Michael Carrick was his normal composed self but was helpless in the face of Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Busquets in the Spain teamSo much for England’s future. Welcome to another all-too familiar glimpse of the recent past. The José Rico Pérez Stadium is a lovely,dinky tiny coastal concrete bowl. It looks like a miniature version of the Vicente Calderón, its steep concrete sides open to the sea breezes, and floodlights drawn from the huge terrifying disposable Bic razor school of 1970s stadium design. Before kick-off it was awash with pinkish English flesh,an Alicante-centred horde of basking, bellicose Englishmen fanned out across one end. Deafening heavy metal music blared out over the PA. Bats swirled around the eaves. Spain kicked off, or kept the ball for two minutes,and from the start the sense of another daunting, bruising contest with familiarly agonising opponents was already palpable. Related: England undone by artistry of Spain’s Mario Pérez and Santi Cazorla Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com