There was good news and bad news out of England's victory over Croatia at Portman Road. The good news is that the success was a sixth successive victory under Sven Goran Eriksson but the bad news is that, at times, England (the defence in particular) seemed at sixes and sevens.
Further good news is that the visitors squandered numerous chances to have put the game beyond England before the home side finally woke up, although I suppose there is an argument for that fact to be included in the bad news section also.
It all started so well for England and in the opening spell, all of ten minutes, the passing was crisp and the movement was equally meritorious but once Croatia got into their stride, and England lost theirs, it only seemed a matter of time before the visitors pierced what was a shaky defence. Fortunately England received the boost of an early goal from the penalty spot to allay fears of conceding.
David Beckham, back on home soil, crossed from the right towards the far post and as Michael Owen ran behind Simunic the Croatian defender inexplicably threw his hand up towards the ball and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Up stepped Beckham and the England captain drove the ball home despite the keeper almost getting a hand on it. It was Beckham's 12th England goal and his 11th in 24 games under Eriksson.
The goal provoked an open free-flowing game in which both teams seemed much better going forward than they were at defending and it has to be said that Croatia were much better going forward than England and soon started to make worrying inroads into an uncertain England defence.
At times, the visitors threatened to overrun England and the home skipper almost contributed to their equaliser when his wayward back-pass created another opening but the alert James saved the moment. That was Croatia's seventh goal chance and it wasn't even half time, and two minutes after the restart Olic got behind a pedestrian John Terry but stabbed a reasonable chance wide. The visitors were to rue their missed chances when England doubled their lead and it was the dynamic duo of Beckham and Owen who were responsible, again.
The England captain whipped over a typical right wing cross and Michael Owen pulled away at the far post to nod home his 23rd international goal, on his 51st appearance. It was quite a rare goal, too, as it was only the striker's sixth goal in a friendly international compared to 17 in competitive games.
It might be ultra pessimistic to state it but the goals that gave England their 2-0 lead came from players who, statistically, underlined their immense importance to the England cause. Between them Beckham, 11, and Owen, 15, have now scored 26 goals under Sven Goran Eriksson and no-one else is even close. If either were to be missing when Euro 2004 games come around the consequences could be dire.
That said Owen, whose strike put him one behind Sir Geoff Hurst in the all-time standings, wasn't able to threaten the World Cup icon as he was substituted on the hour.
In previous friendly internationals Sven's mass substitutions were the subject of ridicule, and rightly so, but on this occasion they worked, and how. Frank Lampard was lucky as he came on for Nicky Butt after less than half an hour but the rest who came on for the second half regenerated a tired looking England and several of the subs did their England cause no harm at all as the home side finally looked a decent team.
Lampard fired just over and Joe Cole finished a typical jinking run with a tremendous shot that veered just wide of the far post. Those efforts redressed the balance somewhat but Croatia were still outperforming England by 14 to 8 in chances created. Cole was thriving in the game, wanting the ball all the time, and, most un-English like, he wanted to take players on.
It augurs well for his international future that he now seems more selective when choosing to implement his vast array of tricks and skills. And when he gets into threatening positions he is as likely to finish with a shot as assist a colleague.
But Croatia were not done by any means and they finally got the goal they deserved in the 78th minute when Mornar converted from close range as England failed to clear. But any impetus Croatia might have gained from reducing the arrears disappeared with the goal of the night from Frank Lampard and what made the goal even more delectable was the fact that it came from England's best move of the night.
Kieron Dyer, one of the second half substitutes, back on his home turf, started the five- man move with a great break from midfield and with the help of a fortuitous bounce of the ball found Wayne Bridge who returned it to the Newcastle man. Dyer then slipped the ball into Beattie and when he executed the perfect lay-off Lampard hit a screamer from 25 yards to record his first goal for the senior England side.
Two minutes into stoppage time Dyer thought he had capped his best night for England with a goal but it was ruled out through off-side though television replay showed he had skilfully beaten the Croatian off-side trap.
Much will be said and written about England's win over one of the best teams in Europe and it has to be said that the grilling the home side got from Croatia is exactly what Sven's team needed. But let not the win paper over the obvious cracks in the make-up of the team. Most of the problems Croatia gave England came down the left, where we still haven't solved to problem of left midfield.
Ashley Cole, who set a new record by being unbeaten in 19 England internationals, is most effective going forward but without the balance provided by a left sided player, who can fill in for him when he flies down the wing, England are vulnerable. And whilst, potentially, the pairing of Ferdinand and Terry could well be England's long-term future at centre half the team does lack the stability of a commanding figure at the heart of the defence.
Food for Sven's thoughts ahead of the Euro 2004 qualifier against Macedonia.
