VS
Date/Time: May 30, 2010, 8:15am
Competition: Friendly
Consecutive home losses to Serbia and South Korea cannot have enhanced the self-belief of the Japanese squad as the World Cup looms, and under-fire coach Takeshi Okada may well be wondering how it is he still has a job. Certainly others are. Japan’s 0-3 loss to Serbia in Osaka last month set tongues wagging about Okada’s status as coach and the 0-2 loss to South Korea in Saitama earlier this week apparently set Okada’s own tongue wagging as he volunteered to his boss, Japan FA President Motoaki Inukai that perhaps he ought to step down.
But Inukai has kept faith with the national team’s manager and so Okada will attend his second World Cup as Japan boss, while his much-derided dream of a top four finish for the Japanese still lives.
Still, the speed and creativity of the Mexican attack proved troublesome for England on several occasions, and were it not for goalkeeper Robert Green, who made two fine goal-stopping saves, as well as a bit of luck when Crouch bundled the ball into the Mexican goal off his arm, the result England striker Peter Crouch scored off his arm against Mexicoagainst Mexico might have been very different indeed.On the other hand, in the attack Theo Walcott on the right proved effective time and again, Crouch was always troublesome for the Mexican defenders and Rooney was a menacing presence as usual.
In the midfield, however, the England men gave the ball away too often and failed to deal with the energetic Mexicans.
Similar trouble against Japan would be a surprise. In particular since Fabio Capello brings a sense of adaptability to a squad that is choc-full of talent. And yet, as the match against Mexico showed, problems remain to be solved.
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