Defiant Rooney says: We all want to put it right in Croatia

Another limp display on Wednesday was given false respectability by a last-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic. But a similar performance will be nowhere near enough when Fabio Capello's team face Croatia in a World Cup qualifier in Zagreb on September 10.

Rooney: 'We can do better'

'All the players cannot wait for the Croatia game because of what they did to us,' said Wayne Rooney in reference to the 3-2 Wembley defeat last November that cost Steve McClaren his job and England a place in this summer's finals of Euro 2008. 'They embarrassed us a bit and we can't wait to get over there and beat them.'

It was an admirable statement from one of England's most committed players, but the English public have heard it all before.

England still have no natural outlet on the left, Rooney never seems to play with the same partner twice and David Beckham's immobility on the right only twists Capello's midfield further out of shape.

Beckham suggested on Wednesday that England have not yet turned Wembley into a fortress. That is certainly the case.

'It feels like when we're going out there it's tough,' he said. 'We need to make it daunting for teams coming to Wembley.'

England's record there is certainly moderate but the team's problems are more fundamental and Capello has only one game - a qualifier against Andorra in Barcelona on Saturday September 6 - to find some answers before the Croatia trip.

This week, there was criticism from Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp of Capello's penchant for playing Steven Gerrard on the left. England's players understandably did not want to get involved.

Substitute Joe Cole said: 'We don't like to discuss tactics too much in public. The manager wouldn't want us to give too much away. But, well, Stevie and Wayne were sort of playing a bit further forward.

'There was good movement and good passing at times, but there's room for improvement. We want to get things right.'