England limps its way into Israel for key Euro qualifier

	"And if that doesn't motivate them," said England manager Steve McClaren, "No one can resist my debonair James Bond face." Stu Forster/Getty Images
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At least there's one man in England brimming with optimism. After disappointing showings in Euro 2008 qualification games against Croatia and tiny Macedonia, the English national team is facing crucial games with Israel and Andorra.

Currently in third place in qualifying Group E, England risks not even qualifying for next summer's Swiss-Austrian alpine yodel-fest. Yet head coach Steve McClaren has been brimming with positivity leading up to the must-win games. Unfortunately, we don't share your optimism, Steve.

In Israel on Saturday, England plays a road match against a team that has lost only one of its last 14 competitive games -- and is tied with the Three Lions in the group with seven points -- in an intimidating Ramat Gan Stadium atmosphere which could be even worse with the possibility of having no England fans in it (thanks to a strike at Tel Aviv airport).

At present, England is far from being on form, having not won a game in six months, and goes into its next two with injury worries throughout the side.

The main concern is on defense, with both first-choice fullbacks -- Gary Neville and Ashley Cole -- out through injury and suspension, and first-choice reserves Wayne Bridge and youngster Micah Richards also out with injuries. In their places are center back Jamie Carragher, who this week spoke of his worry at playing out of position, and perennial England afterthought Phil Neville.

In attack, injuries to Michael Owen and Peter Crouch, as well as an out-of-form Jermaine Defoe, mean that Wayne Rooney will play alongside Andy Johnson. Granted, Johnson is an improving English Premier League player, but he's unproven on the international stage (five games, no goals). In reserve, McClaren has replaced the injured Darren Bent with Preston North End's David Nugent, the first non-EPL player to make an England squad in eight years.

In the lead-up to England's disastrous performance in its 2-0 defeat at Croatia last October, McClaren spoke of "passion," "pride" and "attitude," three things that were blown away judging by the evidence in Zagreb. This week, McClaren seems to have taken a different approach, using words such as "ability" and "potential."

During the same press conference, he surprised all present with the nugget, "I am definitely a better England coach than when I took the job." Team Limey will wait to see what happens over the next week before we respond to that one.

A further worry has been England's preparations ahead of the qualifiers. A full slate of EPL games and FA Cup quarterfinal replays early last week meant the squad could only gather on Tuesday, allowing only one full training session before the Israel game.

But there is a silver lining to this graying cloud that McClaren thought would rally the troops: That training session was at the newly completed (and at last officially English FA-owned) $1.5 billion, 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium! This was the first time the national team had been at its home stadium in six years. Chapter 5 of McClaren's International Management for Beginners textbook exudes the significant morale and team-building benefits of kicking a ball around an empty stadium.