England 5-1 Kazakhstan

October 11th, 2008 | by: Daryl |

The scoreline makes it look a lot better than it really was. According to my TV screen England lined up in a 4-3-3 like this:

– — – — – James — – — – –
Brown -Ferdinand – Upson – A Cole
– Gerrard – Lampard -Barry –
Walcott — Heskey — Rooney

But in reality it was Rooney floating wherever he wanted and no real left mid, the idea being to let Ashley Cole get forward. I think. And seems Barry sat a little deeper than Gerrard and Lampard. Which didn’t really seem necessary.

As for the whole Gerrard and Lampard thing? Same old, same old.

In the first half it all looked very disjointed, with Gerrard in particular looking like he didn’t know where he was supposed to be. There was really no need to have Gerrard, Lampard and Barry all crowded into the same central midfield. On recent England form I’m 100% in favour of going 4-4-2 and asking Gerrard to take a seat so that Lampard can have all that space to himself.

So 0-0 at halftime and a lot of unhappy faces at Wembley. Inclduing Fabio Capello.

Only change he made was to bring off Barry for SWP. Rio finally got the goals flowing by heading in a Lampard cross, then a helfpul Kazakshtan defender headed past his own keeper to make it 2-0.

But then Ashley Cole did this:

Not cool Cashley.

It was all a bit nervy for a few minutes, but eventually England woke up. Rooney headed in a Brown cross and then poked home a Beckham cross a few minutes later, before Jermain Defoe ran on to a Heskey through ball and slotted past the Kazakhstan keeper.

5-1 in the end thanks to a good last fifteen minutes. But despite the impressive scoreline, we didn’t look like much of a team and the Gerrard/Lampard combo is still a big worry.

Highlights here:

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http://epl.theoffside.com Rob

Scoreline deffo flattered us, but we were the better side. I think the reason we got so many goals was just a fitness thing in the end.

Totally agree about Lampard in and Gerrard out, I thought Lamps did ok today, Gerrard not so much.

And Ashley Cole, well well. I don’t understand why people were having a go at the fans booing him – if you did that in your local park you’d be yelled at.
phil

A difficult game as these easier fixtures generally turn out to be, but a hansom result in the end!

I would very much appreciate the England manager respecting those that turn up to support the England team to voice their dissatisfaction with the team or any particular player they feel hasn’t performed to their potential or expectations.

These supporters who undoubtably endure physical, financial and emotional insecurities traveling the Globe to support their National Team despite the present financial climate that the majority are experiencing at the moment and no doubt have for some period of time.

I would fully endorse them having the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction with a player or any player they feel has not performed to the standard that their remuneration would warrant.

It would be more appropriate if a player who participates in a gross misjudgment of play acknowledges the error to the those that sacrifice an enormous amount of time and expenditure to support these fortunate individuals who receive more than a kings ransom to play a sport that the majority of the proletariat can only dream of.

A hand elevated would even suffice!

Mr. Capello needs to acknowledge this post haste or he will be following his predecessors to commentating on such sporting events or managing second tier nation teams.
Ak

Credit to Kazakhstan, they made a game of it. Lampard and Gerrard? Just more fuel for the fire. Phil: still, it was a bit harsh — he had no worse a game than, say, Brown, or Gerrard. I’m all for showing teeth when necessary, but here it was just cynical and pointless. Jeer him if he made no effort to represent his country, but not simply because he made one mistake.

Also gotta say though: I’m a liking ITV’s new opening sequence (Is it new? Come to think of it, when was the last time I saw an England game on terrestrial TV, let alone on ITV?).
http://epl.theoffside.com Rob

I don’t mind ITV’s coverage at all, its a bit more shambolic and not as smug as the BBC. Plus, Bitter Sweet Symphony as the theme? Quality.
http://littlemissdiana.blogspot.com diana

Speaking of coverage Rob, I got Martin Tyler commentating (me coming from Singapore and I watched this through pay-TV) the match. I just kept forgetting who is his commentating partner. Argh! But then again growing up whenever there’s Premier League matches on TV here, I’m used to hearing Martin Tyler’s voice.

‘Credit to Kazakhstan, they made a game of it.’
Agreed. And I was actually thinking when watching the match, Kazakhstan’s FIFA ranking is actually just above my country. Hours before the match began, I even went to take a check at the FIFA website just to confirm! I was like thinking – ‘The ranking of England’s opponents…are just above my country!’.