Robinson shrivels in the spotlight as failings return

By Jason Burt at Wembley

In a sign of mental toughness – or perhaps denial – Paul Robinson was able to dismiss the goal he conceded against Croatia last year, the air-kick which helped condemn England to defeat in that vital European Championships qualifier, as a "freak". It was an attempt to distance himself from the episode, almost converting it to some kind of out-of-body, third person experience in Zagreb once Gary Neville rolled the ball back to him, striking a divot and not his boot.

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Last night there was no excuse. Robinson's error allowed Germany back into a contest which, for a brief while, England threatened to dominate. Anticipating Bernd Schneider's right-wing cross he strayed too far from his goal-line and as the ball swerved inward he was unable to push it up and over the cross-bar. Worse still he simply patted it back into play – and to the feet of Kevin Kuranyi who swept it in.

As the crushing weight of that blunder hung in the air, and the implications for a goalkeeper whose position was already under scrutiny, there was another. Robinson came for a free-kick, flapped at it, only for Kuranyi's header to nestle on the roof of the net. It appeared Robinson's confidence was shot – and then he was beaten from distance having already struggled to deal with a Kuranyi shot. This time Christian Pander's drive was sweet and powerful but almost 30 yards out and Robinson was clawing at air.

It was another haunting experience for him. Once more a long-range shot had evaded him. Pander's name was added to those of Ivan Campo, John Arne Riise, Claude Makelele and Nicky Shorey who all struck from outside the penalty area to beat Robinson in the Premier League last season.

Those goals led to questions being raised as to whether the 27-year-old has a blind spot to add to the concerns over his weight and a general air of worry over his positional sense. One of his staunchest supporters, unsurprisingly, is the England goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence who said that Robinson grew "six inches to say 'this spot in the team is mine'" after he established himself as David James' successor. Last night he appeared to shrivel far more.

It was always agreed that James, recalled to the squad after being dumped by manager Steve McClaren following last year's World Cup, where he was Robinson's deputy, would come on at half-time. It was also clear that the cheers with which the announcement was greeted left no doubt as to whom the supporters felt was culpable for the score-line.

The appearance also capped a remarkable comeback for James, now 37, and able to stake a claim after outstanding form for Portsmouth – becoming their first England international since striker Mark Hateley in the early 1980s. James' rehabilitation will provide some succour for Robinson. His last appearance for England was the romp against Jamaica before the 2006 World Cup although before that he had come on for Robinson against Denmark only to concede four goals.

That provided an easy reminder of the "Calamity James" headlines, the mistakes that have pricked at his career. Robinson has also been attracting the wrong kind of headlines and there will be a few more this morning after a 36th cap to forget. The criticism will hurt again now. Robinson said, after the Croatia match, that he was bewildered at its strength. Today he will have to face up to the fact that it was no freak that undid him, just a series of glaring mistakes.