How to Add Meaning to Friendlies

I got thinking about England's friendly win over Denmark after reading the Evening Standard tonight. In it, Dan Jones explained how last night's match was a meaningful one, breaking the mould of boredom and futility that we've come to expect from England friendlies in recent years, and I agree. But not quite for the same reasons.

Jones is more interested in the changes at the boredom end of the table; not that that's a bad thing: it definitely is refreshing when you see your country's fooballers "win and look decent" and there really was a feeling that, at last, the new wave of top English talent was finally penetrating the near-stagnant crop we've coped with over the last decade.

But I reckon this meaning that Jones is picking at reaches to the futility end, and here's why: The starting XI last night came from both Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal and Villa. In June against the USA, we boasted Man Utd, Liverpool, Spurs, West Ham, Chelsea and Villa (and, practically, Man City when you remember that SWP came on after 30 mins for Milner - virtually a Blue by that point).

Spot the difference? No, not West Ham's Rob Green (actually you're right - that was the difference(!)). The correct answer is Arsenal. It's hard for me to remain impartial here - in fact I don't think that's possible. But equally I don't think it takes an Arsenal fan to recognise that the two Gunners on show last night were pivotal in whatever the change was that we saw in England's performance.

Highlighting the actual performances of Wilshere and Walcott isn't really the point here; it's more what else they brought to the table. They are both students of Wenger and as such are geared towards the kind of Total Football worshipped by the great Dutch sides of old. Why does that matter? Well, friendly matches are the best opportunities to inject a new ethos into your side - but only as long as that ethos is right. Until now, England's problem has been just that - we've just not had the ingredients to experiment a new dish. And that's why every time you've sat down to watch an England friendly you've been asking yourself why you are doing so.

With a growing Arsenal presence in the England side there is a great chance to put these exhibition matches to good use. "Not quite a meaningless friendly" was a good assessment by Jones - far from futile, last night showed us what we've been missing in recent years: that little bit of panache...