WEMBLEY STADIUM — England’s bubble burst on the eve of the final group game against the Czech Republic, forcing Gareth Southgate to change two of the crucial three forwards behind Harry Kane.
The absence of Southgate favourite Mason Mount made space for fan favourite Jack Grealish and, with progression to the last 16 guaranteed before kicking a ball, England’s manager rested Phil Foden and surprised everyone by replacing him with 19-year-old Bukayo Saka.
Much to the disappointment of fans everywhere – but of no surprise to anyone in the England camp – Raheem Sterling kept his place.
How did the new three fare as England topped Group D with a victory?
Centre: Jack Grealish
The Union of Jack will be pleased.
It’s fascinating to see auras created around players. Grealish, 25 years old, has never played in the Europa League, let alone the Champions League, has never challenged for a Premier League title, has played a lot of his career in the Championship. Drafted into the England set-up by Southgate and suddenly to the seeming majority of England fans he is Gazza, Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona rolled into one.
There has been such clamour for Southgate to play a guy who still has to follow a special training regime to avoid aggravating a painful shin, lacks experience and is competing against a 22-year-old Champions League winner who starts for Chelsea.
The fans got what they wanted against the Czechs, although it took Mount self-isolating in a room at St George’s Park to get it.
Grealish dazzled with those YouTube highlights reel flicks and touches (you sense he enjoys controlling a sky-high ball with his toenails as much as he does scoring) and played well. The little delay to make room and cross high to set up Sterling’s header was immaculate.
Mount’s Covid breach – forced into 10 days of self-isolation after coming into close contact with Scotland’s Billy Gilmour – has gifted Grealish a real opportunity. He is likely to retain a starting place in the last-16 game with Mount unable to resume training until next Tuesday, making it his to lose.
Clearly with injury in mind, he was substituted in the 68th minute. Can his shins take it?
Right: Bukayo Saka
Southgate left Foden out of the squad with progression already secured to the last 16 before kicking a ball – due to Uefa’s absurd tension-killing insistence on four best-placed third-place sides qualifying – and knowing a second yellow card would rule the Manchester City player out of their next match.
There has been only slightly less clamour for Jadon Sancho to play as Grealish but it turned out the guy who’d been watching them train everyday had other ideas. It was inspired.
Saka has the endless energy of a toddler – it’s exhausting just watching him.
He was around the half-way line when he started the move that led to England’s opening goal. Later, he was on completely the other side of the pitch helping left-back Luke Shaw with defending. Or he was back defending on the right flank one second, the very next haring forwards on the break.
He took free kicks, he petrified Czech players with his speed and dribbling. He wouldn’t stop.
Expect Foden to come back in for Saka in the next game, but the teenager has shown he is unfazed by stepping up to the national team.
Left: Raheem Sterling
“How is Sterling” was trending on Twitter when the England starting XI was revealed an hour before kick-off. It was because thousands of people were asking variations of the same question: how is Sterling still in the team?
He answered those pre-match critics with their cracked crystal balls within 12 minutes.
He was in behind the Czech defence and onto a deliciously curled ball by Shaw in the second minute, lobbing the ball over the advancing Tomas Vaclik and watching expectantly as it bounced towards goal, only to clip the outside of the right post.
It mattered not: 10 minutes later he scored. After a fast break by his team-mates, Grealish stuck the ball up to the back post and Sterling lost his marker to head in from a few yards out. It was a good header as well, especially from someone who does not score many of them: controlled and steered inside the post.
Sterling could even be caught sprinting back to defend a Czech counter-attack after Saka lost the ball on the edge of the opponent’s penalty area from a corner. An all-field player.
Two goals in England’s three group games (their only goals), 14 goals and six assists in the last 19 for his country. He is a cheeky hat-trick away from contending for the Golden Boot.
Barring injury or major incident, Sterling is guaranteed to start in the last 16 game, as was always Southgate’s plan for the tournament.
The question should really be: how is Sterling not adored by everyone?
More from i on Euro 2020
- What the Premier League could learn from Euro 2020’s controversy-free referees
- The football nomad who became a hero for his role in saving Eriksen’s life
- How Ronaldo’s Coca-Cola stunt could change the face of football sponsorship
- In praise of Emma Hayes, the best pundit at Euro 2020 so far
- How to watch every Euro 2020 match on TV and online in the UK
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3d7ENRf
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