England v Czech Republic

Disappointing performance. Where is the Capello revolution, the new Direction? This looks a lot like Steve McClaren's England. It is unfortunate that there is so much wrong with this team that a undeserved last minute equaliser is going to mask. Capello has failed to make the tough decisions.

I never been a fan of Defoe and Rooney came back too deep and ran left and then right to find space. He gets away with it in the Premier because he plays with more talented players at United and not all Premier defenders are International class. I would like to see Rooney and Agbonlahor together upfront for England.

Beckham made one good cross all day, on the corner they scored from. He can't get up the pitch anymore and his most of his crosses today were from 35 or 40 yards out. I don't know if Bentley can make that position is own but he needs to be given 5 or 5 full games to see one way or the other.

Capello like McClaren, obviously can't make the decision to bench either Lampard or Gerrard. Gerrard was probably the best player for England but with him on the left it leaves Joe Cole on the bench. I don't agree with Lampard being booed off the pitch but he was no were to be found to day. Barry was a usual out of his league against decent opposition. If Hargreaves is healthy for Croatia, Capello is going to have to bit the bullet and make some tough decisions in midfield, because Ashley Young is another player that is going to deserve a shot soon.

Brown has been an admirable servant with United, but he is not an international right back. What is Micah Richards doing in the under 21 squad? Unfortunately James is likely the best we have at the moment in goal, but if Chris Waddle knew where the Czech free kick was going why didn't he. Finally the debate over the captaincy probably effected both Terry and Ferdinand because they both had off days.

If this is the best Capello can do, it's going to be tough to qualify for the World Cup.

Redcanuck wrote:

Disappointing performance. Where is the Capello revolution, the new Direction? This looks a lot like Steve McClaren's England. It is unfortunate that there is so much wrong with this team that a undeserved last minute equaliser is going to mask. Capello has failed to make the tough decisions.

I never been a fan of Defoe and Rooney came back too deep and ran left and then right to find space. He gets away with it in the Premier because he plays with more talented players at United and not all Premier defenders are International class. I would like to see Rooney and Agbonlahor together upfront for England.

Beckham made one good cross all day, on the corner they scored from. He can't get up the pitch anymore and his most of his crosses today were from 35 or 40 yards out. I don't know if Bentley can make that position is own but he needs to be given 5 or 5 full games to see one way or the other.

Capello like McClaren, obviously can't make the decision to bench either Lampard or Gerrard. Gerrard was probably the best player for England but with him on the left it leaves Joe Cole on the bench. I don't agree with Lampard being booed off the pitch but he was no were to be found to day. Barry was a usual out of his league against decent opposition. If Hargreaves is healthy for Croatia, Capello is going to have to bit the bullet and make some tough decisions in midfield, because Ashley Young is another player that is going to deserve a shot soon.

Brown has been an admirable servant with United, but he is not an international right back. What is Micah Richards doing in the under 21 squad? Unfortunately James is likely the best we have at the moment in goal, but if Chris Waddle knew where the Czech free kick was going why didn't he. Finally the debate over the captaincy probably effected both Terry and Ferdinand because they both had off days.

If this is the best Capello can do, it's going to be tough to qualify for the World Cup.

I agree with most of what you have said Red, but I think the time has come to say something that I didnt think I would ever say.

If England are not going to build the team around our best player, Frank Lampard, then there really isnt any point him playing cause again tonight Gerrard got in the way and from what I could see Gerrard was given the free role that should be given to Frank and this has killed off all that Frank is good at... arriving late in the box n scoring.

Its crazy.

I am starting to think Rooney is a flash in the pan at international level Defoe is like the old Striker game where you hit its head and it shoots, Gerrard is a joke in the free role and Beckham.... well I am in my 40's and I could beat him in a foot race.

I think Barry's booking showed him up for what he is... a VERY slow midfielder who struggles when the ball isnt at his feet. When it is at his feet his distribution is excellent, as long as he isnt put under too much pressure and against the better teams he is.

The way the cech rep broke each time in the first half over ran him with ease. He is sopposed to be the holding player that breaks those attacks up. It was left so many times to the 2 centre half that I thought for a while we had no holding midfielder.

Ashley Cole gets better n better and I agree... where was Micha? Johnson is ahead of him now too?

On a personel note.... id have liked to have seen Frank retire from Internationals. I believe he is now in a no win situation. Gerrard is so over rated that it pains me to see Frank having to suffer the crowd abuse from those who know nothing. Tonight it was obvious he was told to stay behind gerrard and it was just a complete waste of the best midfield scoring player we have had in decades. It would be best if Frank stepped aside and allow the wonderboys to be seen for what they really are.

Andorra are coming up arnt they.... Gerrards standard to score against.

The Gerrard/Lampard question is one I am not really sure how to handle. There is no doubt that Lampard was told to play in a more holding role behind Gerrard and it does stop him from arriving late in the box threatening to score. I thought Gerrard looked OK in this free role, he set up Defoe a couple of times and he hooked up with Rooney better than Rooney hooked up with Defoe. Capello has to bite the bullet and bench either Gerrard or Lampard. The one thing I can say is that I don't believe I have even seen them both live up to their abilities in the same game when they play together for England. It is either one or the other.

I guess I was to shocked at how easy the Czech's broke from defence and how fast they were threatening England's goal that I never saw what Barry was doing at those times. But Barry will be gone once Hargreaves is healthy and England will have a holding midfielder.

I don't know about Rooney, if there were lots of choices up front I would consider benching him. Ferguson is talking about playing him as more of a true striker this year and maybe he envisions Berbatov helping him in this role. But his free roaming as a English striker doesn't work, he has no contact with Defoe. Rooney has to realise that there is supposedly enough talent in the midfield to get the ball to him where he should be just off the main striker.

Ashley Cole did have a decent game and it does look like he is coming back to the form that he had at Arsenal when he was considered the best left back in the game.

Still think Capello has to get Joe Cole in there as well as Agbonlahor and Ashely Young.