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Saturday, 24 March 2007, 21:13 GMT

Graham Taylor on England

Graham Taylor
Former England manager and Five Live summariser



" I am at a loss to understand this performance. It lacked the passion and power we were promised.

There was a recognition that performances hadn't been right and that whatever the result that was going to be right.

We saw very little, if any, of that at all and it has been a great disappointment just watching the way England have approached this game.

It wasn't there. I am at a loss to explain it and I expect Steve McClaren is too.

At the final whistle, some of the England players walked towards their supporters because if they had not they would have been criticised. But the players quickly realised it was pointless because they were going to be met by a shower of abuse.

John Terry and Frank Lampard at the final whistle They turned and walked away with their heads down and you would have thought they had lost 3-0 or 4-0 the way they walked off.

The reaction from the England fans was what you would expect. It was very disappointing and I am very surprised at the way England have approached the game.

Generally speaking there has been a lack of oomph, of get-up-and-go. There has been a lack of sharpness of passing and the desire to get hold of the game by the scruff of the neck. It has just not been there.

They didn't have the pace, they didn't have the power and they didn't get hold of the game from the very first minute.

Things were obviously said at half-time and they were able to dominate more of the second half against a tiring Israeli side, but they never really opened up the Israel team and they never created sufficient chances.

The only one I would excuse is Steven Gerrard because I think he tried to make the best of the role he was given and was involved with England's best passing moments. Anything worthwhile from England, Gerrard was involved in most of it.

But the performance generally has been very poor. It's a nil-nil draw but a very, very disappointing performance. "


Graham Taylor was speaking on BBC Radio Five Live.




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Related to this story:

Israel 0-0 England (24 Mar 07 |  Internationals )
Poor England frustrate McClaren (24 Mar 07 |  Internationals )
Comment: A poor man's Eriksson? (24 Mar 07 |  Football )
International photos (24 Mar 07 |  Football )
Pick your England XI (05 Feb 07 |  Internationals )

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