Approaching his 65th birthday and in his 19th different managerial job, Roy Hodgson's appeal to the English Football Association probably included his predictability.
Tried, tested and trusted, an experienced hand at the helm should spare them some unpleasant surprises. Yet even the most cautious among us take the occasional risk.
As Hodgson's reign began in earnest, the known quantity picked the unknown, the oldest man to get the England job selecting one of the youngest players of recent times.
Enter Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, granted a full international debut and, at 18, the third youngest footballer to represent England in a major tournament, after those striking boy wonders, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney. “Everything is coming as a surprise,” the Arsenal midfielder said.
Everything in Hodgson’s record – his instinctive preference for experience, his emphasis on positioning – pointed to Stewart Downing being chosen instead, a winger who helps protect his own full-backs, even if he does not always trouble the opposition’s.
Yet this was not the out-of-character move it seemed. The birth certificate is deceptive. Oxlade-Chamberlain may prove an archetypal Hodgson career, just one born after the rest.
For the manager, his charm may be his maturity.
While the precocity he displayed against AC Milan in the Champions League attracted others, Hodgson values reliability, hence his fondness for James Milner. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s sense of responsibility made him a mirror image of Milner, tucking in alongside the central midfielders, exhibiting tactical discipline.
In displaying such unflashy attributes, the teenager belied his tender years. He showed none of the impetuosity of youth. An awareness of others was apparent in his distribution.
Few passes were wasted and, pleasingly, several were played forward, Oxlade-Chamberlain looking for Ashley Young and Danny Welbeck where possible.
“He did quite well,” said Hodgson. “He was quite dangerous. He has got to be happy with his performance.”
His captain agreed. “Wayne Rooney showed all those years ago [Euro 2004] if you are good enough you are old enough,” Steven Gerrard said.
“And Oxlade-Chamberlain showed that he is good enough for this level. He has still got a lot of learning to do but playing with experienced players he will pick a lot up quickly.”
A first caution of his international career was incurred for a foul on Mathieu Debuchy but Oxlade-Chamberlain looked unflustered. Ill-discipline has hampered England in the past but – though Rooney was absent because of his misdemeanour in Montenegro – not on this occasion. He did not err a second time.
“I did ok,” said the teenager. “It was a bit frustrating. I like to run at people and find space out wide. But we showed we could stick with them.”
Indeed, that was the feel: England halting France, rather than vice versa. There is a new-found acceptance England are underdogs. Gerrard was asked before kick off if he would take a draw. The captain replied in the affirmative. He and his central-midfield partner, Scott Parker, were a two-man shield for the defence.
Tactically, there was no surprise about England: resolute, familiar 4-4-2. This is Hodgson’s side, aiming to protect rather than penetrate.
Even when they conceded, following Joleon Lescott's headed opener on 30 minutes, it was attributable to defensiveness, not a misplaced sense of adventure. The midfield quartet were so deep that, when Samir Nasri lined up a shot from 20 yards, Gerrard could not quite get out in time to close him down.
Previous England teams have dropped deep after leading. This one began rather nearer their own goal.
They were well coached, well organised, efficient but unexciting. It was not a particularly adventurous gameplan. Indeed, the one concession to boldness was the choice of the ingénue. In that, and in the scoreline, Hodgson was justified.
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