McClaren demands a repeat performance

Sep 10 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

STEVE McCLAREN insisted England have “done nothing” despite the win over Israel.

While McClaren accepts Saturday’s three-goal Wembley triumph represents the best England performance of his time in charge, only a repeat show against Russia on Wednesday will allow him to offer a few congratulatory pats on the back.

Barring an unlikely turn of events, Israel are now out of the running to qualify for Euro 2008 and with Croatia huge favourites to top Group E, England’s fate should be determined by their double-header with Russia.

At the very least, parity over two games is required against Guus Hiddink’s side, who warmed up for their Wembley visit by knocking three past a Macedonia team England failed to beat on home soil 12 months ago.

The importance of Wednesday’s game is not lost on McClaren, which is why he quickly dampened the mood down in the aftermath of the excellent Israeli win.

“We have done nothing yet,” he warned.

“There is no time for celebration. All we have done is put ourselves into a position. Winning after winning is always the most difficult thing and we need to follow this up on Wednesday.

“Russia are a very good team – and very well organised, as teams managed by Guus Hiddink always are.

“They don’t concede many goals but when they look at the video of this performance, they will be wary of coming to Wembley.

“You can only play as well as the opposition let you, so hopefully we can make Russia look as ordinary as we did Israel.”

After so many laboured performances under McClaren, there was a fluidity, vibrancy and conviction about this latest effort which raised inevitable questions about why has it taken so long and why the England coach has had to endure so much criticism before arriving at this point.

There is no obvious answer. However, given Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, David Beckham and Owen Hargreaves were all absent, McClaren sees no reason why standards should slip in the future.

“That performance sets the bar,” he said.

“It is not just the score; I would take taken 1-0. It is the fact that we had a lot of injuries, yet players have stepped in and done the job.”

With Lampard almost certainly ruled out of Wednesday’s encounter and Steven Gerrard almost certainly ruled in, McClaren’s major selection dilemmas surround two of the players who were major influences behind England’s upturn in fortune.

Gareth Barry stepped so seamlessly into the midfield battle, it was impossible to understand why it was his first competitive start in seven years, while Emile Heskey’s unselfish approach created space not just for Michael Owen but wide duo Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joe Cole as well.

Hargreaves and Peter Crouch, who has now served his one-match ban, stand by as replacements. And, while it would appear harsh in the extreme if Barry or Heskey were culled, McClaren is making no promises.

One man certain to be involved is teenage full-back Micah Richards, who proved himself to be as dangerous in attack as he is difficult to beat in defence.

Richards physical presence is a major asset at set pieces and even skipper John Terry would have been proud of the way he powered home Gerrard’s corner to wrap up the win for England.