England World Cup Warm Up Match #2

Japan V England
Graz, Austria

The air in Graz was thinner than Adrian Chiles jokes and hair line combined, and with the ground having a distinct look of the League One's about it, today was the FA at its very worst. I kinda liked the retro 45 minute clocks (with 60 minute markings) on the stands and the nets to catch the balls behind the goals, but I still think it was the wrong opposition in the wrong location. It was never going to be a good workout and Fabio will take even less from this than he did against Mexico. Most of our players were not good enough today and there are definately more questions than answers. However far we get in the WC, it will be down to our Manager and not the players, there are far better teams than England and they will all be laughing their way to the Trophy after they see the DVD of today's game.

England seemed to treat this like a tedious league game rather than an International fixture, and it was very easy for Japan to close us down and stop us playing. When England did pass the ball it was poor, sloppy and very ineffective. The other thing that was sloppy and ineffective was the defending for the opening goal. England switched off, failed to read a simple corner, and were caught out. I think the inclusion of the "missing" Chelsea players from the Mexico game caused more harm than good and Ledley King can't go to the WC if he can only play 1 game a week.

I thought 5 changes at half time was a cry for help and appeared to show Fabio putting all his eggs in one basket - not the kind of tactic I want to see in the final game before the USA game. Frank Lampard's penalty was horrendous and he telegraphed it perfectly, the lack of skill on show all game was amazingly worrying, nothing was fluid and everything was predictable. On the balance of play England deserved something from the game, but 2 own goals from flat balls into the box can't do the confidence of anybody any good.

Clive Tyldesly's commentary at times was at best patronising, and so patriotic it was embarrassing. He doesn't half spout some trash, but not as much as Andy Townsend! When Darren Bent's substitution appeared on the stadium screen as "D Brent", he commented that if David Brent is playing for England, perhaps I will be named in the final 23 too. Forgetting of course that he spent years and years playing for the Republic of Ireland. I think I might have to mute the tv for the whole of June.