Quick Report...England 2 Japan 1

Many thanks to Japan's Tulio who gave the game to England with two own goals.

Frank Lampard missed a penalty after stuttering before his kick. Capello though insisted afterwards that Lampard will still be Penalty Man in the World Cup...

Rooney was for me Man of The Match, his energetic runs and passionate floorings left the others looking like Sunday players in Witham.
We did see a blaze of his infamous temper though and that is something even Maestro Capello can't curb. I liked it, I want to see Wayne red faced and like a boy with tuppence in his pocket and hunger in his heart. No amount of millions can get rid of the dirt from under his finger nails. He reminds me of Gazza. Wildly talented with ammo in his brain and boots.

We struggled in the first half, allowing Japan to score after only six minutes. I dropped a carrot. I expect the boys were out of sorts and a little on edge knowing that the boss was making notes about who and who not would be on the plane.
Their anxiety showed. It was a game played by fidgety men.

Halfway through the tension on the pitch made its way to the bosses bench when Capello and Japan's manager gesticulated in an unfriendly fashion. Arm waving is the one sure fire way for managers to express their feelings. I was more than happy to see Fabio turn blue because he is a spirited animated man. A man with beautifully cut suits who doesn't mind them getting splattered with raindrops. He doesn't use an umbrella.

If England are to do well in the World Cup Capello will need, in the next ten days, to talk to his squad using every English word in his warm vocabulary.

We need to come out against the USA knowing we can win, knowing we can serve up delicious platters of succulent football, if we don't the Press and I will have their hearts for starters.

Goodnight.