James grows old gracefully

THE shock waves resonating from Fabio Capello’s first week in charge of the England national team are still being felt around the Premier League but at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday, David James ably demonstrated that the Italian has made the right choice of goalkeeper.

The Portsmouth veteran was the key factor in an astonishing – and wholly undeserved — Portsmouth victory that came courtesy of Lassana Diarra’s first career Premiership goal 10 minutes from time.

To add to Bolton’s sense of grave injustice, television replays showed the goal was clearly offside but manager Gary Megson correctly pointed to the performance of James as the overriding explanation for the game’s outcome.

“To be given the call-up and then given the nod was top-class,” said James of his England recall. “I want to play for England, but who wants to get a couple of friendlies and then say I’m not having any more of it? That’s the aim, and if I don’t get there I’d like to think it’s because there are three better goalkeepers than me.

“I don’t know if I’m England’s number one but I’m not concerned. There is a lot of importance put on being the number one but the ethos of the team has to be the prevalent view.

“Of course I want to play every single game, I always want to start and I want to play 90 minutes. That’s my competitive edge, but as with anything the needs of the team are the most important thing.’’

James, 37, is showing no signs of age dulling his football senses and his form could make the whole discussion over the identity of Capello’s first choice irrelevant.

Just before Diarra’s winner, the 6’5” stopper did superbly well to parry a half-volley from substitute Grzegorz Rasiak before his best save of the game came in injury-time, a spectacular dive and block to deny Bolton substitute Tamir Cohen.

Bolton could also point to a long list of poor missed chances, at least three of which were squandered by the former Portsmouth midfielder Matt Taylor. James gave his former colleague a post-match hug but that was the only thing he gave the opposition all afternoon.

“James made two or three outstanding saves,” said Bolton forward Kevin Davies, neatly summing up the game. “Unbelievable, really. We felt we could have won the game comfortably and would probably have taken a point in the end. We got punished for missing chances, but obviously he made some great saves as well.”

That punishment came in the form of Diarra and Kanu exchanging passes and the latter neatly poking the ball away from defender Andy O’Brien for the Frenchman – clearly in an offside position – to convert past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Events elsewhere made the defeat even harder for Bolton to stomach although manager Gary Megson, who took over when Bolton were rooted to the foot of the table, was able to put the loss in perspective.

“We’ve never been out of it but we’re certainly a lot higher than we were 16 games ago,” said Megson. “We were looking up Derby’s backside hoping we could get out of the bottom three. We’re now looking at trying to get at Newcastle.”

BOLTON (4-5-1): Jaaskelainen 5, Steinsson 7, Cahill 7, O’Brien 5, Gardner 5, Diouf 6 (Rasiak 60, 6), Nolan 8, Campo 7, Guthrie 6 (Cohen 87, 5), Taylor 4 (Stelios 82, 5), Davies 7.

Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Samuel.

PORTSMOUTH (4-1-3-2): James 9, Lauren 6, Campbell 7, Hreidarsson 7, Pamarot 6 (Aubey 27, 6), Diarra 8, Diop 6, Kranjcar 5 (Utaka 73, 5), Hughes 5, Defoe 4, Baros 4 (Kanu 45, 6).

Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Davis.

REFEREE: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire) 8: The goal was offside although the fault for that decision lay with the assistant, not the referee. That aside, this was an accomplished – and largely anonymous – display.

MATCH RATING: *** A slow burner that came alive as the game progressed but featured one way Bolton traffic until Diarra’s stunning, and completely unexpected smash and grab strike.