THIS is ENGLAND !

England's scratch it and see attempts to find a decent goalkeeper hit a new low here tonight in Rustenberg at the Royal Bafokeng stadium, when West Ham's Robert Green fails woefully to stop Clint Dempsey's twenty-five yard slapstick shot. Preferred by Fabio Capello over veteran David James, whom himself was not averse to adorning a red nose whilst on England duty, Green becomes the latest of English keepers to embarrass themselves.
But this is the world cup and for Robert Green there is now no place to hide. As the game restarts the lack of comfort shown by fellow team-mates illustrates the immensity of his error. Steven Gerrard's finely worked fourth minute opener has been wiped out and an American team blessed with only a modicum of skill but overdosing on pace, power and courage will continue to give the English a battle royal.
A frightful season with West Ham in which he was at times mere target practice could hardly have prepared Robert Green for the intensity of world cup competition. Regarded by most as decent if not top class Green is simply a victim of England's miserable dearth of goalkeeping talent.
Despite as an individual, bright, witty and likeable such laudable traits will count for nothing if England do not recover from what will be viewed as an unforgivable error. Knives will be sharpened, calls made and any drop of dirt either true or most likely false will be dished on a man whose only crime is that he is not good enough.
Sadly, '˜this is England'˜.

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