A Bridge Too Far

You just had to feel sorry for Chelsea’s Wayne Bridge, pitched into the white heat of an England-Argentina clash after months on the sidelines and barely any match practice.

The left back played the entire first half and in the circumstances acquitted himself surprisingly well, showing a good deal more sharpness than one was entitled to expect after such a long lay-off.

But inevitably he was the one blamed for the first goal because it came from a right flank cross. Not Wayne Rooney, who gave the ball away on England’s right (the only flaw in an otherwise magnificent performance) to enable Argentina to launch the move. Not Rio Ferdinand, whose clumsiness denied England an interception and allowed the cross to reach its target.

And certainly not Sven Goran Eriksson, currently basking in the glory of a genuinely impressive England display, for selecting him in the first place.

It wasn’t wise – and in some respects it wasn’t entirely fair. Though in the light of Paul Koncheski’s tentative and rather agricultural performance as Bridge’s replacement, it was by no means a disaster.

Don’t forget to click on the sponsors’ links!