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Wednesday August 20, 2008; International Friendly England 2 Czech Republic 2 England: D.James, W.Brown, A.Cole, G.Barry, R.Ferdinand (J.Woodgate 58), J.Terry, D.Beckham (J.Jenas 79), F.Lampard (D.Bentley 79), J.Defoe (E.Heskey 46), S.Gerrard (J.Cole 58), W.Rooney (S.Downing 68). Czech Republic: P.Cech, Z.Grygera (Z.Pospech 46), T.Ujfalusi, D.Rozehnal, M.Jankulovski, S.Vlcek (D.Jarolim 46), R.Kovac, (J.Rajnoch 76), J.Polak, J.Plasil (M.Papadopulos 90), R.Sirl (M.Kadlac 76), M.Baros (V.Sverkos 46). This friendly got under way on a slick, greasy surface which seemed ideally suited to good football. Indeed there would be several swift, classy passing movements displayed over the course of the game but more often than not these came from the visitors as England, short of imagination and cohesion, toiled to unlock a packed defence. The first Czech attack that threatened danger was built up down England's right and when the ball was transferred back into the middle Stanislav Vlcek had a decent sight of goal at the far post but scuffed his shot badly. Wayne Rooney, playing behind Jermain Defoe, dropped deeper to start a better England move and then transferred the point of attack with a sweeping ball out to the left to find Steven Gerrard who came inside onto his right foot to test Petr Cech with a dipping drive which the keeper parried to safety. England were looking to play one touch, passing football but this tactic saw the ball transferred back away from the danger area as often as it produced any forward movement and there were several occasions when errant passes allowed the Czech's to break dangerously. David Beckham was especially erratic with his passing and one poor ball gifted the Czech's possession and saw Gareth Barry, in a desperate attempt to snuff out the danger, piling into a poor challenge on Jaroslav Plasil to collect a merited booking. The England defence was also looking less than sound whenever the Czech's came forward with one hopeful ball over the top seeing Milan Baros, completely isolated, getting in behind Rio Ferdinand for a snap shot that David James did well to parry low down to his left. It was just as well Baros had no support as the ball ran loose across the front of the England goalmouth with Wes Brown eventually able to poke clear. Midway through the first half another poor pass by Beckham was the catalyst for England falling behind. Beckham sent a low ball forward from deep inside his own half that was easily intercepted and the Czech's immediately looked to move forward. Beckham compounded his error by setting off on a wild goose chase after the ball and when the play was eventually moved from one flank to the other by the visitors the England defence was short staffed on their right hand side. Wes Brown sold himself cheaply to increase the danger, John Terry completely failed to stop Baros turning inside the box and when his shot came in Ashley Cole stuck out a foot to deflect it past James. All in all not a great goal from an England point of view. Stung by this goal England proceeded to play their best football of the night but they remained unable to really penetrate the Czech defence or fashion clear cut chances, their attempts on goal being generally ambitious from around 25 yards out. The best moves, and chances, ended with Defoe having half a yard inside the area to test Cech but both his efforts were too close to the keeper to cause real concern. Cech was not looking altogether happy on the sodden surface, however, and looked uncomfortable when dealing with speculative efforts from both Rooney and Gerrard. The more incisive football, mainly on the break, was still coming from the visitors, however, and one dangerous break, in which England were briefly outnumbered, ended with Radoslav Kovac shooting wildly over from the edge of the box. Right on half time England levelled in an almost depressingly familiar way. Beckham swung in a free kick which was headed behind and when the same player sent over the resulting corner Brown got in front of his marker to plant a header past Cech from close range. Half Time: England 1 Czech Republic 1 England made only one change at the interval, Emile Heskey coming on for Defoe, but made a sloppy start to the second half which set the tone for an abject final forty five minutes. Wes Brown played his side into trouble with a woeful pass that saw Jan Polac firing narrowly wide from the edge of the box and when the Czech's mounted their next attack Barry conceded a free kick on the edge of the box with a clumsy foul. With three Czech's on the end of the wall and David James crouching down behind it for the worst possible view Marek Jankulovski bent a sweet drive into the top corner. It's not fair to say that James didn't move, he did actually take a pace the wrong way before turning to concrete as the ball flashed into the roof of the net. A great free kick but that was the side of goal James was supposed to be guarding and he palpably didn't. Rooney, promising when coming deeper to set up play but unable to affect the game further forward, linked with Frank Lampard to play Garrard into the penalty area but the Liverpool man wanted to get the ball back onto his right foot rather than trust his left and was promptly robbed. David Jarolim blasted miles over for the Czech's before they wasted a glorious opportunity to punish embarrassing England defending. With a Czech player standing offside the England defence stopped as a long ball went down the left wing and completely failed to react as Vaclav Sverkos ran onto the ball from a patently onside position, Beckham being the man most at fault. David James made an ill judged decision to come right out to the touchline to intervene but was beaten to the ball and rounded with ridiculous ease by Sverkos who then panicked and shot weakly into the side netting with the England defence desperately trying to recover. The Czech's then produced a quality move with Plasil feeding Sverkos for a low shot which was saved, though not convincingly, by James. England tried to muster a late rally but their efforts had little more than, well, effort to commend them. Heskey nodded down a long punt forward for Stewart Downing to drill a low shot wide of the post before a couple of centres across the face of goal won England a corner deep into stoppage time. David Bentley whipped this into the middle and after a couple of ricochets, and one blatant offside that wasn't given, Joe Cole prodded an unconvincing shot goalwards which was miraculously turned into his own goal by a Czech defender. I'm not sure which one it was but he spared England's blushes by somehow kicking the ball into his own face as he fell backwards to send the ball into his own net. Thanks pal. The rumbling of booing which met the final whistle was an understandable reaction to this performance despite the late equaliser, however. Full Time: England 2 Czech Republic 2
England: D.James 3, W.Brown 3, A.Cole 3, G.Barry 2, R.Ferdinand 4 (J.Woodgate 5), J.Terry 3, D.Beckham 2 (J.Jenas 3), F.Lampard 2 (D.Bentley 3), J.Defoe 4 (E.Heskey 2), S.Gerrard 5 (J.Cole 4), W.Rooney 5 (S.Downing 4). Star Man: Steven Gerrard He probably doesn't want to play on the left but he was still, just about, England's most effective player. Both he and Rooney showed up to advantage, sporadically, but there is no structure or pattern to England's play designed to consistently involve these players in the areas where they do most damage.
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