Match Report

England was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw against Montenegro at Wembley Stadium.

The England team were expected plant themselves on top of the qualifying group for Euro 2012.

After a vastly disappointing World Cup, the national squad wanted to start restoring faith in the international game with another win on the road to the 2012 tournament.

The reality of the situation is that England failed to record a victory.

The open few minutes were very positive. Peter Crouch had an opportunity to put the ahead early on, if only he had got a touch to a very inviting ball, things would have been very different.

The first half passed by without much incident, but a lot of idea. Sadly the ideas had poor execution and we failed to take the lead.

The first 30 minutes was a tale of two Johnson's. The incompetence of Glen Johnson's ability to pass the ball forwards was more annoying than the fact that England hadn't scored. However, the Brightest star on the field was without a doubt, Adam Johnson, who constantly bamboozled the Montenegro defense, with bursts of pace and quick turns, was still creating the best of England's best opportunities. Towards the end of the half Adam had a very good opportunity to score from a 35-yard free kick. His shot sailing just wide of the goalkeeper and the post. This was England’s best opportunity of the half.

Throughout the first half, the referee, Manuel Grafe was making a number of suspect decisions concerning fouls and bookings. The ref was constantly missing the fact that both teams on the pitch were cheating to gain an advantage. He was also failing to spot when England should of had a number of decisions given their way.

England managed to subdue any attack that the Montenegro team tried to mount.

The second half began with more attempted progress from the England team, still with no avail. With words of the manager Fabio Capello, still probably ringing in their ears, the men in white and blue started the half far more positively than the first half.

Wayne Rooney looked as if he had a point to prove in his road to redemption. Peter Crouch was trying to show everyone that he is strong enough to play up front, and Glen Johnson was still unable to pass the ball forward affectively. There were a couple of opportunities for the England team as they pushed for the opening goal. Rooney was twice denied by Montenegro's goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic determination to get a result for his country.

The match aside, the German referee continued to make a catalogue of bad calls. Booking players after bad challenges, when they should have been sent off (one of which being Wayne Ronney).

A lot has been said about the effectiveness of Mr. Capello's tactical decisions in the past, he brought on Shaun Wright-Phillips and Kevin Davies for Ashley Young and Peter Crouch. Bolton's Kevin Davies at the age of 33, finally received his first England cap. An interesting side note was that Davies is the oldest England’s debutant for 60 years.

The second substitute, Shaun Wright-Phillips. All he did in his short time on the pitch was run with the ball, try to knock it round the opponent, loose the ball and end up face down on the grass.

Towards the end of the contest England were robbed of a legitimate penalty opportunity as Jovanovic clearly used his bicep to control the ball in order to clear a dangerous cross from Ashley Cole. The frantic appeals of the England players were waved away by both the ref and his linesman, who was only 32 yards away, with an unobstructed view.

The bad luck for England almost meant that they lost the game, when the same player who handled in the box, volleyed left footed onto Joe Hart's crossbar. Young Hart was clearly beaten and if Montenegro had scored, that would of lead to a disastrous time for English Football, fortunately this was not the case.

So the game ended with England not conceding a goal but also failing to score against apparently inferior opponents. This leaves England lying in second placed in the group, behind Montenegro, with a game in hand.

In essence, the game was average, the play was poor and the refereeing was appalling.