Last updated: 6th October 2008
Capello: Spirit back
Victory was important, because we had lost the English spirit, our aggressiveness, the boldness, our confidence.
Capello on Croatia win
Quotes of the week
Fabio Capello believes England's spirit has returned following their emphatic 4-1 World Cup qualifying win over Croatia.
England endured a miserable summer after watching the European Championship from back home following failure to qualify for the tournament in Austria and Switzerland.
The Three Lions' attempts to qualify for Euro 2008 were hindered by two defeats to Croatia and Capello believes the painful losses are now forgotten following their win in Zagreb last month.
"I hope we have finally knocked the monkey off our back," he told Uefa's official website.
"Victory was important, because we had lost the English spirit, our aggressiveness, the boldness, our confidence.
"After failing to qualify for the European Championship we were full of fear, notably when we played at Wembley. I knew we would play better abroad and we did."
Theo Walcott was England's stand-out performer against Croatia with a blistering hat-trick and Capello felt before the kick-off the Arsenal man would have a big game.
The former Southampton player is yet to replicate that sort of form regularly at club level, but the Italian is expected to give Walcott the nod for their upcoming games against Kazakhstan and Belarus.
"When I put my faith in Walcott, I had the sensation and the belief he could give me that little bit extra, but he honestly gave much, much more than even I expected," he continued.
"I think it depends on the coach's qualities to understand when the moment to field a youngster has come.
"As it is far more difficult to play in the national team, you can only rely on a youngster if he is really good, and not just playing quite well with his club. You play one match and you are judged on it for a month and a half.
"The same goes for the coach. If you don't win a match in which you fielded a youngster they wonder why you didn't choose someone more experienced.
"It's really important for a young player to gain experience, but the world-class ones emerge rapidly."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Newcastle |
| 15:00 | Liverpool vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Arsenal |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs West Brom |
| 17:30 | Aston Villa vs Man Utd |
| Sunday 23rd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Tottenham vs Blackburn |
| 16:00 | Sunderland vs West Ham |
| Monday 24th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Wigan vs Everton |
| Saturday 29th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Newcastle |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs West Brom |
| Sunday 30th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Man City vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Everton |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs Arsenal |
| Monday 1st December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs West Ham |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 16th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Hull 2 - 2 Man City | |
| Saturday 15th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Bolton 0 - 2 Liverpool | |
| Newcastle 2 - 2 Wigan | |
| Fulham 2 - 1 Tottenham | |
| Arsenal 0 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| Man Utd 5 - 0 Stoke | |
| Blackburn 1 - 2 Sunderland | |
| West Brom 0 - 3 Chelsea | |
| West Ham 0 - 0 Portsmouth | |
| Sunday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 0 - 2 Chelsea | |
| Man City 1 - 2 Tottenham | |
| Aston Villa 1 - 2 Middlesbrough | |
| Fulham 2 - 1 Newcastle | |
| Saturday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Arsenal 2 - 1 Man Utd | |
| Wigan 0 - 0 Stoke | |
| Sunderland 1 - 2 Portsmouth | |
| Hull 0 - 1 Bolton | |
| Liverpool 3 - 0 West Brom | |
| West Ham 1 - 3 Everton | |
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