England v Russia (12.09)

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by kyan

Surely considering the players in the squad England have outdone themselves?!

No Rooney, Lampard, Gary Neville, Beckham, Hargreaves...

Anyway, 12 goals in 4 games and 0 conceded in 4 is very good form, so if it's hyping up then o well.

an average of 3-0 over 4 matches isn't too bad.

out of the 4 players, i think only rooney may have had a bigger impact on the squad...

russia were missing a much bigger player in akinfeev, he has been a rock for them and they would not have conceded 3 goals with him playing...he will be back end of october time...
i think england probably will qualify but i think that today, a draw may have been a fairer result for both sides...

[LAF]

Hmm... Your two best performances in ages and no Crouch or Lampard. Maybe the goals against pish teams don't count.

[hk_on99]

Hmm... Your two best performances in ages and no Crouch or Lampard. Maybe the goals against pish teams don't count.

I don't think that it's either Lampard or Crouch's fault that England has been under-performing as a whole. I don't want to reignite another Lampard vs Gerrard debate, but it's clear that they are better without each other. I think the main factors in England's recent success is the resurgence of SWP, the excellent contribution of Barry, and the return of Owen, not the suspension and injury to Crouch and Lampard. Without Gerrard, Lampard performed very well against Germany - much better opposition than Israel or Russia.

[ManuelD]

Congrats to England on a huge win you have a really good chance now of finishing second.

[Werdna]

Doubt Michael Owen at your peril!!
Just recently back from a very long injury which followed another long injury and didn't hit the ground flying when he got back but now has 4 goals in three competitive games for England!

To be honest I think the injuries were a stroke of luck! If Lampard had partnered Gerrard and Beckham and Rooney been fit the team would have played different and most probably not won both games I believe!

What I liked most about the two games was that the players for the most part actually showed the passion and commitment that has desperately been lacking recently.

Of course they weren't "top" teams but England for the most part hardly allowed them to become dangerous. Russia showed that they are a very very technically gifted side and should have equalised but I still think England would have won because they were up for it for once.

There are two things that England need on a consistant basis which would give them a realistic chance of doing more than the usual quarter final. Motivation and purpose in the play. For most of the games with SVE and MClaren the team lacked passion and would try to play safer than a broke Scottish poker player...

When once in a while the whole country gets up for a match and the team is backed into a corner they do pull out a performance that is worthy of the shirt they wear. In Germany a few years back, Argentina at the WC in Japan, France at the Euro in Portugal and the last two games...but the sad thing is it seems the team has to be motivated by press pressure and the fans...why can't the FA find a manager who actually knows how to motivate a team?

[kennethlindheim]

Credit to McClaren for picking an excellent team, not necesarily the best players available.

Barry has been impressive, just a shame that he will lose his place back to Lampard. Owen looks sharp and scored two nice goals (particulary the second).

Video England 3-0 Russia, Euro 2008 Qualifying Group - soccer, football, england, russia, owen - Dailymotion Share Your Videos

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Hopefully McClaren will continue use Gerrard/Barry in the centre.They give England the best balance.

Guus Hiddink's tactics under the game was the biggest dissapoinment.He didn't have any clue what to do.Why didn't he play Kerzakov earlier in the game?

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Barry aims to keep place

Gareth Barry is hoping he will retain his England place for next month's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia.

In the absence of injured duo Owen Hargreaves and Frank Lampard, Barry was given the nod to partner Steven Gerrard in the 3-0 wins over Israel and Russia.

The Aston Villa captain impressed in both matches and he feels he has presented England coach Steve McClaren with a dilemma ahead of October's double-header.

"I have given the manager another option and that's what international teams need," Barry told Sky Sports News.

"I look forward to meeting up again, hopefully."

More confident

It was the first time Barry had completed consecutive competitive matches for England and he was happy with his burgeoning partnership with Gerrard.

He added: "It goes to show that I did not stop giving up. It's been a long time and I had never played back-to-back qualifiers for 90 minutes.

"It's been a different week for me. I enjoyed playing in there with Steve, it's gone very well."

England are now in second spot in Group E and Barry feels the team will head to Russia next month full of confidence.

Barry continued: "The league was a bit upside down for us, but it's looking a lot prettier now.

"There are tough games to go, but we will go into those games more confident."

Skysports

[Mighty T.A.L.]

'Play it again, Steve'

Keep Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and David Beckham on the bench.

That was the message from former England midfielder Alan Mullery following Wednesday night's win over Russia.

Rooney, Lampard, Beckham and Owen Hargreaves were among those missing as Steve McClaren's men made it six points and six goals in two Euro 2008 qualifying games.

Mullery had been among those to criticise the recall of Emile Heskey, but after watching him and Gareth Barry impress again, urged the England coach to stick with a winning formula against Estonia next month.

"When Steve McClaren puts a side out against Estonia, I hope that if all these players are fit and we keep the same side," he told Sky Sports News.

"Would anybody in their right mind had said two weeks ago, we'd keep Wayne Rooney out of the side for Emile Heskey? Do me a favour!

Hungry

"But I'm saying yes, keep that same side that played in the last two games because that side was hungry win football matches and in McClaren's 14-odd previous matches, we haven't seen that.

"I do think that if had been Sven Goran Eriksson, he would have brought the 'usual suspects' back into the side. But Steve McClaren - I hope - says to those players 'you've taken your chance, you deserve to play against Estonia'.

"If they all keep playing like that, the side will stay the same."

Mullery had labelled Heskey's recall after three years in the international wilderness as an act of "desperation".

But he was the first to hold his hand up and admit that the Wigan man deserves to keep his place alongside Michael Owen - even if Rooney has recovered from his broken metatarsal in time for the Estonia game at Wembley on October 13th.

"The boy has been absolutely brilliant and if he had played like that in the 40-odd games before these, England would have probably won the World Cup!" he said.

Brilliant

"His part in the two wins has been fantastic. He is a big powerful lad, but he never really convinced me he was an international player. But yesterday, Emile was brilliant and I will be the first to say it."

There was more bad news for the injured duo of Lampard and Hargreaves.

Both were forced to sit out the double header against Israel and Russia, allowing Aston Villa's Barry to start back-to-back qualifiers for the first time.

And says Mullery, that might just have settled the issue of who to play alongside Steven Gerrard in central midfield.

"Barry has been absolutely sensational in both games," he said.

"He has probably been - and I know Michael Owen got both goals last night - out best player in the two games. He's done the job a midfielder player has to do: he's covered every blade of grass, tackled well and passed the ball simply.

"The boy deserves his position and he needs to keep his place."

Skysports

!

[Olzy]

Barry should defientley keep his place. Good alround game.

Gerrard likes playing with him 2. You dont see Gerrard driving with the ball as much when he is with fat frank.

I prefer Gerrard > Lampard.