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22:20 GMT, Wednesday, 22 August 2007 23:20 UK

BBC pundits on England

The BBC's team of expert analysts from Match of the Day and Radio 5live give their verdicts on England's 2-1 defeat by Germany.

By Alan Hansen
Match of the Day pundit

It was a bad result but a decent performance. Over 90 minutes, England had the better of the play and the better of the chances.

The big question for the manager is whether Paul Robinson will be in goal when England play Israel on 8 September.

I think Steve McClaren has to pick David James, I really do. England were cruising against Germany until Robinson's mistake for the opening goal.

It was a catastrophic error and it was up and down for England after that. At this level, you make a mistake and you pay for it.

By Alan Shearer
Former England captain & Match of the Day pundit

Before the game, we were looking for two things: a good result and a good performance.

Clearly we didn't get the first and I don't think we got the second either. It was average.

The highlight was Micah Richards - if anything he played a lot wider than David Beckham and created more than him, too.

I was impressed by Frank Lampard. He had a point to prove and he did that and could have had more than his one goal. Michael Owen looked OK and should have got a goal, too.

But defensively we were poor - and England weren't up against a particularly good German side, in my opinion.

Robinson's place was under threat before the game and obviously he's in even more danger now.

Unfortunately for him, goalkeepers are not judged on how many saves they make but how many mistakes they make. He made two big errors - the second when he came from a cross and got nowhere near it.

By Chris Waddle
Former England international & BBC Radio 5live pundit

Overall, Germany gave us a football lesson. Apart from the first 20 minutes, England were really outplayed.

Micah Richards did OK - especially at right-back - and Shaun Wright-Phillips did well when he came on at the end. He was the only spark for me.

England just lacked ideas. They were very poor.

Steven Gerrard would have made a difference because he can influence a game. Apart from that, what else can England change? Nothing.

England were too direct and it ended up being easy for Germany.

England have to be able to pass the ball better because if you don't look after the ball at this level, you just don't win games.

But it just seems to be getting worse.




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Related to this story:

England's goalkeeper options (23 Aug 07 |  Internationals )
Robinson earns support from James (23 Aug 07 |  Internationals )
England 1-2 Germany (22 Aug 07 |  Internationals )
Robinson under threat after error (22 Aug 07 |  Internationals )
England's winners and losers (23 Aug 07 |  Internationals )
International football as it happened (22 Aug 07 |  Internationals )
Wednesday's football photos (22 Aug 07 |  Football )

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