Spikey Shrimper
First XI
Carson - 4 - Nightmare for the first goal. Looked shaky all night but did one quality save in the second half. It will take him a long time to get over this. Peter Bonnetti?
Richards - 5 - This guy is quality. However, didn't have his best game last night. Who did though?
Campbell & the Klingon - 5 a piece - Poor distribution, and were opened with ease by the Croats
Bridge - 4 - Absolute nightmare. I though it would be a blessing in disguise that he was playing ahead of Cashley last night coz he is a much better crosser of the ball. However, he had a mare, made two big mistakes that could have led to two more Croat goals.
SWP - 4 - Didn't do a lot, although England did not use his pace enough.
Barry - 4 - What happened to the cultured midfielder we've seen in previous England games?
Gerrard - 6 1st half 4 2nd half - He seemed the only one who looked like he could do something in the 1st half. Second half, shocking, gave the ball away so many times.
Lamplardy - 5 - Scored a good pen. Erm that was it! How the hell was he given man of the match?
Cole - 5 - Worked his socks off down that left hand side to no avail. Final delivery was poor though
Crouch - 7 - Worked really hard, won all the crap long balls played to him but no-one got close enough to him to take advantage. Well taken goal
Beckham - 6 - Great cross for Crouch goal. Didn't get enough of the ball on the rightside to have enough of an impact. The only player to clap the fans at the end
Defoe - 5 - Won the penalty which looked a bit soft. Didn't have a sniff in front of goal
Bent - 5 - Had our only chance in the last 15 mins but didn't take it. I'll say it again, our only chance created in the last 15 while 3-2 down.
Pitch - 3 - Awful. I've played on better Sunday League pitches than that. This did not help England's game, Croatia however seemed to cope with it fine. Shows how fcuking stupid the FA are for allowing Yank football to be played on this pitch a couple of weeks before one of Englands biggest games in recent years.
Ref - 7 - Didn't notice him which normally means he had a good game
Croatia - 8 - They are a good side. Great on the counter attack, opened us up with ease and pace. Deserved to win, deserve their chance to go to Euro's over us.
McClaren - 3 - He got it wrong. Not just last night, but throughout the campaign. To be fair to him, he has been unlucky with injuries, how much of a difference would Rooney have made last night? HUGE! Terry and Rio would have made us far more solid as well. I think he should have stayed with Robbo in goal, in a weird way he will probably gain confidence from last night. Carson's will be destroyed.
Any good news?
McClaren will be sacked this morning. (NEWSFLASH - Has been sacked!!!)
But then who do we get in? Redknapp? Alladyce? Mourinho (no chance that will happen)? SVEN? At least he got us through!
I'll save loads of money for not travelling to Austria and Switzerland next year.
Richards - 5 - This guy is quality. However, didn't have his best game last night. Who did though?
Campbell & the Klingon - 5 a piece - Poor distribution, and were opened with ease by the Croats
Bridge - 4 - Absolute nightmare. I though it would be a blessing in disguise that he was playing ahead of Cashley last night coz he is a much better crosser of the ball. However, he had a mare, made two big mistakes that could have led to two more Croat goals.
SWP - 4 - Didn't do a lot, although England did not use his pace enough.
Barry - 4 - What happened to the cultured midfielder we've seen in previous England games?
Gerrard - 6 1st half 4 2nd half - He seemed the only one who looked like he could do something in the 1st half. Second half, shocking, gave the ball away so many times.
Lamplardy - 5 - Scored a good pen. Erm that was it! How the hell was he given man of the match?
Cole - 5 - Worked his socks off down that left hand side to no avail. Final delivery was poor though
Crouch - 7 - Worked really hard, won all the crap long balls played to him but no-one got close enough to him to take advantage. Well taken goal
Beckham - 6 - Great cross for Crouch goal. Didn't get enough of the ball on the rightside to have enough of an impact. The only player to clap the fans at the end
Defoe - 5 - Won the penalty which looked a bit soft. Didn't have a sniff in front of goal
Bent - 5 - Had our only chance in the last 15 mins but didn't take it. I'll say it again, our only chance created in the last 15 while 3-2 down.
Pitch - 3 - Awful. I've played on better Sunday League pitches than that. This did not help England's game, Croatia however seemed to cope with it fine. Shows how fcuking stupid the FA are for allowing Yank football to be played on this pitch a couple of weeks before one of Englands biggest games in recent years.
Ref - 7 - Didn't notice him which normally means he had a good game
Croatia - 8 - They are a good side. Great on the counter attack, opened us up with ease and pace. Deserved to win, deserve their chance to go to Euro's over us.
McClaren - 3 - He got it wrong. Not just last night, but throughout the campaign. To be fair to him, he has been unlucky with injuries, how much of a difference would Rooney have made last night? HUGE! Terry and Rio would have made us far more solid as well. I think he should have stayed with Robbo in goal, in a weird way he will probably gain confidence from last night. Carson's will be destroyed.
Any good news?
McClaren will be sacked this morning. (NEWSFLASH - Has been sacked!!!)
But then who do we get in? Redknapp? Alladyce? Mourinho (no chance that will happen)? SVEN? At least he got us through!
I'll save loads of money for not travelling to Austria and Switzerland next year.