A glance across the North Sea is one of envy for followers of the English national team. A Netherlands population a third of the size supports a league down on its luck in terms of prestige and revenue. Yet England host a team who were a couple of Iker Casillas saves away from being world champions in 2010.

And a comparison of the talents available to Bert van Maarwijk and Stuart Pearce/AN Other would still provide an idea of England being just as strong as the Dutch. While Netherlands can call on Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney can reach his level in the Premier League. Of course, England do not have a Wesley Sneijder, or even an Arjen Robben, but then again they do not call on the likes of Khalid Boulaharouz or Joris Mathijsen in defence.

The Dutch have been supplying some of the world's finest talents since the coming of Johan Cruyff in the mid-1960s, and there is still a sense of underachievement among their fans. To lose three World Cup finals is heartbreaking, yet beyond the wildest dreams of England. In the past, in-fighting has often robbed the Oranje of their brilliance. Euro '76, Cruyff's absence from Argentina in 1978, Italia '90 and Euro '96 all saw impossibly talented squads denied by outbreaks of warring opinion and ego.

England, for whom in-fighting is a more recent development, can barely share the same regrets about golden chances being squandered. They probably felt ahead of their flight to Johannesburg that they had the personnel to see off the likes of Netherlands, but those hopes were soon dashed.

English expectations are lowered yet further this time. The Dutch blazed through qualifying for Euro 2012, losing only a dead rubber against Sweden, and this is a settled side, with Ola John and Luciano Narsingh two novices added to an outfit well drilled by Bert van Marwijk. "Both boys are developing rapidly," he said of the pair from FC Twente and Heerenveen respectively. "They have proved they can play under pressure and find that good final pass."

Playing for the national side also offers respite to more established names suffering problems with their club sides. Sneijder has struggled with form and fitness at Inter Milan while Arjen Robben has admitted that he has been playing through the pain barrier for months due to a long-standing groin injury.

Such issues seem run of the mill in the light of England's lack of a permanent coach, as Pearce takes the reins during the interregnum that has followed Fabio Capello's departure, and he may perhaps even stake his own claim for a job he clearly wants at some stage. The former 'Psycho' leads a squad lacking some big names, yet also has the comfort of familiarity with many of his former Under-21 charges.

He leads a team whose last pair of results were to beat Spain and, for the first time since 1968, Sweden. Those look like being forgotten footnotes to a unmourned regime. An England defeat of the Dutch would lift expectations amid uncertainty but, considering the tournament pedigree of both teams, it may tell us little about how either will do this summer.

England player to watch: Daniel Sturridge. The boy 'Studge', as an Andre Villas-Boas teamsheet may or may not have referred to him, has long craved a central role for club and country. The unkind would suggest that his constant incursions from Chelsea's right flank reveal this desire rather too often, as do his constant shooting from difficult angles when an inward pass may be more productive. He may now be granted his head, unless Danny Welbeck's excellent line-leading is preferred. With Wayne Rooney absent here, and in the opening two matches of Euro 2012, and Darren Bent surely a remote hope, Sturridge looks to have Wembley as his stage.

Netherlands player to watch: Dirk Kuyt. A confirmed Wembley wizard in the Anfield history books, after he almost won the Carling Cup Final on Sunday, Kuyt will hope to reassert that he is the man for the big occasion, in the absence of consistently good form this season. He performs a similar workhorse role for the Dutch as he has done at his best for Liverpool, though a few more goals have been supplied too. A proud team man for club and country, his hard work allows the likes of Van Persie, Robben and Sneijder room to flourish.

Key battle: Scott Parker v Wesley Sneijder. England's Player of the Year for 2011 is not too high an accolade considering a year of modest achievement, but Parker can be proud of making himself a first name on the teamsheet for his country after struggling to do so for a decade. He may even be named as captain, but Stuart Pearce will make us wait for that. Parker enters the fray having had a difficult couple of weeks with Spurs. First, he was part of the team nullified by Stevenage, and then sent off in a disastrous North London derby. Overall, though, he has had a far better season than Sneijder, who has suffered a ruinous 2011-12 as first Gian Piero Gasperini and then Claudio Ranieri have struggled to incorporate him. Injury niggles too may have had him yearning for that much debated move to Manchester United, and they may have missed him too. He and Parker are sure to cross paths in a packed Wembley midfield.

Trivia: The last friendly between the two nations at Wembley was ahead of Euro '88, in March of that year. The pair shared a 2-2 draw. Tony Adams scored for both teams that night, scoring an equaliser for each, after Gary Lineker had opened the scoring, and John Bosman had put the Dutch ahead. At Euro '88 itself, England were thumped 3-1 in Dusseldorf via a Marco van Basten hat-trick.

Stats: Although Danny Welbeck has only six league goals to his name, a shooting accuracy of 64% will help England to compensate for the absence of Wayne Rooney. Daniel Sturridge has also been in impressive form, with a 17% conversion rate and firing a shot on goal every 29.5 minutes. (Castrol Index).


Match

Aaarghh, i so hate these international breaks. Heard my boy VanPee pulled out of the netherlands training due to an injury scare, I hope its only precautionary.

Yep am gonna be at wembley stadium but not to see the game i'll be working there.

manmustwac:

Yep am gonna be at wembley stadium but not to see the game i'll be working there.

na you go sweep the field

Great, i want to know can i see you?

see my lord have persie

Holland anthem
rvppppppp

england anthem

tusss danny welbeck nor sabi sing

Game on!

German ref

Muki did u watch Chambo and Lansbury play for for England Under 21? them try well well o!!!

seedord247:

na you go sweep the field

As his name connotes.

At wembley stadium right now but no chance to see the game coz am working there

manmustwac:

At wembley stadium right now but no chance to see the game coz am working there

well done oo, anyways na a spuddie be Captain

Roland17:

Muki did u watch Chambo and Lansbury play for for England Under 21? them try well well o!!!

nope i dey watch afcon qualifiers that time, dem damage my team nor be small 


choi!! just checked the score line , my bois try o !

Welback lazy man

England really need this wining see hustle

mukina2:

nope i dey watch afcon qualifiers that time, dem damage my team nor be small 


choi!! just checked the score line , my bois try o !

Lansbury score 2 while Chambo score 1.

Gerald off Sturridge on

Rvp messed that ball up

Pakar family don finish

See young again

Half time

Okay, thank you for taking off Van Pee, him don try.

lets go England

robben nack dem and it is 1-0 holland 

Go Bayernnnnnn

executinal:

lets go England

where una dey go? Robben and Huntelar Bustop ?

omo see crashing o , i beg huntelar no die o , he is bleeding through the nose ,2 - 0  

what a goal

kai! smalling has a lot to learn mennnn!
meanwhile ashley young is quite faecal o

See Bundesliga guys schooling all these useless overrated EPL players

Where is Van Pucci?