"Gerrard is a great player in the right circumstances and so is Lampard, but for whatever reason they're not doing it at international level"
That is exactly the point I've been trying to make for the last three pages. I think it ought to be obvious to anyone (except Boombox) that that is the case and that people should move on to the question - why?
"I don't reach my conclusions by a circuitous route. I simply watch his individual performance and judge it. Anyway, I don't believe any team is far superior to Croatia."
I disagree. Of course we'll see next summer in terms of international sides but do you seriously think they are anything like the level of the best club sides? For example, their first goal was scored by Kranjcar, he plays for Portsmouth. Do you think he would get in the Barcelona side or be first choice at Milan? I don't. Why not? Because the competition for places at Barcelona is tougher than it is for Croatia, or, more simply, because Barcelona (and Milan, Manchester Utd and a million other sides) are a different class from Croatia.
That's why the important question is, why can't a team full of players who can (and do) get in the first-team at United beat a team full of players that couldn't? Don't you think that question is worth asking?
"I don't know how many years he's coached Croatia's young contingent for, but I imagine it's a longer time than most developing England players stay with the same international manager..."
Can't be that long 'cause he was playing in the premiership not too far back. Or is time just running away with me?