Embarrassing is not the word for England's defeat to Croatia.

Humiliating is nearer. But perhaps shambolic sums it up best of all.

And not just because goalkeeper Paul Robinson made a complete hash of a back pass from Gary Neville to gift Croatia their second goal with a right-foot slash which was not unlike the air shot of a hacker on the first tee on a Saturday morning.

England fans squirmed at that catastrophe. But that was a fluke, the ball taking a dreadful bobble over Robinson's foot as he attempted to clear.

It was manager Steve McClaren, however, who deserved to be squirming as he sat in the England dug-out and watched his 3-5-2 gamble backfire in front of his eyes.

European Championship qualifiers are no place to experiment. That was something even Sven-Goran Eriksson understood.

Welcome to the real world, Steve. The world where the England manager is responsible for results and in which he has to be able to justify his selections.

The fact is this defeat had nothing to do with work ethic. Everything to do with McClaren's meddling.

McClaren had insisted the 3-5-2 formation would allow his team to move the ball with more fluidity from back to front.

The need for that was understandable after his team had squandered possession so readily at Old Trafford on Saturday.

But football systems only work if they create balance and confidence. And that could not be said for England's performance.

Instead, McClaren's 3-5-2 created uncertainty and, at times, downright panic at the back.

Defensively the new system was a hotch-potch. And ultimately that is down to the manager.

Croatia are a fine side, a step up in class from Macedonia.

But when their opening goal came it was again down to confusion in England's defence, the cross coming over and Eduardo da Silva getting between Ashley Cole and Terry to loop the header over Robinson.

Croatia could have scored four or five as the England belief evaporated. England were well beaten. Dumped by a side to whom they should have paid more respect than arrive in experimental mode.

McClaren must take a huge share of the blame and now has five months to fret before the next competitive fixture. Come to think, embarrassing does sum it up after all.