From The Times
As the bedraggled England players shuffled wearily on to the coach in St-Etienne, a group of Argentinians jeered, taunted and gestured from the bus next door. "Don't you hate those supporters?" one said as he slumped into his seat. "Never mind the fans," came the reply. "Those are the players." Argentine gloating after they had dumped England from the 1998 World Cup is still remembered vividly by the England party, but they will be wasting energy they cannot afford to squander if they turn up at Wembley tonight hell-bent on revenge. Kevin Keegan might be overstating things when he describes Marcelo Bielsa's side as the second best in the world, but, on recent form, they are better than England.
While that is partly because of the inconsistencies of selection that have undermined England since the World Cup, the South Americans have also displayed steady improvement since Dennis Bergkamp and Holland sent them packing in the quarter-finals. Conquerors of Spain in Seville recently, star players such as Gabriel Batistuta, Ariel Ortega and Juan Veron are flourishing more under Bielsa's adventurous pressing game than they did under the confines of Daniel Passarella.
Batistuta requires little introduction. The tormentor of Arsenal and Manchester United already this season, scoring fine goals against both for Fiorentina, he boasts an international record of 50 goals in 69 appearances that makes Alan Shearer look wasteful. At 31, injuries are beginning to take their toll but he has taken up English lessons with a view to joining the ageing foreign superstars who know they can extend their goalscoring records and their bank balances by finishing their careers in the FA Carling Premiership.
What "Batigol" has seen of English defences has only added to the attraction. "I have played at Wembley only once, with Fiorentina against Arsenal when we won with my goal, and I would be very relaxed if it was that easy tomorrow," he said. "I only had one shot and that was the goal which, as well as being a great finish, was a very important one.
"Manchester United are the best team in the world and, as well as being a cool club, they have always been looking at me. It is a big temptation to play for them and I believe I would not betray or offend anyone in Florence if I go there some day.
"I am 31 and have less and less years available. I also have the choice of going back to Boca Juniors but, wherever I go, it will be to win and not to steal a salary. I will do everything possible to keep at the top level because I am desperate to go to the last World Cup of my career in 2002."
Batistuta's flowing mane brings glamour to the Argentina side, yet he is by no means their most influential player and probably not even their quickest forward - Claudio Lopez is an explosive sprinter. If any player can be described as the key, however, it is Veron, who can pass, dribble, tackle and glide with captivating elegance. The combination of Veron and Diego Simeone, who mounts a watchful guard over his defence, is as formidable a pairing for England's untried midfield to confront as any in the world.
Then there is the small, or rather diminutive, matter of Ariel Ortega playing just behind the potent front pair. Overwhelmed by the responsibility of wearing Diego Maradona's No 10 shirt at the World Cup, he performed his scurrying twists and turns around the penalty area in fits and starts before he was sent off against Holland for butting. Despite failing to bridge the gulf between good and great, Ortega has still won 64 caps at the age of 26 and he would have won plenty more had he been born in England, where there is a dearth of players who can dribble at massed defences.
"In the modern tactical world, you need talented players who can unlock defences and do something special," Ortega said. "That is why I like Owen and Beckham because they are players with fantasy, invention and skill.
"The last game with England is one of my best memories. The first half was great but the second was more difficult because England were defending so hard with one less player. We needed a bit of luck to beat them. This is an important match again but there is never a small Argentina-England match."
The opposition, the historical rivalry and the opportunity to visit Wembley before the bulldozers have ensured the presence of an Argentina squad that is missing only a couple of first-choice players and could be too strong for England. Keegan has picked the right formation to combat a side that will try to use David Beckham's move into the centre to release Zanetti down their left, but the England head coach knows that his players will have to be near their best and certainly unrecognisable from the shambles that performed with little distinction against Scotland.
Given the fluctuations of the two countries since St-Etienne, this time England would probably be happy to lose only on penalties.
