(live on Fox Soccer Channel)
Fabio Capello boldly predicted before the game that this would be England's best performance under him in his managerial career. It was anything but. For the occasion, Capello went with the much maligned central midfield combination of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Unlike his predecessors however, he chose Gareth Barry to hold the midfield behind them, with Rooney wide on the left.
For the first half England huffed and puffed without threatening Alexander Mokin's goal. Kazakhstan's closing down was admirable and England lacked ideas, barring a couple of threatening Theo Walcott forages down the right hand side. An early snapshot for Emile Heskey on the far post was created by an excellent low cross from Walcott. On paper, Lampard and Gerrard form a lethal combination. On the Wembley pitch, they were usually at the same line, playing square passes to each other.
Kazakhstan started the second half better creating a couple of half chances. Against the run of play, England won a corner and in somewhat farcical fashion got the opening goal. Mokin ventured out to punch but was impeded by his own player, leaving Rio Ferdinand to head into an empty net. It wasn't really what England deserved, but it was what they craved to inspire the restless 89,107 strong crowd at Wembley. Again there was more evidence of how Wayne Rooney was not effective on the left. Marginalized on the left wing in the first half, he dropped deeper and deeper to get the ball. In the second half however, Shaun Wright-Phillips occupied the left wing berth and Rooney got pushed up to his favoured position.
The second England goal came from a Lampard free kick whipped in with the unlucky Aleksandr Kuchma getting a touch to head into his own net. That effectively sealed the game for England. Or so, they thought. Three minutes later, Ashley Cole made a right mess of his back-pass to God-knows-who and Zhambyl Kukeyev kept a cool head to hold Ferdinand off and fire into the back of the net. Cole was subsequently booed for the rest of the game, which was an unfair reflection of his performance. Just as the Wembley crowd's nervousness began to surface, a wonderful goal from Wayne Rooney calmed the fears. Theo Walcott got clear of his marker and cut it back to Wes Brown. Brown kept his head and picked out an inch perfect cross for Rooney to head home.
The poor marking was indicative of a tiring Kazakh performance. One suspects that their first half exhaustions took their toll as the fourth goal culminated from extremely poor defending. David Beckham had come on to a rousing reception and provided a signature free kick from the right flank. The ball hit Matthew Upson and fortuitously came out to Wayne Rooney who couldn't miss from two yards. Rooney's goal spurt continues and Manchester United fans must hope for an extended run of goals. Emile Heskey was instrumental in England's fifth and final goal. A harmless goal kick by Kazakhstan resulted in Upson winning a header in his own half. The ball fell to Heskey who flicked it on for Jermain Defoe, who had just come on for Rooney, and he raced clear of the defence to calmly slot it into the net for the clincher.
Fabio Capello boldly predicted before the game that this would be England's best performance under him in his managerial career. It was anything but. For the occasion, Capello went with the much maligned central midfield combination of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Unlike his predecessors however, he chose Gareth Barry to hold the midfield behind them, with Rooney wide on the left.
For the first half England huffed and puffed without threatening Alexander Mokin's goal. Kazakhstan's closing down was admirable and England lacked ideas, barring a couple of threatening Theo Walcott forages down the right hand side. An early snapshot for Emile Heskey on the far post was created by an excellent low cross from Walcott. On paper, Lampard and Gerrard form a lethal combination. On the Wembley pitch, they were usually at the same line, playing square passes to each other.
Kazakhstan started the second half better creating a couple of half chances. Against the run of play, England won a corner and in somewhat farcical fashion got the opening goal. Mokin ventured out to punch but was impeded by his own player, leaving Rio Ferdinand to head into an empty net. It wasn't really what England deserved, but it was what they craved to inspire the restless 89,107 strong crowd at Wembley. Again there was more evidence of how Wayne Rooney was not effective on the left. Marginalized on the left wing in the first half, he dropped deeper and deeper to get the ball. In the second half however, Shaun Wright-Phillips occupied the left wing berth and Rooney got pushed up to his favoured position.
The second England goal came from a Lampard free kick whipped in with the unlucky Aleksandr Kuchma getting a touch to head into his own net. That effectively sealed the game for England. Or so, they thought. Three minutes later, Ashley Cole made a right mess of his back-pass to God-knows-who and Zhambyl Kukeyev kept a cool head to hold Ferdinand off and fire into the back of the net. Cole was subsequently booed for the rest of the game, which was an unfair reflection of his performance. Just as the Wembley crowd's nervousness began to surface, a wonderful goal from Wayne Rooney calmed the fears. Theo Walcott got clear of his marker and cut it back to Wes Brown. Brown kept his head and picked out an inch perfect cross for Rooney to head home.
The poor marking was indicative of a tiring Kazakh performance. One suspects that their first half exhaustions took their toll as the fourth goal culminated from extremely poor defending. David Beckham had come on to a rousing reception and provided a signature free kick from the right flank. The ball hit Matthew Upson and fortuitously came out to Wayne Rooney who couldn't miss from two yards. Rooney's goal spurt continues and Manchester United fans must hope for an extended run of goals. Emile Heskey was instrumental in England's fifth and final goal. A harmless goal kick by Kazakhstan resulted in Upson winning a header in his own half. The ball fell to Heskey who flicked it on for Jermain Defoe, who had just come on for Rooney, and he raced clear of the defence to calmly slot it into the net for the clincher.
The scoreline might have been emphatic, but the performance was extremely poor. Fabio Capello still has a lot of work to do with his charges before they can be thought of as world beaters. The problems that his predecessors had still remain:Gerrard and Lampard remain incompatible as ever in the midfield, Rooney seemingly can only play with a target man, and the left side of midfield does not have a good enough permanent occupant. A sterner test for England will come in Belarus in midweek, although Mr. Capello must get his tactics right by then.
Man of the Match: Emile Heskey. Wayne Rooney might have scored two goals but the overall presence of the big man created more space for him to work into.
Moan of the Match: Fox Soccer Channel had to utilize Nick Webster and Warren Barton for their match commentary. They were obviously not at the game, appearing at the studio before and after the game. Warren Barton's evidently partisan commentary referring to England as 'we' every time England had the ball was biased. American Soccer channels are crying out for Martin Tyler and Andy Gray.
Man of the Match: Emile Heskey. Wayne Rooney might have scored two goals but the overall presence of the big man created more space for him to work into.
Moan of the Match: Fox Soccer Channel had to utilize Nick Webster and Warren Barton for their match commentary. They were obviously not at the game, appearing at the studio before and after the game. Warren Barton's evidently partisan commentary referring to England as 'we' every time England had the ball was biased. American Soccer channels are crying out for Martin Tyler and Andy Gray.
