Micah Richards' first England goal, Shaun Wright-Phillips'
second and Michael Owen's 38th in 84 games were enough to see off outclassed
Israel and ease Steve McClaren's Group E worries, for another few days
at least. All three were quality strikes, the scorers offered a pleasing
mix of youth and experience and this was certainly the most impressive
England performance in a competitive game under McClaren. That said, Israel
were so poor you wondered how they ever managed to come to Wembley in
second place in the group and how England could work themselves into such
a state about having to beat them.
A few more results like this and McClaren might have the 'Fortress Wembley'
he desires, though it would be wise not to get carried away until Wednesday,
when Guus Hiddink's Russia can hardly fail to be more threatening opponents.
'I expected a tough game, but our players made Israel look ordinary,'
was McClaren's explanation. There might be a more prosaic one, though
genuine highlights for England included the performances of all three
goalscorers as well as Emile Heskey and Gareth Barry mounting convincing
cases for staying in the team.
McClaren had appealed for fervently patriotic backing, and the fans before
kick-off responded enthusiastically. Every England player's name brought
a deafening cheer, even Heskey's, and there was a particularly approving
roar for Steven Gerrard.
When Owen Hargreaves failed his fitness test Barry found himself in the
middle of midfield alongside Gerrard, with the task of keeping an eye
on Walid Badir and Yossi Benayoun. There is no doubt the Barry deserved
his chance, only players of the quality of Gerrard, Hargreaves and Frank
Lampard ahead have him have restricted the international appearances of
one of the Premiership's most consistent and capable players.
Gerrard was prominent from the start, launching 40-yard passes towards
Wright-Phillips, who reached the dropping ball better than he controlled
it. England's first chance arrived after 10 minutes when, in a reversal
of the intended order, Michael Owen knocked the ball back for Heskey.
The finish showed why it might have been better the other way round. Israel
were not doing much attacking, but when Joe Cole gave the ball away with
the England cover stretched Richards needed all his pace to come to the
rescue.
The goal England needed to take the pressure off themselves and force
Israel to come out and play came just before the middle of the first half
and, after Gerrard and Heskey had threatened from set- pieces, was a well-worked
opportunity from open play. The two Coles combined cleverly on the left,
Ashley racing forward and committing two defenders in flicking the ball
back for Joe, who steadied himself through a challenge and had the awareness
to pick out Wright-Phillips' run into the box with a perfectly flighted
cross. Having timed his run carefully to stay onside, Wright-Phillips
was just as precise with his finish, volleying past Dudu Aouate for his
first competitive England goal.
Owen was unable to be quite as lethal from an even more promising position
on 37 minutes when with only Aouate to beat he needed two attempts and
hit the goalkeeper both times. England were piling on the pressure in
the minutes before the interval, perhaps mindful that one goal was insufficient
reflection of their superiority and missed chances had cost them in Tel
Aviv.
Perhaps McClaren said as much in the dressing room at half time, for England
came out and scored a second goal to kill the game four minutes after
the restart. Or rather Israel invited them to do so, first standing back
in admiration as Heskey anchored himself in their half and brought down
a high ball without a hint of a challenge, then standing off Barry as
he surveyed his passing options 10 yards from the edge of the area. Nothing
was moving for Barry at first, though he was allowed so long he spotted
a chink of light and played a low pass forward to Owen, whose smart turn
and alert eye for goal did the rest. Israel discovered the price for defending
on the 18-yard line is being picked off from the 18-yard line by a master
sniper.
The visitors' defending was also questionable for England's third goal,
when the only competition Richards faced in leaping to meet Barry's corner
was Heskey, though Aouate, who was booked for complaining, did seem to
have a point in suggesting he was impeded by Owen. Heskey and Gerrard
departed shortly after that, both to huge applause, the latter limping
slightly after taking another bang on the foot.
There was almost a second for Owen four minutes from the end, as a result
of a lightning break by Andy Johnson, but Yoav Ziv got back in time to
clear his goalbound effort off the line. Four goals would not have flattered
England, and three brought a welcome boost to the goal difference. Talking
of which, Paul Robinson had next to nothing to do, when he might have
preferred to make a save or two to redeem himself. Israel have somehow
amassed 17 points from nine games without having the nous to at least
test a goalkeeper supposed to be a bag of nerves. If Robinson is as comfortable
on Wednesday night, England will have taken a significant step towards
Austria and Switzerland.
, September 9, 2007
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