikechi Anya testing Clyne on numerous occasions during his hour on the pitch.
Initially, he seemed to get the better of the Southampton full-back, who struggled with Anya's raw pace and direct style. But after a few skirmishes, Clyne seemed to find his bearings, quickly locking down that flank to such an extent that, when Anya was finally removed, you forgot the left winger was still even playing.
England do not play again until 2015, and in that time, a lot can change. But, for now, Clyne has made a compelling case to be relied upon more regularly by Roy Hodgson in the future.
Winner: The Spectacle
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Bar some questionable chanting and the booing of both national anthems (particularly England's), this game went off without a hitch (of course, the night was still young when this was published)—good news for those who would like to see the fixture become a semi-regular part of the international calendar.
There were always going to be concerns about all the history between the two sets of supporters and whether that would spill over into something unsavoury—inside or outside the ground. That does not appear to have been the case, either at Celtic Park or Wembley last season, which raises the prospect of the oldest game in international football becoming a more frequent occasion than it has been in recent times.
International football would be richer for it.
Winner: Wayne Rooney
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Another game, another two goals for Wayne Rooney. He now has 46 for England—just four more, and he will be the Three Lions' all-time leading goalscorer.
These goals seemed to be particularly special to the Manchester United man, especially the second—which he celebrated with an impromptu cartwheel that seemed to be very much a product of the occasion and the moment. It was almost jarring to see Rooney celebrate so wildly in an England shirt. After all, the big goals in the biggest games have perhaps been too few and far between for one so talented.
It is now very much a case of when, not if, Rooney breaks Sir Bobby Charlton's record. But when he does, and when he retires, this feels like a game he might remember with more fondness than most. To captain your side to victory over Scotland, the oldest of enemies, must be a particularly sweet feeling—especially if you scored twice in the process.
Loser: Saido Berahino
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As the game entered the final minutes at Celtic Park and the cameras panned across to Roy Hodgson with more regularity, it was hard not to notice the spectre of a glum Saido Berahino sitting behind the England coach.
The West Brom striker looked particularly fed up, and it was hard not to sympathise with him. In form and playing regularly this season, he instead had to sit on the bench as Rickie Lambert—at best a peripheral figure for Liverpool this term—was given the final few minutes on the pitch. Berahino's debut will have to wait until 2015 now.
The forward should not despair, however. It is worth noting that Clyne experienced exactly the same thing last month, as he was left out of the team on his first senior call-up in favour of Calum Chambers (a dubious full-back at this level, it must be said). Yet, one squad on, and Clyne was in the team and the first-choice option, taking his chance with both hands.
This seems to be Hodgson's approach with some of his younger players: Give them one squad to acclimate, and then blood them the second time around. Berahino must now focus on everything he has learned over this past week and return to his club eager to continue his recent progress. If he continues to score in the Premier League, it is a safe bet he will get his chance under Hodgson at the next available opportunity.
