New Wembley experience disappoints

For me there was a real symmetry about England’s match against Germany. My last trip to Wembley was England’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Germans in 2000, so it seemed inevitable that my first visit to the new revitalised Wembley should be against Germany. The symmetry was further cemented as England crashed to a 2-1 defeat.

The Germans do love coming to Wembley. They haven’t lost a competitive international at Wembley since a certain day in 1966. The last Wembley loss for the Germans was a friendly way back in 1975. Of course the Germans love to spoil England’s party. Wembley’s farewell party was also a German victory and Germany got themselves into a position to inflict upon England their first defeat in their new home.

England started off brightly enough with Frank Lampard giving the home side the lead after 9 minutes. The much-maligned Chelsea midfielder popped up inside the eighteen-yard box to slam home his thirteenth England goal. Lampard, who has been the target for the boo-boys in recent months, must have felt that the tide had finally turned. However, as all good sceptics know, the number 13 can be very unlucky indeed.

Paul Robinson most certainly can testify to the significance of the number thirteen. Bernd Schneider’s cross confused the Tottenham goalkeeper, who could only parry the ball to the feet of Kevin Kuranyi, who tapped an easy goal in. That was after 26 minutes, but the Germans were not finished there. Reading full back Nicky Shorey, who is has to be said does look like International class, made a clearance to Christian Pander, who unleashed a rocket of a shot that had Robinson well beaten.

All the focus in the aftermath of the game has been on the mistake made by Paul Robinson, but England should be bullish about the qualifiers that are to come in the next few months. To lose a game at Wembley will remove the millstone that an unbeaten run can provide. However, the equally damaging statistic of no wins at the new ground could prove to be hard to shake off.

Perspective though is once again called for. Robinson’s error was costly, however in a friendly scenario it wasn’t as expensive as it could have been. Getting the mistakes out of the way in a relatively unimportant game is as crucial as winning the games that matter. Robinson has a few games with Spurs between now and the Israel qualifier on September 8th. He will use that time to get his confidence back, despite the utter twaddle that has been mentioned regarding his place as England’s number one. Those that have referred to Robinson’s ‘howler’ against Croatia in October, may have a point, but to keep bringing it up, hardly helps the national team’s cause.

Indeed all is not lost elsewhere in the side. Plenty of injuries have made Steve McClaren’s task difficult. Strikers of the uninjured variety are in short supply at the moment. Andrew Johnson; Darren Bent; and Wayne Rooney, were all on the absent list and will face different time spells away from the England team. They have time, which is the most precious commodity they can have at the moment. Others need time too. Michael Owen and Alan Smith have time and will have a good chance to forge a decent strike partnership for Newcastle United in the ensuing weeks before September 8th. If that proves fruitful for Sam Allardyce’s men, it could be lethal for England. Only time will tell on all of these quandaries.

By Stuart Croucher