Football.

My God that was bad. The following questions arised from tonights england match. Any answers would be appreciated.

Why does Sven pick David James?

Why is Ashley Cole seemingly inept at the final ball?

Why cant england finish?

Why was the lampards goal disallowed?

Unbelievable. Big up to the faroes though. and to azerbaijan. Shame on Spain for not scoring against Northern Ireland

I'm really pleased for the linesman that England won because if Lampards goal was disallowed for being off side then that was the most appalling decision I have seen on the field of play of any sport. He would never have been able to sleep again.

Considered Benny verdict. UEFA B license coach.

James - three things to do, did two well and switched off for the vital second on the goal. 6/10 Mills - looked a Div 1 player and well out of his depth again. Hopefully that's the end of his international career, as Gary Neville should be fit for Macedonia in September. 5/10 Cole - didn't look match fit to me. Positionally shoddy and nearly cost us two more at least. 5/10 Gerrard - happier with two banks of four than the diamond, came into game when the pressure began to tell but had been anonymous in first half. 7/10 Upson - did OK when the heat was off, not as solid as we need, and put pressure on Southgate by ballwatching twice. 5/10 Southgate - lack of pace exposed on more than one occasion, didn't command as was expected of the senior defender. Should have been awarded a penalty. 6/10 Lampard - anonymous first half, better in second period. Goal should have stood. 7/10 Scholes - tactically naive, surprisingly. Kept walking into the Slovakian trap, and was the main cause of England's crap first half. Kept getting too far forward without the ball too soon, leaving nowhere for short passes through. Needed to change with Lampard more to offer variety and make the defenders think. 5/10 Rooney - looked like an inexperienced kid out there, and a long way from being ready. 5/10 Owen - could have scored 5, but kept going when he was out of luck to ultimately reap the rewards. Not a captain, but a big-match finish to win the game. 8/10 Neville - sat too deep first half and effectively isolated himself from rest of midfield, which made Cole and Mills push too far forward too soon. Comfortable second half, though I still don't think he is International quality. 6/10 Hargreaves - energy and drive made things happen, England looked a far better side with him in the team. 7/10 Vassell - makes things happen with his pace and unselfish running. 7/10

Eriksson - I'm still not convinced. He is still relying on that extra-special performance from one or two players, rather than getting a team performance. They didn't know what they were doing or how to do it in the first half, and it was the players, not him, that got him out of it. 4/10

I'd tend to agree with most of what Benjamin has carefully written about the England performance.

Your a tough gent, sir, and surely a stern, yet fair, coach.

One minor discrepancy with your individual assessments. Steven G, played one of the best performances I've seen him do to date. Ran back, set goals up (chances), 'got the ball', defended, attacked. Pretty much 9/10 for his job.

Totally agree on the Sven line of thinking, unless he does forge a team performance (maybe playing the same line up on more than one occasion? - just a suggestion) we will end up hanging on the edge of our seats in the hope of a freak goal 5 mins. from the end.

But Benny, when all said and done, is there any point in time that you 'don't' think we can go on and do well in the World Cup or European Championships? - when will we learn!?

Vassel really injected some pace and drive into Englands otherwise lacklustre perfomance despite missing a few half chances he's a good player and isnt scared to make things happen when going forward (a bit like Gerrard) Benny's dead right about Sven he relies on a few key players to win matches and to be honest that is how england has performed over the years.. Owen IS a matchwinner - no question about that at all (and thats coming from a United supporter!!) still i belive club loyalties are to be set aside when supporting your country. But who else do you suggest in goal - Kirkland needs some prem practice before he can get between the posts for england, he should be back for the start of next season at Anfield after busting his leg but although James did a Seaman and let in a soft goal he is still a good keeper and lets be honest were hardly spoilt for choice are we!!

Originally posted by Benny and the Cobwebs Considered Benny verdict. UEFA B license coach.James - three things to do, did two well and switched off for the vital second on the goal. 6/10 Mills - looked a Div 1 player and well out of his depth again. Hopefully that's the end of his international career, as Gary Neville should be fit for Macedonia in September. 5/10 Cole - didn't look match fit to me. Positionally shoddy and nearly cost us two more at least. 5/10 Gerrard - happier with two banks of four than the diamond, came into game when the pressure began to tell but had been anonymous in first half. 7/10 Upson - did OK when the heat was off, not as solid as we need, and put pressure on Southgate by ballwatching twice. 5/10 Southgate - lack of pace exposed on more than one occasion, didn't command as was expected of the senior defender. Should have been awarded a penalty. 6/10 Lampard - anonymous first half, better in second period. Goal should have stood. 7/10 Scholes - tactically naive, surprisingly. Kept walking into the Slovakian trap, and was the main cause of England's crap first half. Kept getting too far forward without the ball too soon, leaving nowhere for short passes through. Needed to change with Lampard more to offer variety and make the defenders think. 5/10 Rooney - looked like an inexperienced kid out there, and a long way from being ready. 5/10 Owen - could have scored 5, but kept going when he was out of luck to ultimately reap the rewards. Not a captain, but a big-match finish to win the game. 8/10 Neville - sat too deep first half and effectively isolated himself from rest of midfield, which made Cole and Mills push too far forward too soon. Comfortable second half, though I still don't think he is International quality. 6/10 Hargreaves - energy and drive made things happen, England looked a far better side with him in the team. 7/10 Vassell - makes things happen with his pace and unselfish running. 7/10

Eriksson - I'm still not convinced. He is still relying on that extra-special performance from one or two players, rather than getting a team performance. They didn't know what they were doing or how to do it in the first half, and it was the players, not him, that got him out of it. 4/10

-------------------Diamond Shites------------------ James I thought was unlucky on the goal. He can't be expexted to ignore the possibilty that someone would make contact with the ball. therefore when the ball took a wicked skip off the surface, he had a reasonable amount of that side of the goal covered but it was an inch inside the post. You could almost call it a Freak Kick instead of a Free Kick First rule of defending those situations is to not let the ball bounce in the area. Culpability must lie with the centre-halves.7 Mills and Cole Where all over the place but surely that was down to Erikson more than the players. He's had them at La Manga for weeks, yet they started off looking like they'd never been introduced to one another. Much the same applies to the centre halves who looked a shambles covering the gaping holes. I don't think the personnell was the main problem. All of them 5 but with the slate whiped clean.

{b]Midfield I thought only Gerrard had a decent first half. I made him easlily man of the match and scored him 9 Lampard looked sluggish and only livened up when England were well on top and the Slovak's threat was virtually extinguished.[6] Scholes and Neville I agree on.[5] and.[6] respectively. Rooney I think suffered most of all from the shambles ensuing from Erikson's tactical gaffe. Again I think he is blameless. Can't score him any higher than [5] though. Owen, I agree more or less but he wasn't Man Of the Match for me, as I've said. .[8]

Thought Hargreaves and Vassell were both worthy of .[7] a piece but it shouldn't be overlooked that they had the benefit of having the opportunity to play in the 4-4-2 set up.

What about that horrific miss by the Slovak chap about 2 inches from the goal? - Terry James had already leaped out of the way. Was harder to miss.

Also, Angela Hargreaves smash ball and Stevey JetBike not rounding the keeper at the end? - don't they play 5-a-side?

We may have played shite but dont we always!! still Engerland won and thats all that matters!!!! :D

What I did like a lot about Gerrard last night was that he wanted it really badly, he went looking for the ball and really grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half. I'd have made him captain rather than Owen, I must admit, as he's capable of the leadership on the pitch by example.

Mind you, with up to ten who would reasonably expected to have featured in the side being unavailable, it was an acceptable result from a scratch side.

Still a few problem positions though. I'd prefer Paul Robinson to James any day of the week, with Kirkland as the back-up. In only about two or three season we're going to have another Shilton/Clemence situation with two world-class keepers and only one needed. As for the left side, until Matthew Taylor is ready I'd plump for Gareth Barry at left-back with Ashley Cole playing left midfield, where his pace can be used to greater effect. I'd hoped that Matthew Etherington might come through, but he seems to have nosedived at Spurs. Kieran Richardson may become the man for the job in time to come though.