Skip to content

Nick Collins says England can take a number of positives from Italy draw

Image: Nick Collins, with a signed England shirt to mark his 250th time reporting on the national side.

England can reflect with satisfaction on their trip to Italy, their unbeaten run now stretched to nine, even if their winning streak is over, says Sky Sports Nick Collins after covering his 250th match with the national side.

The jury is out on the experiment of playing Theo Walcott up top alongside Harry Kane, with Wayne Rooney tucked in behind at the tip of a midfield diamond. Walcott and Rooney switched after half an hour or so, while Walcott was substituted early in the second half.

His replacement, Ross Barkley, helped change the course of the game. The young Everton midfielder injected some much-needed energy and direction. Along with fellow-sub Andros Townsend, Barkley took the game to Italy and it was no surprise when Townsend grabbed a well-deserved equaliser.

Afterwards most of the players we spoke to described it as a 'game of two halves' and you could understand why.
Nick Collins

After that there looked likely up be only one winner; Rooney was foiled by veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon, and just before the end Kane came close after being set up by the busy Barkley.

Afterwards most of the players we spoke to described it as a 'game of two halves' and you could understand why.

The first 45 minutes were frustrating. Just as England were enjoying their best spell, Italy broke away and scored. Worse still it was a Premier League player who inflicted the damage. Southampton's Graziano Pelle with a really well-placed header.

By all accounts, some harsh words were spoken at half-time - and it did the trick. England upped their game; Kane and Kieran Gibbs both went close, then on came Barkley and Townsend.

On 71 minutes Rooney burst through and struck his shot really well, but Buffon produced a magnificent save.

Ryan Mason came on for his debut and England deservedly equalised soon after. A really sweet strike from Townsend for his third England goal. Pre-match criticism of Townsend helped motivate him - the player pleased to prove a point.

'Attacking threat'

On another night Rooney might have scored a least twice; he looked a handful throughout and Sir Bobby Charlton's record may well be caught in June's double header.

Phil Jones started at the base of the midfield diamond, but switched to central defence when Chris Smalling was taken ill. He and Phil Jagielka did a sterling job, snuffing out Italy's attacking threat.

Michael Carrick replaced Smalling on 45 minutes, and again provided some calm assurance in midfield.

Kyle Walker made his first England appearance September 2013; he looked good going forward, while Ryan Bertrand won his first cap since September 2012.

Overall, an encouraging result for England against strong opposition, who also used the match to experiment.

So my 250th England game may not have been a classic, but it was a useful exercise and it did at least keep my unbeaten record in landmark games.

1st: Brazil (H) March 1990 W 1-0

50th: Georgia (A) October 1996 W 2-0

100th: Portugal (H) September 2002 D 1-1

150th: Paraguay (WC) June 2006 W 1-0

200th: Switzerland (A) September 2010 W 3-1

250th: Italy (A) March 2015 D 1-1 

Around Sky