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Euro 2008 Qualifiers preview from PinnacleSports.comby Ben, last updated 2007-06-04 21:01:31
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Will Becks Come to McLaren's Rescue?
One of the first decisions Steve McLaren took when installed as England manager was a bold one. Having earned 94 caps, he dropped the Three Lions captain, David Beckham, by phone, following a poor showing at the World Cup. The media saw this as a bold statement of intent, and the country looked forward to a fresh new era for the national side, with a smooth Euro 2008 qualification campaign anticipated.
Things haven't quite gone to plan for McLaren. England are currently fourth in Group E after a bitterly disappointing sequence of results including goalless draws at home to Macedonia and away to Israel, and defeat to Croatia in Zagreb. The new England manager's stock has plummeted and he recently performed a humiliating U-turn over Beckham, welcoming him back into the England fold, hoping Becks might save his skin in Tallinn on Wednesday night.
Worst still for McLaren, he is without Wayne Rooney through suspension, and cannot call on striker, Andy Johnson or winger Aaron Lennon, part of a growing number of other key absentees. Owen Hargreaves - one of the only players to come away from the 2006 World Cup with any credit - misses out with a knee injury. Hargreaves' new team-mates, Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand are also crocked, part of a defensive crisis which accounts for Ashley Cole, Micah Richards and Jonathan Woodgate.
www.pinnaclesports.com price England 2.06 (-2) with Estonia 1.87 (+2) suggesting the Three Lions should prevail against a side devoid of recognisable talent, yet to score in this campaign. The visitors will however face a difficult playing surface, and a side with nothing to lose who only lost to group leaders Croatia by a single goal on Saturday.
Croatia Defending Lengthy Unbeaten Run in Zagreb
The stakes will be high when the two remaining unbeaten sides in Euro 2008 Group E meet in Zagreb on Wednesday night. Victory for either Croatia or Russia would take them within touching distance of next year's finals in Austria and Switzerland. Though the sides are well matched, www.pinnaclesports.com make the Croats slight favourites 2.09 (-0.5) against Russia 1.84 (+0.5) on the strength of a 31 game unbeaten run at the Maksimir Stadium.
It was at the same venue that early group favourites England were comprehensively beaten 2-0 by Slaven Bilic's improving side. Both teams recorded victories on Saturday, with Russia enjoying a comfortable 4-0 win over Andorra, three goals coming from Sevilla striker, Aleksandr Kerzhakov who will carry the greatest Russian threat. Croatia laboured to a 1-0 win away to Estonia, where Brazilian born, Eduardo, scored his six goal in qualification, keeping his adopted country on top of the group.
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