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England stars back but the joy was tempered by the front of temperament

The last time was the warm-up. This time it was the countdown that Fabio Capello was printed by Mount Vesuvius in the sidelines. First, the countdown for the rest, which saw England provides a comfortable position and a two-goal lead in Montenegro back into the game, then the countdown, which was reduced to 10 men and defending desperately. England tends to wait until the end before starting to throw aside his way to score and play as if they can not wait to get home, this time by themselves disabled nine months before the imminent suspension of Wayne Rooney

"He made a stupid mistake, but I think it will be a very good lesson for him," said Capello. "It will be great for the tournament. We have strikers like Jermain Defoe and Daniel Sturridge, who can fill in if necessary, but Rooney still absolute trust to be important for us in Poland and Ukraine. When you are on top of his game he is the kind of player who can make a difference, it's the best player on the team, but it can be difficult to understand. We can not predict what they will do in a game, it can do something fantastic and you can make a stupid mistake. "

most of what is true, but it is arguable that Rooney is capable of learning from their mistakes. He has done enough in the past without changing your habits, in just the space of this round of qualification is the second time and has been suspended by the attack, even Capello now appears to be shrugging and accepting what you have to take things with sweetness. The referee Wolfgang Stark said: "It was a red card and did not hesitate Everybody saw what happened and I knew by her reaction Rooney has accepted my decision without opposition and went directly off the field, I will present my report ... About the expulsion, but then I have no input into the process. "

When Rooney picked up a ban for the last time in Cardiff, was given the day against Switzerland at Wembley, to take the window transplant summer, next summer could be torn country's clothing, if UEFA will give you two games England and start to stutter at the end. This may be too pessimistic, even if there was something sadly familiar with England who are concerned about the future, even in his moment of ratings success. More depressing still, not even the fault of Rooney.

"It's important to stay focused throughout the match," said Capello, not for the first time. "During the break I told the players he played really well for 35 minutes, but the last 10 minutes did not play like professionals. They played very relaxed. " This is a good word to describe a team that won three corners in the first five minutes, two goals in half an hour still cling to 10 men for the final. It was probably a good thing Montenegro play the percentages and fixing his eyes on the playoffs, and certainly a good thing that the game lasted 10 minutes.

Capello said he wanted the leaders in the field, but some of its most experienced players were below par, with Ashley Cole is one of their games so impressive in England shirt , not Gary and Terry Cahill enough to form a solid defensive unit in the back and even the normally reliable Scott Parker and Gareth Barry looking for the best of the ordinary. Ashley Young is the only bright light until it is withdrawn, and whether the introduction of Frank Lampard and Stewart Downing was intended to tighten things up, it was not.

Capello has praised Phil and Terry Jones, making a difficult start out of position on the right side in the most demanding of circumstances, but you could say they made one of few bright spots in the game offers other than the result. Jones has the quality and confidence to be regularly in England in the coming years, but was caught positionally a few times as expected, you may be lucky not to have received a penalty and it was just a member of a general compelling new line instead of a huge influence. The only thing Jones has going for him is his age, because if England can not rely on Cole, even putting in his regular shift, immaculate, adding a question mark the list of top players - Terry Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, etc. - for whom the end of next year might be a tournament too far. Jack Wilshere can not prove his fitness very soon, especially as Steven Gerrard has yet to prove he is fully recovered from his injury and ready to claim a place.
speculation that an operation complete Gerrard could be a better bet to play Rooney in the hole at the time preferred 4-2-3-1 formation has been one of the few causes for optimism in Podgorica and even that was led by Rooney's temperament. Capello did his best for his optimism, but not too much should be read in its support for an undisciplined player. It just does not have many options, and now sounds like a manager who, in the words of Sir Alex Ferguson last few years, you can see the finish line. He does not think part of the band, just cross the line. Just described to a national team that led over the last three years as a professional and a manager of its high level can not be much worse than that.