England v. Montenegro
Alright, lads. It's England's third qualifier in Group G qualifying for Euro 2012 in Poland/Ukraine. Montenegro cannot be taken lightly - they're definitely the darkhorse side in the group, having claimed the full nine points from their first three qualifiers. Terry and Ferdinand are back in the center of defense and they'll have to be razor sharp tonight to keep out the excellent Roma striker Mirko Vucinic. Join me from 3pm as England look for those three points at Wembley tonight. Come on, England!
posted by The Blue Devil @ 1:59 PM
125 Comments:
Right then, the England team is in:
Hart, G Johnson, Cole, Ferdinand (capt), Lescott, Gerrard, Young, Barry, Crouch, Rooney, A Johnson. Subs: Foster, Warnock, Cahill, Wright-Phillips, Wilshere, Downing, Davies.
Well, that's interesting. No John Terry after all. Instead we've got what looks suspiciously like a traditional 4-4-2.
It's Joleon Lescott joining Rio in the middle, Cashley and Glen Johnson as fullbacks. Barry will anchor the midfield, Gerrard will bomb forward down the middle, and Ashley Young and Adam Johnson will provide the width. Roon and Crouchie up top.
Any thoughts?
In the earlier kick-offs, Azerbaijan have beaten Turkey 1-0. Good result there in Group A.
The Germans are currently 0-1 up away to Borat's lads.
In Group B, Armenia have continued their excellent week by trouncing Andorra 4-0.
Norn Ireland have somehow contrived to draw away to the bloody Faroes after their excellent draw with Italy on Friday.
Belarus are 1-0 up on Albania in Group D.
The Finns have lost at home 1-2 to Hungary in Group E.
Latvia are 0-0 with Georgia in Group F.
Denmark are 0-0 with Cyprus in Group H.
And the Czechs are 0-1 up at tiny Liechtenstein in Group I.
One England milestone tonight: Ashley Cole will join Kenny Sansom as England's most-capped left-back.
For those of you stranded at the office today, here's the link that I'm watching:
http://www.vipcanals.org/ch1.html
It's currently winding down the Kazakh v. Germany match. Still 0-1 Germans there.
SuperMario Gomez has just slotted home Germany's second goal. This will be their fourth win in four qualifiers. The Mannschaft are cruising this qualification stage.
I have just read that Vucinic is out of tonight's game through injury. What a blow for the visitors!
Lukas Podolski has wrapped up an impressive 0-3 romping here with a lovely run and finish with his left peg.
It's a testament to the Kazakh home crowd here that they're continuing to hope for a consolation goal even as we get into stoppage time. Corner to the hosts.
Excellent - the German match has just gone off and now we're on to the panel for the big match with Shearer, Trevor Francis and, for some reason, Tim Sherwood in the studio.
Looks like a carnival atmosphere at Wembley tonight - great crowd full of the kiddies.
That's odd - the teams are lined up in the tunnel and it appears that someone has doused Rio's trackie top with water.
The Swiss have jumped out to a quick 2-1 lead over Wales at home. Three goals in the first twenty minutes there.
Gooner has just called and informed me that D.C. United Branko Boskovic will be starting for the Montenegrans.
Gooner's holed up at the Lucky Bar in downtown D.C. Enjoy the match, mate!
Anthems now....
Martin Tyler and Stuart Robson on the commentary tonight. Interestingly, I've dialed up the Al Jazeera coverage.
Right, England to get us underway then wearing white shirts and blue shorts. I'm looking for Crouchie to continue his terrific scoring record for his country tonight.
Come on!
England immediately on the front foot with Montenegro dropping deep early doors.
Great to hear the England brass band early on.
Oh - Crouchie was nearly in there. The long ball came through from Gerrard and it went straight through to Crouch. Just couldn't reach it despite his long legs. Promising.
Good running from Ashley Young down the left but his final ball just didn't reach Crouch.
The Montenegrans do look organized at the back. That worries me a bit.
Rooney as usual is driving me crazy by dropping deep alongside Gerrard.
Young is very active on the left. He jinks inside and launches one into Row Z.
I'm realizing now that I'd confused Milan Jovanovic with his namesake whose a Serb who plays at Liverpool.
Adam Johnson did really well there to win a corner. Nice one in now, AJ.
UWS won't be happy with that short one that ends up in the keeper's arms. I'm hoping to hear from UWS coming along home soon from school.
Gerrard seems to be intent on pinging long balls diagonally at the front men but they're just fizzing off this greasy turf. He's going to have to rethink his distribution.
Crouchie picks up a cheap free kick there. Might just be close enough for Stevie G. to hit it.
Oh - big chance for Crouchie there. Great training pitch worked free kick out to Glen Johnson and Crouchie seemed rooted to the floor as he rose for that free header in the box.
Still 2-1 in Switzerland at half time now.
There's a lot of niggly stuff going on in mid-field that I hope the ref will start penalizing with cards.
Oh - Young and Cashley worked together well there but it was a poor delivery in from Cashley straight at the keeper.
Midway through the first half now and it's been a bit frustrating for England. One or two real chances but, as I suspected, the Montenegrans are well organized at the back and won't give up their 100% record cheaply.
Finally it's a yellow card for Djudovic. Nearly a penalty as he upends Young just on the edge of the area. Good chance here now....
Young over the ball now....
It fizzes straight through there and Crouch can't get there at the back post. Another chance goes begging.
Hey Bob
I am home for a little bit before I have to go to Jon's game. In fact all three boys have games today!
Not too good of a start here! A wasted free kick chance there!
Heya, mate! Welcome!
Very frustrating so far. I'd be tearing my hair out at Rooney dropping so deep...if I had any hair!
Why is Roon coming back for the ball in his own half?
We both are thinking the same thing. Is he being told to come so far back?
I do not know, mate. He's been doing that throughout the half.
Gerrard is too deep too
Johnson has a chance for the cross but doesn't beat the first man
Oh - dear - great work from Johnson but again the final ball wasn't that great. He did all the hard work.
Why does it seem as if Adam Johnson is a left footer and that Ashley Young is a right footer even though they're on opposite sides? Am I just imagining that?
Crouchie picks up another cheap free kick. He's really the only target that England have in the box.
Oh - that was promising. Decent effort from Adam Johnson, just wide.
AJ hits one wide..just wide
I agree with you about the wrong wings. I think the 'new' way to play is to be able to cut in!
Karim Benzema has put France 1-0 up against Luxemburg.
The Republic are locked 1-1 with Slovakia away from home.
I'm just fine with wingers cutting inside and launching a shot or cross as an alternative to keep the fullback guessing but if both players so obviously favor one foot, the fullback only has to channel them down the wing where they seem to be underconfident about crossing it from the by-line.
England look useless
Well - I reckon that if Crouchie had scored with that free header after about ten minutes, the game would've changed completely. Montenegro clearly just want to grab a point, especially with Vucinic injured. So one goal would force them to go to a Plan B if they've got one.
I can't see that goal coming!
I still don't get Barry automatic inclusion in the team!
I can. We still have plenty of threats. I could see a free kick from Gerrard. Or a header from a corner. Or Young or Johnson doing some damage wide.
I agree with you. It's obvious that Montenegro aren't going to press. That's the only time I'd play a defensive mid - if you're going to have to withstand some pressure from a decent side. I'd have him off and stick another more attacking option on. I'd have Rooney off too!
I am off at half time to see Jon's game at the middle school
Tom and Matt have a game too at the high school.
Tom was watching our local high school sports show on Saturday night. All of sudden, they announced the soccer players of the week. Some girl and then Tom Nocito.... 'the Spartans scored six goals in two games and he scored five of them"
Here are the subs for tonight:
Foster, Warnock, Cahill, Wright-Phillips, Wilshere, Downing, Davies.
Who would you have on in the second half? Gooner will curse at me but I'd have Jack Wilshere on for Barry.
Cheerio, mate! Best of luck to the kids in their matches today. Talk to you at the weekend!
I agree with Martin's cohort! Play higher up the park!!
Absolutely - they should be pressing higher up.
Useless from Rooney again
Crouch heads it to Roon... doesn't seem interested
WHAT IS UP WITH WAYNE!!!
HE WAS A WORLD BEATER
Absolutely hopeless from Barry there. Get him off, Fabio!
HOPELESS BY ROONEY AGAIN!
Would you pick Roon to play for United on Saturday on this evidence?
Barry is an untouchable apparently
Why did Johnson dive... cross the bloody ball
Oh - Johnson was in there but his ball back was useless. It somewhat fortunately found it's way to Roon and his shot was easily saved.
Half-time: Martyn says "well played, Montenegro." I have to agree. They've done what they came to do. I was worried that if they caught England on a flat day, they might grab a point. 0-0 so far.
HOPELESS!!!
Sadly, I am off... of course... maybe it is a good thing
Take care
UWS
I agree with Trevor Francis that the England players are acting as if it's a friendly rather than a qualifier with real points at stake. It's not been good enough.
So here we go with the second half.
The Scots have gone 0-1 down at home to a David Villa penalty for Spain.
It doesn't look like there have been any changes as yet. Shame that.
And now Rooney's picked up a yellow card for his poor efforts tonight. If we're lucky, he'll be suspended for a few matches.
For the first time, Rooney gets beyond Crouch but he's ruled offside.
Ten minutes have eked by already. I'd be happier if we had a goal in the tank. The longer this goes on, the more promising for the Montenegrans.
Surely Capello will be considering some changes at the hour mark. Should just be a minute or two now.
And as soon as I type that, SWP and Basher Davies are up warming up on the sidelines.
Basa picks up a yellow for a nasty lunge on Ashley Young.
Nice distance here but for some reason Rooney is over it.
No - AJ has hit it left-footed but it's well over.
Oh - Rooney with a golden opportunity there. Gerrard slid one through to him but he hit the keeper with his shot and Crouchie couldn't follow up.
Activity on the Montenegran bench now. They can feel a few hints of England's turning the screw here.
Outrageous dive from Ashley Young and he deservedly picks up a yellow. He was cynically anticipating the contact and went over far too easily to con the ref.
Cashley must do better with the crosses.
The first change of the match and it's for Montenegro. Why is Kranjcar more on the ball here than is Capello?
It's a record cap for Cashley but for some reason he's chosen one of his worst performances in an England shirt.
Now it's Gareth Barry into the book for using the elbow. A bit cheap. Get him off, Fabio!
And another booking now. Young draws the foul from Kaschelan, who's just come on.
Martin Tyler "just has a feeling that England are on the verge" of scoring, but it won't be from a poor cross like that one from Young.
Stuart Downing warming up now....
65 minutes in now and somehow this really flat England side are all still on the pitch. Why?
Glen Johnson lets one trickle over his toe and out. The England fans starting to get restless. Changes must come soon.
The wingers have changed sides. That might help a bit.
England fans now trying to drown out the small contingent of Montenegrans who are having a heck of a time.
Looks like Kevin Davies is getting ready to make his England debut at the age of 33. Crikey!
Crouchie to come off - why? He's looked the most likely.
Decent move there with Kevin Davies sending a good cross in. Earns a corner.
Under twenty minutes left now. Come on, England!
Oh - great save from Bojovic there from Rooney. He should have stuck that away but it was still a fine save.
SWP coming on in the substitute's role once again, this time for Ashley Young.
Switzerland have run out 4-1 winners tonight over Wales, who will be in the bottom spot.
Blimey - what a ding dong between Scotland and Spain! It's 2-2 now after an own goal from Gerard Pique!
Ronaldo and Raul Meireles have put Portugal 1-2 up away to Iceland.
Another Montenegran substitute now.
Holland have beaten Sweden 4-1 tonight with a brace each from Huntelaar and Afellay.
Davies with a trademark knock down there toward Rooney.
I'll take an England goal from anyone here.
Inside the last ten minutes now. Come on, England!
Llorente has broken Scots hearts with a third goal for Spain. 2-3 there.
The D.C. lad Branko Boscovic is coming off now. He's had a decent evening.
Oh - England's hearts in mouths there as a sloppy clearance falls to Jovanovic who rockets a looping shot onto the bar! Almost a complete calamity for England! Joe Hart was well and truly beaten.
Hopeless free kick again from Gerrard. He's been really poor tonight.
Kevin Davies picks up his inevitable yellow card for a nasty elbow on the defender. Welcome to international football, you bloody dinosaur.
The England fans are streaming out of the stadium now. Some heads are going down. This is a bad, bad result.
SWP picks up a cheap one and Savic might have seen a second yellow there.
Great chance here. Gerrard in again but no one's on the end of it.
Once again Johnson picks up a great ball but his cross is hopeless.
Stoppage time now. Three minutes to come. COME ON ENGLAND!
If England nicked one now, it would be daylight robbery but I'd take it for sure.
Probably time for one more chance now. COME ON!
All long, hopeful balls from England. Not the way we'd like to see them play.
Full-time: 0-0 Very, very disappointing. Montenegro were just as I'd imagined they would be - another central European side that can't be taken lightly. It could have been worse, too. With Vucinic on the pitch, Montenegro would have had an even more dangerous outlet for their counters.
So, Group G looks like this now:
1. Montenegro Played 4 GD +3 10 pts
2. England Played 3 GD +6 7 pts
3. Switzerland Played 3 GD 0 3 pts
4. Bulgaria Played 3 GD -4 3 pts
5. Wales Played 3 GD -5 0 pts
A good summary of tonight's events at Wembley from Football 365:
"It was more Dull Monty than Full Monty as England looked sluggish and devoid of ideas in a 0-0 draw against a physical Montenegro side. That's what happens when your striking options are the frankly rotten Wayne Rooney and a choice between Peter Crouch or Kevin Davies. Adam Johnson and Ashley Young were promising and infuriating in turn while Gareth Barry simply opted for the latter."
I believe the top two sides qualify for Euro 2012, So England is in a great position as their game in hand is against wooden spoon candidates Wales. However, This match reinforces the fact that England struggles against decent sides. Montenegro is merely a decent team that is well organized(minus Vucinic). England will struggle in Poland / Ukraine in June 2012 as will Montenegro. A top team will tear them to shreds.
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