England must raise game in Zagreb (0)
- 6 Sep 08, 10:35 PM
Barcelona
England will be glad to see the back of Andorra - an aggressive irritant that exposed their limitations and raised serious anxieties ahead of Wednesday's World Cup qualifier in Croatia.
Fabio Capello's side got the job done eventually, but it was accomplished with little of the purpose and cohesion that might lift spirits ahead of their entry into the hothouse atmosphere of Zagreb.
Capello was more animated than at any time during his reign when he met the media on Friday - and similar terms can be applied to his agitated arm-waving in the technical area of Barcelona's sparsely-populated Olympic Stadium.
And this is because Capello, although he knows Croatia will present a contrasting and arguably more rewarding challenge, will also be acutely aware that England will suffer unless they can conjure up a serious improvement in the next four days.
