--------------- --------------- |  | Last Updated: Saturday, 9 October, 2004, 16:19 GMT 17:19 UK  |
England/Wales player ratings
| Marks out of 10 for England and Wales after their World Cup qualifier at Old Trafford. England Paul Robinson - 6: A virtual spectator. Made one save from a Gary Speed header in the first half but had little else to do. Gary Neville - 6: Caught out a couple of times by Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs but generally kept the Wales winger quiet. Sol Campbell - 7: Once again a rock at the heart of the England defence. Made several crucial tackles and was a strong physical presence. Rio Ferdinand - 8: Masterful on his return to the England team alongside Sol Campbell. Kept John Hartson in check and made the odd foray forward. Ashley Cole - 7: Made some good attacking runs when the opportunity arose but was occupied by Craig Bellamy, who kept him pinned in his own half. David Beckham - 7: Stupidly booked and now suspended but scored a brilliant long-range goal to seal victory. Nicky Butt - 8: Tenacious in the defensive midfield role, winning a lot of tackles. Played a telling pass in build-up to first goal and used the ball intelligently. Frank Lampard - 7: Continued his fine scoring form for England. Looked comfortable playing on the left side of midfield. Wayne Rooney - 8 (STAR MAN): At the heart of England's attacking threat. Dribbled brilliantly, passed intelligently and shot well from distance. Jermain Defoe - 6: Surrendered possession too often but lively on the ball, weaving one way then the other. Kept the Wales defence on their toes. Michael Owen - 7: Saw a lot of the ball from the left side of England's attacking trio. Not at his sharpest but found space well. SubstitutesAlan Smith (Replaced Defoe, 70 minutes) - 6: Had limited opportunity to make his mark on the game although set up late chance for Owen. Owen Hargreaves (Replaced Beckham, 85 minutes) - 5: Took over from the injured skipper but had little chance to impress. Ledley King (Replaced Rooney, 87 minutes) - 5: Helped shore up the middle of the park for the final few minutes.
Wales Paul Jones - 8 (STAR MAN): Could do nothing to prevent the two goals and made a number of desperate saves to keep Wales in the game. Simon Davies - 7: As game as ever, but the switch to right-back after Andy Melville's late injury nullified his threat and disturbed Wales' shape. Mark Delaney - 6: Badly missed at right-back and failed to impose himself at the heart of the defence in Andy Meville's absence. Danny Gabbidon - 7: Wales' most composed defender making a series of key challenges, but he missed a bruising partner in the centre of defence. Ben Thatcher - 7: England skipper David Beckham got little change out of Wales' left-back, who gave another solid display for his country. Ryan Giggs - 6: Showed flashes of his genius, but a largely peripheral figure as the game was lost elsewhere on the park. Gary Speed - 6: Belied his 35 years with a tireless display, got into the right spots and tested Paul Robinson but did not get the breaks. Mark Pembridge - 4: Lacked the pace for his designated role containing Rooney and was at fault for the opening goal. Jason Koumas - 5: A talented ball player, but lacked composure at crucial moments and proved a defensive weakness. Craig Bellamy - 6: Ran hard at Ashley Cole, but did not see enough of the ball, lacked the support to threaten and scuffed a decent chance. John Hartson - 5: Isolated in the 4-5-1 line-up, the Celtic man looked largely pedestrian against the well-drilled England defence.
Substitutes Robert Earnshaw (Replaced Koumas, 73 minutes) - 5: Barely touched the ball after being given the last 20 minutes on the wide right. Carl Robinson (Replaced Pembridge, 58 minutes) - 5: Could do nothing to turn the course of the game after replacing Mark Pembridge in the midfield.
|  | 
|
|