Goalkeeper Paul Robinson’s place in the England squad was being questioned by the British press on Thursday after he gifted Germany an equaliser in a friendly at Wembley, which the visitors won 2-1.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard put England ahead in the ninth minute but a bad mistake by Robinson gifted Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi an equaliser in the 26th minute.
Schalke left-back Christian Pander, making his Germany debut, scored the winner in the 40th minute, blasting past Robinson from distance after a skilful build-up.
Though England were not outplayed, the result means they have now won just two of their last nine games — against minnows Estonia and Andorra — and does not bode well for their faltering qualifying campaign for the 2008 European Championships.
”It was cruel that it had to come against the arch-footballing enemy, but all of England’s old weaknesses and frailties were exposed last night [Wednesday],” the Daily Mirror tabloid lamented in its match report.
”Great going forward but suspect at the back, a goalkeeping nightmare for Paul Robinson and strikers who have lost the instinctive knack of scoring goals.”
The Daily Star illustrated the match as one of contrasts for England, writing in its match report: ”Frank Lampard found international redemption but for keeper Paul Robinson it was a night of Wembley woe.”
”Lampard’s ninth-minute goal and a decent all-around show from the Chelsea midfielder silenced the boo-boys who had targeted him at the new national stadium.
”If they wanted a new villain, they soon found one in Spurs keeper Robinson.”
Following Lampard’s goal, Germany went in search of an equaliser and were gifted it by Robinson, who notoriously miskicked to let in Gary Neville’s back pass in the 2-0 defeat in Croatia in October.
Instead of tipping captain Bernd Schneider’s cross over the bar, he weakly palmed it straight to a stunned Kuranyi to tap in his 19th international goal.
”It appears to be a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ he [Robinson] will be axed,” the Daily Mail’s match report read.
”Robinson was guilty of yet another costly blunder and when coach McClaren’s future depends on the outcome of what remains of England’s European Championship qualify campaign, it is hard to see him retaining his place for next month’s crucial encounters with Israel and Russia.”
The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, wrote that defeat to Germany ”left England fans in mutinous mood, bemused by the manager’s decisions and embarrassed by the visitors’ superior technique and tactics”.
”So much for Fortress Wembley.”
”Given a wonderful start by Frank Lampard, England then fell apart … It would be a major surprise if David James, Robinson’s half-time replacement, does not start when Israel visit for a Euro 2008 qualifier on September 8.”
The Guardian highlighted some of the positives of the match, noting that ”England, then, had the all too familiar experience of knowing that they had put on a good display that could have put them in command against visitors whose line-up … was more experimental.”
England’s evening was summed up by the Daily Express’s match report, which said: ”England have suddenly been hit by a goalkeeping crisis …
Now, with England racing two vital Euro 2008 qualifiers next month, they no longer have an automatic choice in goal.” — Sapa-AFP