But there is no getting away from the fact that if England did lose it would be catastrophic after dropping five points already against Macedonia and Croatia.
This makes it a huge game in the context of the qualifying group
England must target six points from these two games against Israel and Andorra, with a couple of meetings with Russia and a return game against Croatia to come.
McClaren's side have been poor recently. I was in Australia when England played Spain - I got up early to watch that and wished I'd stayed in bed.
He has played a different system against Croatia and Spain, and with injuries to contend with it is still not clear what his best starting XI is.
England need their experienced players because this is an improving Israel side, and it is a pity Gary Neville's influence will be missing after his injury against Bolton.
I remember playing in a team that needed a Bryan Robson brace to win in Israel after going behind 20 years ago - it was tough then it will be a darn sight tougher now.
McClaren's side were favourites to go through when the draw was made, but they have hardly set the world alight and the other countries can steal a march on England if they lose. This simply underlines why defeat is not an option.
The World Cup was a desperate disappointment for a side that went to Germany with such high hopes, and I feel confidence has been hit hard by that experience. I think the fact they failed to deliver gave the players a real bashing and they haven't really impressed since.
It doesn't engender the confidence that England usually have, and Israel will see this as their best chance to beat them.
It seems we still have the problem of balancing out the midfield - Joe Cole has been missed on the left hand side, but he is coming back and hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.
There is talk of putting Aaron Lennon on the left, but I would keep him on the right, although that still leaves us with the problem of where we accommodate Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Owen Hargreaves.
I would play Lampard on the left, but not all the way out on the left.
I would have him what you might term "in one" on the left, with Gerrard and Hargreaves in the middle and Lennon out on the right, occupying their left back in a little bit of a lop-sided four-man midfield.
Lampard plays towards the left for Chelsea and I would like to see him there for club and country.
I said after the World Cup that we need to build our team around Gerrard. He is the future of the England team and he has got to play in his best position in the middle.
I'm perfectly happy with a front two of Wayne Rooney and Andy Johnson. Johnson has shown with Everton in the Premiership that he belongs in this sort of international company.
He's shown he's got the ability, the only question was whether he had the confidence in himself, and whether he felt he deserved to be there.
I think he does now, and he should form a dangerous partnership with Rooney.
Rooney can drop deep and play Johnson in. It will certainly suit Rooney a lot better than playing up front on his own.
Israel have Yossi Benayoun and Tal Ben Haim, who have Premiership experience with West Ham and Bolton respectively.
Ben Haim will still be smarting from what Rooney did to him at Old Trafford for Manchester United against Bolton, but I fully expect to see a different Ben Haim in Tel Aviv.
I think England will pose their main threat to Israel at set-pieces. I would definitely favour us to get something there with people like Terry and Ferdinand.
I fully expect us to get something out there, but we can't afford to drop any more points,
My two concerns are the confidence of the England team and the players who will be picked, but the target must be to win every game now because this is turning into a very tough group.
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England's game in Israel is not "win or bust" for Steve McClaren - it is too early for that, despite some saying his job would be on the line should they lose in Tel Aviv.
