England vs. Croatia Live!
I'm on pins and needles today with a couple of hours left until the 1 p.m. kickoff for England in Zagreb. Not the easiest place to go and England are not exactly in the best of form. I read the other day that Rooney hasn't scored in a competitive international for England since Euro 2004! Well, we're going to need some goals from somebody today. A win would put us back in pole position in the group, with only a few other tricky matches to play in the set. Tune in with me at 1 to find out how the lads acquit themselves, won't you?
posted by gatorbob @ 10:55 AM
77 Comments:
Here's the England side for today:
England: Robinson, G Neville, A Cole, Carragher, Ferdinand, Terry (captain); Carrick, Lampard, Parker; Rooney, Crouch. Substitutes: P Neville, Kirkland, Richardson, Jenas, Wright-Phillips, Defoe, Bent.
So, it's a 3-5-2 with Scottie Parker driving the bus. Neville, Carragher and Rio playing the back three, with Cashley playing a wing-back role, Carrick in the holding role and Roon and Crouchie looking for the goals up front.
In other Group E action, Macedonia have beaten Andorra away 3-0 and Russia and Estonia are 0-0 in the first half.
Here are the standings at present in Group E:
England 7 points from 3 games
Israel 7 points from 3 games
Macedonia 7 from 4 games
Croatia 4 points from 3 games
Russia 3 points from 3 games
Estonia 1 point from 3 games
Andorra 0 points from 4 games
So, you can see vital it is to get a result tonight.
Five Live is on and all the talk is about how nervous England fans are about tonight and how the Fleet Street hacks have their pencils sharpened for Macca tonight.
The Zagreb tannoy in the background confirms that the Croats have the worst pop music in Europe - sort of a combination of bazouki-filled traditional Greek music and bass-heavy house music. Add to that some banshee wailing and you've got a horrible, horrible cacophony.
Called me dad for his 83rd birthday this morning and he mentioned that we visited Zagreb when I was six months old in 1964. No memory of that at all - and probably just as well.
Bugger! The Five Live feed just popped off. I was really enjoying that. Shame.
Russia are now 2-0 up so that will probably leave them on six points from 4 games after today. It's getting crowded in this group. We need the win!
Here we go! Here we go! Here we go! England and Croatia have kicked off in Zagreb. Come on you three lions!
Apparently a ferocious atmosphere in the stadium with the home fans roaring on their side. I hope Crouchie can silence them early on.
Petric, who scored four goals against Andorra this weekend, has a shot screwed wide from the top of the box - the first action of the match.
England are passing the ball well in midfield but to no end product as Croatia look a tough unit to break down.
Niko Krancjar is put through and his low shot is saved by Robbo. Oh dear.
Croatia on the attack looking for an opening goal. Hang in there, boys.
Bloody hell, Phil Neville's crocked himself during the warm-up! So, we down to six subs now.
Finally some decent pressure from England first a cross from Cashley that's just too high for Crouchie (if you can believe that!) and then Roon latching onto a ball but losing possession. Better. Sounds like they've settled a bit.
Russia have completed their routine 2-0 win against Estonia.
Bollocks - Rio has just picked up a yellow card for two bad fouls in a row. He'll have to watch himself now.
The resulting free kick is nodded just over the bar by Kranjcar. This is going to be a long day.
365 comments: "22 mins: England have come here and shown far too much respect to Croatia. They really need to exert their authority on this clash before they call behind."
Lamps has the first good chance for us today but his poor effort loops over the bar. Sounds as if Lamps's blues are continuing.
A close things for Croatia - Kranjcar, who's seeing far too much of the ball, hits a searing volley that Robbo saves low down to his left. Dear oh dear.
Another dangerous free kick for Croatia is curled over the wall by Rapaic, and Robbo saves again. He's keeping us in it.
Danger again - Kranjcar shoots straight at Robbo who parries away; Rapaic crosses but no checkboard shirts are there. Phew!
First corner for England - Lamps chips a poor ball in and it's gathered by the keeper.
"Where have you gone, David Beckham, a nation turns it's lonely eyes to you. Woo woo woo."
365 comments: "35 mins: Croatia have certainly bossed this first-half so far and deserve to be in front but England have stood up to the test."
A real let-off. John Terry is caught in possession, but Rapaic tries to feed a striker and the offside flag goes up.
The clock is winding down to half-time and both sides are getting quieter seemingly settled on 0-0 for the half.
One last chance for England before the half - Ashley Cole works his way to the touch line, whips the ball over for Crouchie but the Croatians clear their lines.
England finishing the half brightly, with Gary Neville crossing for Crouchie but it's hacked away.
Another let-off. The Neviller rugby tackles Kranjcar just outside the area but the ref plays on. Thank you, sir.
Half-time - 0-0 England have to be happy to still be even at half-time because there were some real scares there and we could be 2-0 down easily. As for the performance - not good enough.
The Scots are also 0-0 away to Ukraine. That would be an excellent result for them, leaving them with 10 points from four matches.
England kick off the second half with the 365 pundits reckoning that they're merely chasing a point by frustrating the Croatians. A bit depressing, eh?
Rapaic has the first shot of the second half, an ambitious effort from distance that's deflected out for a corner.
Petric has a header palmed over the bar by Robbo from the resulting corner. Oh dear, here we go again.
No changes yet, but it seems as if Roon is now virtually a lone striker and Crouchie has dropped back into midfield. Oh Christ!
Rooney has suddenly come to life, out from under the literal shadow of Crouch. He's latched onto several long balls in the past two minutes and should've won a corner there.
365 comments that Lamps is having yet another poor game - ya think?!
It's about time for some changes. I'd like to think that Macca will stick SWP on to provide width and take the miserable Lamps off. But I suspect he might yank one of the forwards and stick someone hopeless like Jenas on.
ooooh, England's best chance so far. Crouch flicks on from a long throw and Rooney blasts over when he had the whole target to aim at. Should've done better.
That's the kind of chance that Owen used to bury for us when we weren't firing on all cylinders and needed a desperate three points. At least those attacks have taken the pressure off the back line for a few precious moments.
365 comments: " 56 mins: Make no mistake about it a goalless draw will be a fine result for England considering Croatia haven't lost a qualifying game here for 16 years."
I don't buy it. England are finally coming into the match and should go for the win.
Cole seems to be crocked after hacking away a cross. Robbo makes another save from Rapaic. We're under the cosh again.
Bolllocks! Croatia are one-up through Eduardo after some sloppy defending. Cole may have to come off.
The crowd is going potty and it's going to be a long haul back into this match.
Crouch wins a free kick thirty yards out. A chance!
Unfortunately it comes to nothing as Crouch is penalized for leaning on.
England really pushing it now; Neville has a shot blocked just outside the area.
And Ukraine have taken the lead against the Scots. It's not going well for the home countries today. Italy also 1-0 up against Georgia away.
OWN GOAL FROM THE NEVILLER! What a disaster! We're now 2-0 down. Surely there's no way back now.
Apparently it's one for the blooper reels, with a tame backpass misunderstood by Robbo and trickling lamely into the net. I cannot believe it!
The Croatians are now rampant and Robbo has to save well to prevent a third goal.
The journos are preparing the nasty headlines for Macca right now. His head will certainly be on the chopping block if they concede more goals.
Georgia have leveled it against Italy. What is going on for the Azurri? They've had a terrible campaign so far.
England make a triple change with Richardson, Defoe and SWP all coming on. Parker and Crouch have made way.
The only chance now for England is if the FA suits pick up some racist barracking of the black players from the Croatian crowd.
Cashley is booked for a rash challenge and he'll miss the next match.
Time is running out - we need a goal in the next minute or two to have any hope of getting an equalizer.
365 comments: " 79 mins: England have simply been passionless against a team full of fire, energy and commitment."
The goalscorer Eduardo comes off to a standing ovation and is replaced by the excellently named Jerko Leko.
Simunic heads over the bar. Croatia are finishing this match at a canter. Very depressing. You'd think we'd at least put their goal under siege at this point.
Carrick picks out Defoe but the striker's shot is deflected wide.
Lamps wastes another corner by not clearing the man on the near post. What on earth is he still doing on the pitch!?
The only good news today - Poland are 1-0 up against the odious Portuguese.
England mounting some pressure finally - bit late for that in the 90th minute. Can't be much time added on.
Ukraine are now 2-0 against the plucky Scots.
Roon lets fly from distance but it's saved. Bugger!
Full-time: 2-0; And that's it. A miserable, miserable night for the England boys in Zagreb. They'll now have several winter months before the next match - away to Israel - to consider whether to make another change in management. McClaren doesn't seem up to raising the team for a game like this.
Bloody Hell!!!
What a horrible result. Are we going to qualify out of this group?
Just heard Wales are losing at home and Northern Ireland have just scored. Healy has scored again
Wales are winning against Cyprus not losing. They just scored their second
I am listening to Talksport
On Talksport 73% of a fan poll wants McClaren to go! The Rep. o I are in the lead.
Wales are winning, Both Irelands are winning. England and Scotland lose
The RoI are pegged back at Lansdown Road.
McClaren has said that England controlled the game!!!
I DON'T THINK SO!!!
Good news
Portugal lost to Poland
Wales are three up
Macca needs to go just for saying that we controlled the match - sounds like he's caught the Bush administration "State of Denial" flu. We could have lost by three or four! Bloody Norah!
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