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After a stuttering World Cup campaign in which England laboured to score just three goals in four massively disappointing displays, Fabio Capello’s Three Lions seem to be firing on all cylinders again.

Seven goals in two games against Bulgaria and Switzerland and suddenly everything seems to be clicking into place once more.

Unlike in South Africa, England have looked like a well balanced team, passing the ball with tempo and dynamism.

Both Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard have been restored to arguably their ‘natural’ positions and England have benefited, creating many more chances and looking far more incisive than over the summer.

The Manchester United striker has been involved more playing in a deeper role behind Jermain Defoe, whilst Gerrard has been restored to the heart of central midfield alongside the holding midfielder Gareth Barry. (continue reading…)

Capello last night admitted he was seen as a God - but now he is a monster.

The under-fire England boss takes his team into battle tonight for their opening Euro 2012 qualifier with Bulgaria.

He said: “You create the God and you create the monster, no?

“This is my team. We lost one game in the World Cup, against Germany, after one big mistake from the ref. No one remembers this.

“But, after that, opinion about me changed completely.

“Still, it’s no problem for me. I can live with it.

“It is part of a manager’s job. When you win, you’re the best. When you lose, you’re the worst.

“We have to play without fear. The players have trained with a lot of confidence and we have to see that against Bulgaria.”

Capello admits he was relieved with the reaction of the fans towards stars like Wayne Rooney during last month’s friendly with Hungary, which saw England struggle to a 2-1 win.

Skipper Steven Gerrard was the saviour that day with two cracking goals at Wembley.

Capello said: “I was a little concerned in the last game but, after 10 minutes, the fans stopped booing and supported us.

“We owe them. The supporters of England are fantastic, the best in the world.”

FABIO CAPELLO goes back to the future tonight by sticking with his World Cup flops.

Eight of the starting XI for England’s humiliating defeat by Germany will face Bulgaria.

Keeper Joe Hart, Phil Jagielka and Theo Walcott come in for David James and crocked duo John Terry and Frank Lampard.

And if Terry and Lampard were fit, Capello would have made just ONE change for the Euro 2012 qualifier.

The Italian insisted: “I’ve learned something from a new experience in South Africa.

“I changed something a bit - but not a lot.”

Too right. Yet, after England’s World Cup debacle in June, Capello said: “I think we’ll find two or three new players, probably for the Euros.

“The best young players are in the Under-21s and are not ready to play here at the World Cup.

“I hope some good players will be ready in six months, it’s possible.” (continue reading…)

Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and John Terry have been ruled out of England’s opening Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland with injuries.

After the 2-0 win over Stoke, Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti said Lampard will have a hernia operation next week.

And a Chelsea statement later revealed Terry is out due to problems with his right hamstring and glute muscles.

Bobby Zamora and Peter Crouch are doubts for the games next Friday, 3 September, and Tuesday, 7 September.

But the absence of key Chelsea pair Lampard and Terry will trouble England boss Fabio Capello more ahead of the matches against Bulgaria at Wembley and in Basel, the team’s first competitive action since their 4-1 defeat by Germany in the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup. (continue reading…)

Steven Gerrard scored twice in four second-half minutes as England came from behind to defeat Hungary in their first outing since their awful World Cup campaign.

England, by and large, received warm backing from the 72,024 inside Wembley, with applause comfortably outweighing booing after a performance during which Fabio Capello’s team produced some eye-catching attacking moves.

But the crowd voiced their dissatisfaction when Phil Jagielka unfortunately guided a low cross into his own net after 62 minutes.

In truth, England had grounds for complaint that are sure to once again raise the subject of goal-line technology.

A Frank Lampard strike that clearly crossed the line was not awarded during England’s humiliating 4-1 defeat against Germany at the World Cup.

And at Wembley on Wednesday replays suggested substitute Michael Dawson had cleared the ball before it had crossed the line. (continue reading…)

Steven Gerrard has admitted he would probably boo England in Wednesday’s friendly with Hungary if he was a fan.

The England captain said he was expecting a “mixed reaction” at Wembley following the disappointing World Cup campaign in South Africa.

Gerrard was asked whether he would boo the team if he was an England fan and he conceded: “I probably would, yeah.”

He added: “We have to take it on the chin. We deserve it. We let them down in the summer.”

England suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat by Germany at the second round stage of the World Cup and won only one of the four games they played in South Africa, scoring three goals in total.

Gerrard, speaking at an England news conference, said: “I’m sure there will be some boos at times [on Wednesday] but we have to deal with that. We have to be men. (continue reading…)

The Frenchman believes England should have used their experience to stop Germany’s counter-attacking threat.

England pulled the score back to 2-1 and had a goal disallowed but were hit on the break when chasing an equaliser.

“England had taken over the game and I think they were killed by their impatience,” Wenger told Arsenal’s website.

“They came back in the second half to 2-1 and they controlled the game.

“What made me sad was that, with the experience they had, they were caught. It was free-kick for England, goal for Germany.

“You do what they did with five minutes to go OK but not with 25 minutes left.”
England’s disappointing performances in the tournament in South Africa has led to criticism of manager Fabio Capello, the players, the structure of the Premier League as well as increasing calls for a winter break. (continue reading…)

By Paul Kelso

From his seat in the VIP section of the Free State Stadium, Sepp Blatter had only to turn his head to see a monitor showing the instant replay that confirmed Frank Lampard’s 38th-minute shot had crossed the German goal-line after crashing off Manuel Neuer’s crossbar.

It was a luxury denied the match officials. Thanks to the Fifa president’s continued intransigence on the issue of technology, they were left to rely on the erroneous evidence of their eyes.

The result was that a perfectly good goal was ruled out despite swift and unambiguous evidence of its legitimacy. No-one in the England camp, save perhaps for Fabio Capello, was claiming that the decision was the reason for defeat. But had the equaliser stood it is fair to surmise that the nature of the game would have changed, if not the outcome.
“It is incredible that there is no technology,” Capello said. “We played with five referees and they cannot decide whether that it is a goal or not. That one goal would have made the game completely different. I saw from the bench that the ball had gone over the line. I do not understand this.” (continue reading…)

RIO FERDINAND has told his England pals to picture victory over Germany tomorrow.
England’s crocked skipper says he always gets inspired just by looking at a photograph of Deutschland 1 England 5.

That was the unforgettable scoreline when our boys crushed the Germans in Munich back in 2001.

Ferdinand said: “I know we can do it on Sunday. When I think of Germany, the 5-1 win in the Olympic Stadium always springs to my mind.

“I love that photo of the scoreboard. I have a copy at home.

“It was a brilliant moment. Such things stay with you for ever.”

Current acting skipper Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Emile Heskey and Jamie Carragher are all survivors from that night.

Ferdinand is also backing Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney to burst back into form in Bloemfontein.

He added: “The Germany game is where Wazza can do the business.

“I’m desperate for him to come out of this tournament as the game’s greatest player. If it happens, there’s a chance we’ll win the World Cup.”

Meanwhile former Germany chief Franz Beckenbauer has apologised for branding England ’stupid’ for not winning Group C and suggesting they were ‘burnt out’ by a tough Premier League season.

He said: “Before the World Cup I thought England would maybe win it.

“They have a great team and a great coach and then, after the first two games, I was so disappointed.

“Maybe my words were the reaction of my disappointment but I apologise.”