As for team-news, McClaren has gambled big time. Robbo is dropped from goal in place of Scott Carson. It's a brave decision on such a big night. Formation wise, Macca has gone for a defensive looking team. Crouchy will lead the line as the sole striker, with SWP and Cole providing support from the flanks. For the Croats, already qualified, they field four player from the Premier League. The heaven's have opened, the crowd are up for it - can England deliver?
1 min: Fairly quiet start on the pitch, but the stands are rocking, English fans expects it would seem. One bizarre sight already, is Macca hiding from the elements on the touch-line under an umbrella!
3 mins: Still early doors but Crouchy has won every thing in the air so far. With SWP and Cole in advanced positions already, this bodes well....5 mins: They may have already qualified, but fair play to the boys from Zagreb, they've come here to play. Just hope they don't play too well. Cole gives the keeper some early practice. but it's dealt with easily. Still any shot on target on such a night could prove worthwhile.
7 mins: GOAL CROATIA! England 0 - Croatia 1. The commentator's curse strikes in dramatic fashion. What was I saying about shots on goal being worthwhile? Niko Kranjcaer has a go from 30 yards and the ball bounces in front of Carson and goes straight through him. The crowd are stunned and McClaren (still under umbrella in case you're wondering) ponders his decision to start with Carson.
10 mins: Big chance England. Crouch plays SWP in on the edge of the box, but Pletikosa in the Croat goal blocks well. Good chance that, and without being too harsh on SWP he should have scored. Still good response from the crowd and England.
12 mins: Crouchy gets the ball stuck under his feet with the goal gaping. Great work from Richards down the right to set up the chance. Still another chance goes begging. Will they be made to pay?
13 mins: Yes
they will! GOAL CROATIA. England 0 - Croatia 2. Disastrous start from England. Croatia breaks, Eduardo slips Olic through, Bridge plays him onside, Olic rounds Carson with ease and rolls into the back of the unguarded net. Too easy. England two down and Carson's two touches so far have both been to pick the ball out the back of the net. Still let's look on the bright-side of a miserable evening so far, there are still 77 minutes left.18 mins: England are in a state of shock at the moment. Croatia buoyed by those two early goals are playing so terrific football despite the conditions.
20 mins: Gerrard drives through the centre of midfield before being unceremoniously dumped to the deck. If ever England need the inspirational Liverpool skipper it's now? He's never really done it in a England shirt, but what better place to start than right here, right now. Can anyone slip a red Liverpool under his England shirt? Free kick is wasted.
24 mins: They may be two goals up, but they want more it would seem. The movement of Eduardo and Olic is keeping Lescott and big Sol on their toes. Slightly alarming that all the neat play is coming from the boys in blue.
27 mins: Macca has got to do something here. Crouchy wins the ball in the air for the umpteenth time, and flicks the ball harmlessly through to the Croatia keeper. There's no support for the big fella. We're two nil down, and still playing a lone striker. Come on Macca, earn your money.
31 mins: Booking for Niko Kovac. He cynically checks SWP's run, and gives England a decent position from which to wipe the ball in. Barry swings the ball in but it's too near to Pletikosa who punches clear. Could he prove to be another Tomaszewski?
34 mins: England need to take care here. They very almost get caught on the break with the fleet-footed Modric leading the charge. Only the final ball letting him down.
Latest news from the Andorra-Russia game. After 35 minutes it's 0-0. At this rate, and if the game stays the same (unlikely I know) but England would still qualify. Keep the faith reader's.
37 mins: England have the lions share of the possession, but so far apart from the clear opening to SWP, it's been all huff-and-puff but with no end result.
I should just shout up! No sooner have I written the latest score from Andorra-Russia, then Russia open the score. As it stands, we won't qualify, and McClaren will no doubt be out a job before you can spell Pletikosa!
41 mins: Carson holds, or does he drop, his heart in his mouth. Modric has a shot which Carson chooses to beat out, narrowly missing the on-rushing Eduardo. That could have been catastrophic.
45 mins: Final chance for England with a Gerrard free kick wide on the right. The delivery is shocking, as he fails to clear the first man, and it looks like England will enter the break staring at a two goal deficit.
HALF TIME England 0 - Croatia 2. The unthinkable is happening, and England as it stands at the moment are crashing out in spectacular fashion. It was never going to be an easy game against the technically superior Croats, and it's getting harder and harder as the minutes tick by. McClaren is going to have to make some changes, and bring some support on for Crouchy. Defoe, Bent, anyone your country needs you!
Big news from the changing rooms, McClaren has been reading my commentary and made the necessary changes. SWP is off for golden-balls Beckham, and Defoe replaces Barry. Bit harsh that for SWP, he was one of England's better players in the first 45 minutes. Still cometh the hour, cometh the man. Beckham has saved England before, can he do it again?
46 mins: The changes seemed to have worked a treat, as England fly out the blocks at the start of this half. Beckham is already involved, and only solid defence from Kovac prevents Defoe getting a early sniff. Talking of sniff and whiffs, is it me, or is there something in the air? Smells like a Beckham-inspired comeback.... Or is that my heart ruling my head?
48 mins: The England band strike up the theme music from 'The Great Escape'. Couldn't have thought of a more appropriate song myself.
50 mins: A trademark Beckham freekick clips the Croatian wall, and flies over for a corner. Becks scampers across to whip the corner in like his life depends on it. It comes to nothing, but at least there's a sense of urgency in England's play now.
54 mins: PENALTY ENGLAND. Simunic - he of Graham Poll three card trick in the World Cup- needlessly tugs back Defoe and the referee points to the spot. The decision was gievn by the Assistant Referee on the far side. Could decision lino! Looks like Frankie Lampard is the man to take the penalty.
55 mins: GOAL ENGLAND. England 1 - Croatia 2. Lampard sends the keeper the wrong way, and it's game on. How cool was that? Answer - very!
57 mins: England pushing now, and a Beckham freekick comes to nothing. The crowd sense blood, and it's all England.
58 mins: It's all happening here, and smoke is plumming from my keyboard as I struggle to get all this down. First a Croatian cross is deflected onto the England cross bar by Bridge, and from the resulting corner Carson pulls of a blinder of a save to keep out a Olic header. Breathless stuff. If the next half an hour are anything like the past few minutes, am thinking that there could be an alarming number of cardio related emergencies around the country.
61 mins: Eduardo rolls in Olic again. How many times have a written that? This time he tries to bend one in, but harmlessly rolls the ball to Carson. Still good save from young Scott, he was off his line quickly to deny Olic.
64 mins: GOAL ENGLAND. England 2 - Croatia 2. Crouchy, and we're back! Sorry, I mean, England are back. Oh sod that, this is important, so apologises to any Croat readers, but tonight all impartially has gone out the window. For the record, cracking goal. Beckham drills the cross out, to the big fella. One touch on his chest, and he volleys the ball past Pletikosa.
As it stands, we're going to the big show - Austria, Switzerland here we come. Just don't book them tickets just yet, have a sneaky suspicion that the Croats aren't just going to roll and die here. They still look dangerous on the break.
69 mins: A breather, enjoy it while it lasts. My heart is pumping out my chest at the moment, and if there any typo's, I'm going to plead nerves rather than incompetence on the keyboard. Back to the action, and a Gerrard shot is deflected by a flying Croat body. A flying Croat body! I kid you not. Great defence it must be said. Come on Croatia, you've already qualified - let someone else have some glory.
74 mins: 16 minutes left and counting. As Sir Alex Ferguson would say 'it's squeeky bum times here.'
76 mins: GOAL CROATIA. England 2 - Croatia 3. Disaster strikes! Substitute Petric picks the ball up on the edge of the box, and out of nowhere strikes a left footed shot past the unsighted Carson. What just happened there? There didn't look like any danger when he picked the ball out. We've got it all to do again.
79 mins: Macca with the last roll of the dice. Darren Bent replacing Joe Cole. Its Bent, Crouch, and Defoe up front now. Looks like England are going to throw the proverbial kitchen sink at Croatia.
84 mins: This is getting desperate for us now. Six minutes left and we need a goal. Still as Brian Clough said it only takes a second to score a goal. Well we've got 360 of those little buggers left (second that is) so there's still time.
85 mins: That was the chance England wanted. Lamps plays the ball over the top to Bent. He shows great strength to out muscle the defender but harmlessly hooks the ball over the bar. That was his first touch on my reckoning. Could have been an inspired substitution by McClaren. That could prove costly, and that could be the greatest understatement of my evening so far!
88 mins: Croatia are still looking to get the ball down and committing players forward - five blue shirts flooding the box on that chance.
90 mins: The fourth referee's board show an additional three minutes. It is most definitely now-or-never. A Beckham corner comes to nothing and time is slipping away.
91 mins: England pump the ball long and are looking for the crumbles. Lescott and Richards add their bodies forward to make a congested forward line up. So far, the Croats are dealing with everything thrown at them.
93 mins: FULL TIME. England 2 - Croatia 3. They think it's all over.... it is now! Am sorry to have to say this, but England are out. The referee blows his whistle and it's all over red-rover. A dismal end to a dismal night, and probably/possibly/definately (delete where necessary) the end of Steve McClaren. The blunt truth of the matter is that England weren't good enough. Sad but true.
Picture credits:
McClaten with brolley courtesy of Daily Mail
Kranjcaer goal courtesy of Getty Images
Olic goal courtesy of bbc.co.uk/footbal
Crouch celebration courtesy of bbc.co.uk/sport
Defalted England players courtesy of bbc.co.uk/football
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