Sorry to rant, I just need to get it off my chest. It was a shambles. The back 5 have never even seen International Standards, I mean ok, Carson can't take all the blame - he's a young keeper who like many say will no doubt be a future number 1, but in what can be argued as Englands most important match since Portugal - David James OR Paul Robinson should have started, no questions. As for the defence, well. Wayne Bridge? Had an absolute nightmare, why, afterall the tinkering and changing throughout the past 12 months does he go for several people that haven't even PLAYED?! Joleon Lescott is a good Premiership defender, not excellent, not brilliant - just good. Why on earth was Wes Brown not playing instead, you don't get in the Manchester United team for nothing!?? Sol Campbell was an excellent centre back 4 years ago, he's still decent at Premiership level but is no way capable of playing at International standard. And I feel for Micah Richards, the lad as talent - but at so young a age, to be thrown in at the deep end with defenders who are older...yet worse than him is suicide. Not good by any means. The midfield, why tinker with Barry/Gerrard which worked well for the past 3/4 games then STILL play Gerrard/Lampard - it DOSN'T work, Sven knew that, we all knew that 2 years ago. Why play a friendly against Austria on Friday night? Why? We've had 2 years to tinker, to gel, to plan - why, on the eve of Englands biggest match do we feel the need to play a friendly in Austria? Oh, and then Owen goes and gets injured, who thought that was going to happen?? I'm not saying the result would have been any different, but come on. What a joke. Lastly. Formation - 451 at home? Who plays that? That's the type of formation you play when your in need of a point to qualify away in Italy. NOT at home, at Wembley in front of 90,000 fans when you have undoubtedly some of the most talented players (apparently) in the world. And especially when you have the type of defence that couldn't keep Accrington Stanley at bay. Even at 2-2, Croatia looked as if they would go on to win. They exploited Wayne Bridge time and time again and controlled the midfield with ease. The only bit of good football was Englands second goal which was world class. The rest was piss-pottical. McClaren should have been sacked a long time ago, he just wasn't up to the task. Now, we have to look forward to a summer of football without our beloved nation, what fun that will be. It's time the FA, the players, football as a whole took a long hard look at themselves. Based on last nights performance, the passion is slowly seeping it's way from the game...with money taking it's place. And it has been for a while. What a sad state of affairs.
Controversially probably the best thing.... to have happened to English football for a while. The reality laid bare. A chance to see things as they really are. A chance to take stock of repeated reasons for failures and near-misses. I just wonder if the FA are up to analysing the problems, let alone formulating robust solutions.
RE: Controversially probably the best thing.... Most certainly not.</p> The last people you want conducting a 'root and branch' investigation is the FA themselves!</p> It'd be a bit like the Government investigating its own incompetence - perish the thought! </p>
Barwick should walk I understand that Mclaren was is choice for manager and he admits that their were mistakes in the appointment... sorry the buck stops with the bald guy with the ginger tache.