Published: 01 March 2012
by PAUL COWLING

ENGLAND 2 NETHERLANDS 3
Wembley Stadium, att: 76,283

THIS morning, England are fourth favourites to win Euro 2012.

But, a national side with neither a manager or a captain, and shorn of their best player for their opening two group games at the tournament, it could well be argued that England are fourth favourites to even win their group.

That all three group opponents, Ukraine, Sweden and most notably, France (beating Germany 2-1), all won away last night, should be a worry for England, as they reflect on a dramatic defeat to the Dutch.

You could liken last night's friendly  to this: two football giants, locking horns for a pre-season kick-about.

The home side, Leeds United, with an average squad, in the second tier, and clinging to past glories, on the back foot for most of the first half, as visitors Man Utd dictate midfield, and make the home side chase shadows.

Everyone can see the visitors can step up a gear at will, but choose not to – it's only a friendly!

Gradually, Leeds get into the game; force chances themselves, but don't take them.

Then in the second half, after a hairdryer blast from Sir Alex, a little bit of magic from a world class player, changes the complexion of the game, and by the end of the night, the home side is forced to reflect the sizeable gulf that exists between the two sides.

For Leeds and Man Utd – read England and Holland!

Put simply; if this had been a qualifier, or a tournament knock out game, Holland would have strolled to victory by 3 or 4 goals.

Simmering with threat, Holland had far better players then England had on show last night, but it only took one of them to make a difference.

Even if Wesley Sneijder and Arsenal's Robin Van Persie were largely below par, Arjen Robben wasn't.

Supposedly out of sorts at Bayern Munich, Robben made the breakthrough on 57 minutes with an electrifying run, and clinical finish.

You could see it being a goal from the moment he beat skipper for the night, Scott Parker to the ball in the Dutch half.

Klass-Jan Huntelaar's decoy run, took centre halves Chris Smalling, and Gary Cahill away from the rampaging Robben, whose blistering 70 yard run was adorned with a thumping shot past Joe Hart in the England goal.

Two minutes later, and it was 2-0.

England's defence – at sixes and sevens – failed to pick out Dirk Kuyt.

The Liverpool man's  pin-point cross was met by Huntelaar, whose bullet header sailed past a hapless Hart.

Such was the force of contact, and mistimed challenge from Smalling, that both players were poleaxed in the six yard box.

Huntelaar was dazed – with a sod of Wembley turf splayed from his mouth, though Smalling was stretchered off after 4 minutes of treatment.

Ironically, those four minutes of added on time, were the defining moments of the match.

England – to their credit – had pulled back to 2-1 on 85 minutes, when a suspiciously offside, Gary Cahill, cooly finished past Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

Then with the clock running down, and the home crowd suddenly behind them, England grabbed a surprise equaliser.

Substitute Phil Jones played on Ashley Young, who superbly dinked the ball over Stekelenburg.

Young's goal should have sent the team and home crowd away, with new-found belief – the United man's finish was worthy of Paul Scholes in his prime.

But how England could have done with Paul Scholes to close the game out- dampening the burning rage in the Dutch, and taking the sting out of the last few moments of the match.

Instead, England defended deep, panicked and allowed Holland one last chance – which they took with aplomb.

Micah Richards failed to clear the ball, which fell to Robben, who curled an exquisite shot past Hart, by way of a deflection off Gary Cahill.

3-2, 'Hup Holland Hup', in the Oranje clad Dutch ranks, and game over.

For England – a chastening end to a night of low expectation

Daniel Sturridge, on as a sub for Steven Gerrard, had a promising game, though  missed a sitter when one-on-one at goal, while
Adam Johnson bamboozled at times, but his deliveries weren't siezed upon by Danny Welbeck, who played a far too deep, loan striker role.

The critical thing for England though, is this: where both sides looked weak in defence, it was the Dutch who had the world class players that could turn the match, and win it for them.

There is much for England to contemplate, and they will rue, Wayne Rooney's petty dismissal in Montenegro last Autumn, as without him and possibly, Jack Wilshere, their Euro 2012 campaign could be over before it has even begun.

After the match, Dutch coach Bert Van Marwijk, pointed out there had been no agreement with Arsene Wenger to take off Robin Van Persie at half time (even though the inform Arsenal striker was substituted).

Van Marwijk had also told his team they "needed to counter-attack more in the second half, and take their opportunities" – they duly did, with devastating effect.

In contrast, a disappointed stand-in coach Stuart Pearce, admitted England had been 'Naive' when they had got their equaliser.

"Credit to them (the Dutch), but we should have had more belief to hold on".

Pearce is still prepared to answer the FA's call to take the reins for Euro 2012, but Spurs boss Harry Redknapp remains the favourite for the full-time role, with talk of him 'parachuting in', just in time for the tournament, which kicks off on June 8th.

But, when the Three Lions open their Group D campaign against France, whoever is in charge, will know England have their work cut out to live with another international side that are a world apart from England.

England: 4-3-3
Joe Hart;
Micah Richards, Chris Smalling (Sub Phil Jones 63), Gary Cahill, Leighton Baines;
Scott Parker (Captain), Steven Gerrard (Sub Daniel Sturridge 33 (replaced by Theo Walcott, 87), Gareth Barry (Sub James Milner 46);
Adam Johnson (Sub Stewart Downing 65), Danny Welbeck (Sub Frazier Campbell), Ashley Young

Netherlands: 4-2-3-1
Maarten Stekelenburg;
Khalid Boulahrouz, John Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen, Erik Pieters (Sub Stijn Schaars 46)
Mark Van Bommel (Captain), Nigel De Jong;
Dirk Kuyt, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben;
Robin Van Persie (Sub Klass-Jan Huntelaar 46 (replaced by Luuk De Jong 61)

Next up for England:
Away v Norway, Oslo May 26th,
Home v Belgium, Wembley, June 2.