England's experimental forward line last night will have been the biggest reminder Jermain Defoe is likely to get that he could be regularly starting for his country if only he was involved more at club level. The Spurs man was an unused substitute in Amsterdam.
‘Wayne Rooney operated alone at centre forward, a role that many believed frustrated him sufficiently to lose his cool against Portugal at last summer's World Cup finals, when he was sent off.' (Bill Edgar, The Times)
‘Andy Johnson was given the chance to prove he should be the player with pace and movement as a foil for Rooney and, while he never found a way behind the defence himself, there was a better flow to England's game than with Peter Crouch.' (Shaun Custis, The Sun)
Paul Robinson was the only Spurs player involved in the 1-1 draw. He was three minutes away from keeping another clean sheet for England when Rafael Van der Vaart levelled the score.
‘Robinson took some criticism for failing to come for the long throw-in, but he would not have reached it.' (Matt Dickinson, The Times)