Poland vs England

October 15, 2012
By: John Hansen

Euro 2012 co-hosts Poland enjoyed a bright start to the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, but the match against England will be the first real test for them. The Three Lions arrive to Warsaw in confident mood following the 5-0 win over San Marino, and they will fancy their chances of winning this game.

Poland on the downtrend

The fact that Poland failed to progress from arguably the weakest group at the Euro 2012 in front of their own fans proved the team are not yet ready to mix it up with the best of them. The inexperience ended up costing the team dearly at tournament finals as they could take just two points and no wonder coach Franciszek Smuda was sacked after the tournament. Friendly defeat to Estonia showed new boss Waldemar Fornalik that he will not have an easy job, but the Poles were able to start the World Cup qualifiers on a positive note, taking 4 points from first 2 games. However, despite beating South Africa in a friendly on Friday, Poland have been showing numerous defensive weaknesses over the last few months and they could struggle to contain the likes of Rooney, Defoe and Chamberlain. With several important players missing, the hosts could be in for a very difficult task.

First choice keeper Wojciech Szczesny and captain Jakub Blaszczykowski are definitely out, while Lukasz Piszczek and Eugen Polanski are doubtful.

England looking good

Even if Roy Hodgson wouldn’t have been anyone’s first choice for the England manager, the former Liverpool boss has been doing a really good job since taking over the reigns just before the Euro 2012. The solid showing at the tournament finals helped the players restore the lost confidence, with friendly win over Italy proving the Three Lions are on the major uptrend. While recording comfortable wins over Moldova and San Marino, England were unable to beat Ukraine at Wembley, but they had more than enough chances to do so. The return of Michael Carrick from international exile has brought much needed stability to the centre of the park, which is why Frank Lampard’s injury can be seen as a blessing in disguise. With Wayne Rooney back at his best and Steven Gerrard returning from suspension, the Three Lions look a good bet to triumph in Poland.

Theo Walcott, Frank Lampard and Ryan Bertrand are definitely out, but Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe all return.

Verdict

Poland are experiencing major problems at the moment and in this state they don’t look capable of stopping in-form England. The Three Lions haven’t looked this good for quite a while and they can certainly take advantage of the excellent atmosphere to record a valuable victory in Warsaw.

Our prediction: Away win

Odds: 2.00 (1/1)

Bookmaker: Ladbrokes

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