Euro 2008 - England v Russia

zocoss SG

European Championship Qualifying - Wednesday, 12 September 2007

vs

England v Russia - Ch 24 - 3:00am - (Live) - (Thur Morning)

England
Goalkeepers: Paul Robinson (Tottenham), David James (Portsmouth), Scott Carson (Aston Villa).

Defenders: Micah Richards (Man City), Wes Brown (Man Utd), Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd), John Terry (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Neville (Everton), Nicky Shorey (Reading).

Midfielders: David Bentley (Blackburn), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Michael Carrick (Man Utd), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa) Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Owen Hargreaves (Man Utd).

Forwards: Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Alan Smith (Newcastle), Michael Owen (Newcastle), Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Andrew Johnson (Everton), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Heskey (Wigan).

Russia: Viacheslav Malafeev, Alexei Berezutsky, Vasili Berezutsky, Sergei Ignashevich, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Vladimir Bystrov, Igor Semshov, Konstatin Zurianov, Andrei Arshavin, Roman Pavluchenko, Dmitri Sychev, Aleksandr Aniukov, Denis Kolodin, Dmitri Torbinsky, Yuri Zhirkov, Alexander Kerzhakov, Pavel Pogrebniak.

European Championship Qualifying : Group E Table

1 Croatia P 8 GD 14 PTS 20
2 Russia P 8 GD 13 PTS 18
3 England P 8 GD 13 PTS 17
4 Israel P 9 GD 7 PTS 17

Wednesday, 12 September 2007
Other European Championship Qualifying Matches

Albania v Holland
Andorra v Croatia
Bosnia-Herzegovina v Moldova
Bulgaria v Luxembourg
Cyprus v San Marino
Czech Republic v Rep of Ireland
Denmark v Liechtenstein
England v Russia
FYR Macedonia v Estonia
Finland v Poland
France v Scotland
Iceland v Northern Ireland
Kazakhstan v Belgium
Lithuania v Faroe Islands
Norway v Greece
Portugal v Serbia
Slovakia v Wales
Slovenia v Belarus
Spain v Latvia
Turkey v Hungary
Ukraine v Italy

Hiddink had been linked with England before McClaren took over

MOSCOW, Sept 9 (Reuters) - With England missing several leading players through injury, Russian media have urged coach Guus Hiddink to play an attacking game when the two sides meet in a Euro 2008 Group E qualifier on Wednesday.

Russia showed plenty of attacking flair in Saturday's 3-0 home win over Macedonia that put them second in the group, a point above England and two behind leaders Croatia.

"For the most part I'm very pleased with our attacking play against Macedonia," Hiddink told Reuters. "Since day one, I've been trying to make our team play attacking, aggressive football and so far, I think, we have done that. That's our style now.

"Of course, it's a totally different proposition, playing England at Wembley," the Dutchman said. "But we're not going there just to defend. If we sit back for 90 minutes, sooner or later they'll punish us," he added. "We'll have to attack but we will have to defend as well. I see it as a high tempo game with both sides looking to score."

LyonK SG

i predict a 3-2 win.

zocoss SG

Croatia's Bilic eyes two wins, hopes Russia hold England

ZAGREB - Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, whose team stayed top of Group E by beating Estonia in their Euro 2008 qualifier, believes he needs two more wins to secure a berth at next year's tournament.

Croatia, who defeated Estonia 2-0 on Saturday, play Andorra away on Wednesday and host Israel in October. They top the group with 20 points, ahead of Russia (18 ) and England (17) -- who meet each other at Wembley on Wednesday.

"We are hoping for Russia and England to draw," Bilic was quoted as saying by spornet.hr, a Croatian sports Web site. "But really, we only need to look at our own games. We are 90 percent secure. If we beat Andorra and Israel, I think we are definitely in. "Likewise, one blunder and we can drop the ball completely."

Bilic said he was very pleased with his team's commitment, and added it had to be sustained to the end of the campaign. "Playing Andorra at home is a game one must win... But playing Andorra away, on their pitch, that's something else.

"We will not be relaxed, we shall treat this game like any other," he said.
"We are now in a position where we wanted to be and we deserved it. But this position forces you to treat any further games with utmost seriousness. And that's what this team has."

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

not heskey again! Laughing

zocoss SG

England buoyed by squad fitness

England coach Steve McClaren was boosted by a full turn-out in the last training session before the Euro 2008 qualifier with Russia on Wednesday. Midfielders Owen Hargreaves and Frank Lampard have already been ruled out of the crucial tie because of injury. But the remaining 25 members of the squad took part in training at London Colney on Tuesday.

Steven Gerrard has been passed fit after making it through Saturday's win over Israel, despite his broken toe. Midfielder Gerrard played without having a painkilling injection but suffered from cramp and was substituted after 71 minutes. However, the Liverpool star told BBC Sport: "I'm fit for selection on Wednesday and the toe is feeling good."

But Manchester United midfielder Hargreaves has returned to Old Trafford and Lampard has gone back to Chelsea to receive treatment on their thigh injuries. The absence of Hargreaves and Lampard is likely to mean Gareth Barry keeps his place in the England side after an impressive display against Israel.

Gerrard was delighted with the way his new midfield partnership with Aston Villa's Barry worked at Wembley. He said: "Myself and Gareth were happy with how it went. I think the secret was that we know each other from a long time back, from Euro 2000, and we are good friends off the pitch. "The communication was there from the off on Saturday and the balance was right. It just seemed to work. "We only worked on it a couple of days before the game and we seemed to hit it off straight away. Gareth deserves credit for the way he played."

Peter Crouch is available again after his ban and competes with Emile Heskey to partner Michael Owen up front. In the absence of the injured David Beckham, Shaun Wright-Phillips is likely to continue on the right flank at Wembley after his man-of-the-match display there on Saturday. The Chelsea winger says club team-mate Joe Cole has played a part in his recent resurgent form after a difficult first season at Stamford Bridge. He said: "Joe Cole is an idol for everybody and I am a believer that you can learn from every player you work with. "To have someone who has been through it is a plus. Me and Coley are really good friends and chat about all sorts of things. "The most important thing is that we enjoy each other's company and there is a tight bond there."

dragg SG

england home again???

omgukilledkenny SG

Key battles

RIO FERDINAND v ROMAN PAVLYUCHENKO

As a Manchester United and England stalwart, Ferdinand is vastly experienced on the world stage and should not be fazed by the pressure building around this match.

He will have been stung by the Red Devils' less-than-emphatic start to the Premier League season and will be looking to assert himself on the game.

His primary task will be to calm the threat posed by Spartak Moscow front man Pavlyuchenko who has enjoyed a prolific start to the season and scored twice against Celtic in the sides' recent Champions League qualifier.

Ferdinand has the power and the pace to do so but cannot afford a lapse in concentration.

SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS v VASILI BEREZUTSKY

Wright-Phillips is a player reborn after being handed a starting jersey by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, while his England renaissance is attributable to David Beckham's ongoing injury problems.

After looking like a shadow of his Manchester City self for too long, this season the pace, spark and trickery are back in his game and a smart finish against Israel will lift his confidence even more.

His final ball is also improving and Berezutsky, who is expected to play on the left side of a back three, will face the unenviable task of keeping the 25-year-old at bay in the final third.

The Russian - who is a danger himself from set-pieces - has the physical advantage on the diminutive winger but will need to catch him to make that count.

EMILE HESKEY v SERGEI IGNASHEVICH

Although an unlikely one, Heskey's return to England colours was a great success in Saturday's 3-0 win.

He showed an awareness of others and a willingness to run the channels that will have impressed Steve McClaren and, perhaps most importantly, Michael Owen seemed restored by his old partner's comeback.

He appeared sturdier on his feet than in years gone by and if he continues to put about his considerable frame he will be a handful for Ignashevich.

The Russian centre-back's job will be to out-muscle and isolate the Wigan striker and stop the supply line to Owen.

If he does so, McClaren will be forced to look at his striking options on the bench.

felirox SG

i think eng will lose this one. 2-1 for me

omgukilledkenny SG

Go Russia! Mr. Green

The man who was death SG

i wanna see vladimir bystrov Very Happy

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

no igor akinfeev?

798 SG

no crouch england will lose! n farmer owen will injure himself again.

DjMatrix SG

i foresee a draw, or england to win by 1 goal which will most probably be a fluke

omgukilledkenny SG

FT scores

Kazakhstan Belgium 2 : 2
Finland Poland 0 : 0
Slovakia Wales 2 : 5
Andorra Croatia 0 : 6

felirox SG

wow croatia is fantastic!

DjMatrix SG

GOAL!!!!

OWEN!!!!

DjMatrix SG

2-0!!!!!!!!

wTFFFF!!!

THIS IS MADNESS!!!

owen seh Very Happy

dragg SG

3 - 0.

i cannot believe this!!!

Shocked Shocked Shocked

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

wow another win Laughing

omgukilledkenny SG

lol i was stunned when Ferdinand scored..was that his first international goal?