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ISRAEL v ENGLAND - ENGLAND HAVE NEED FOR SPEED - McCLAREN
Steve McClaren is confident England's pace aces will leave Israel trailing in Tel Aviv tonight.
Aaron Lennon and Andrew Johnson look certain to be handed their first competitive starts at international level as England aim to boost their Euro 2008 qualifying hopes with a win at the Ramat Gan Stadium.
Lennon in particular has been a frustrating absentee for McClaren, injury restricting the Spurs man to just three substitute appearances since bursting onto the scene at the World Cup.
Johnson did not make it into Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad in Germany but the Swede's successor views the Everton man as the most natural finisher available to him just now and McClaren feels his speed can open up a generally obdurate Israeli defence.
"The pace of this squad excites me," he said. "Raw pace is something we have not really had for two or three years.
"Aaron Lennon and Andy Johnson are the kind of players who can excite and explode and worry defences.
"Aaron came to the fore during the World Cup with some cameo performances and, watching him playing for Spurs in Europe, he looks ready."
Lennon is set for a left-wing berth tonight with Owen Hargreaves' return seeing Steven Gerrard shuffle out to the right flank, where McClaren hopes the Liverpool skipper will be more effective.
Gerrard is one of a number of England stars who have consistently failed to find their club form on the international stage.
The problem has led to a run of four games without a win, ending talk of a bright new era under McClaren, who won his first three games in charge.
Having slipped to third spot in Group E, McClaren knows his team need to start convincing a demanding public of its ability.
And, on the eve of England's first competitive outing in Tel Aviv, McClaren has challenged his underperforming players to do just that.
"It isn't as if we don't know what is expected," he said.
"Everybody has pointed it out and we have talked about it a lot. But you can talk until the cows come home. Now the talking has to stop. It is time we delivered an England performance."
In fairness to McClaren, the disenchantment began at the World Cup, where England managed to reach the quarter-finals under Eriksson despite totally failing to perform anywhere close to the standard the Swede promised.
Consistent praise of talented players is now beginning to wear a bit thin and, for the supporters who have jetted out to watch the Three Lions in person, and millions more at home, McClaren knows England need to start repaying a rather large debt.
"We have 3,500 fans with us here and millions more back home who have great pride in England. They are the most important people. We owe them and we need to inspire them."
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