On Familiar Ground
So the day has arrived when the England football team have to play Croatia in Zagreb, for what is already a vital qualifying game for the 2010 World Cup. When the draw for England's qualification group was made back in late November last year, there were obvious misgivings about England having to face this staunch opposition all over again. This has only been heightened by the performance of Croatia at Euro 2008, when only an amazingly resilient Turkey denied them a place in the last four of the competition.
After last weekends somewhat predictably laboured win over Andorra, there is now heightened pressure on Fabio Capello and his ability to motivate the English players to a more substantial level of play. Ultimately this will be England's toughest fixture of the campaign and one where defeat, even this early in qualifying, will have a massively detrimental impact.
The roller coaster of watching and supporting England has always been just that, but in all these years it is difficult to remember a more negative and resigned feeling surrounding the national team. A large part of this is an obvious hangover from Steve McClaren's failed tenure as national team coach, but at the same time it has been fuelled by the hype of 'the golden generation' of players at England's disposal. This has been covered extensively before and the fault does lay with the media as well as the players own failings, but when all is said and done England can come across as a quagmire of a football team.
The intense speculation and discussion about why and how so many talented players consistently fail to re-produce their club form internationally may hide the fact that too often players have not been played in their natural positions. This was recently bought up with much disdain from Capello, by Harry Redknapp when speaking of Steven Gerrard. Rumours abound with regard to Capello's thinking on the task that faces England tonight, but by playing Joe Cole and Theo Walcott in supporting roles behind Wayne Rooney, there is hope that these same players could thrive for England as they have proven they can in the Premiership.
Either way Capello must be bold and let the players follow their instincts if there is to be any chance of them reaping the benefits of his own tactical experience and for England to leave Zagreb buoyant for the future.
After last weekends somewhat predictably laboured win over Andorra, there is now heightened pressure on Fabio Capello and his ability to motivate the English players to a more substantial level of play. Ultimately this will be England's toughest fixture of the campaign and one where defeat, even this early in qualifying, will have a massively detrimental impact.
The roller coaster of watching and supporting England has always been just that, but in all these years it is difficult to remember a more negative and resigned feeling surrounding the national team. A large part of this is an obvious hangover from Steve McClaren's failed tenure as national team coach, but at the same time it has been fuelled by the hype of 'the golden generation' of players at England's disposal. This has been covered extensively before and the fault does lay with the media as well as the players own failings, but when all is said and done England can come across as a quagmire of a football team.
The intense speculation and discussion about why and how so many talented players consistently fail to re-produce their club form internationally may hide the fact that too often players have not been played in their natural positions. This was recently bought up with much disdain from Capello, by Harry Redknapp when speaking of Steven Gerrard. Rumours abound with regard to Capello's thinking on the task that faces England tonight, but by playing Joe Cole and Theo Walcott in supporting roles behind Wayne Rooney, there is hope that these same players could thrive for England as they have proven they can in the Premiership.
Either way Capello must be bold and let the players follow their instincts if there is to be any chance of them reaping the benefits of his own tactical experience and for England to leave Zagreb buoyant for the future.
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