WEMBLEY STADIUM — This is why the old guard matter. This is why when it comes to the crunch, Gareth Southgate always turns to the same core of players to start England’s most important qualifiers and throughout major tournaments.
This is why Southgate is content to let criticism of his seven-defender formations wash over him while England patiently progress to the latter tournament stages. Why he takes the “boring” jibes on the chin as his England reach semi-finals and finals for the first time in decades.
It’s why when it came to the European Championship final against Italy last summer, Southgate started seven of the 11 who had started the World Cup semi-final against Croatia, three years previously: Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling. Southgate knows he cannot rely on them all for ever, but when he diverts too far from what works, England look so much weaker.
We saw it on the one occasion Southgate seemed to bow to the relentless tide of pressure from supporters to play more attacking football that pursued him throughout the European Championship. Last October when they hosted Hungary at Wembley he stuck Sterling, Kane, Jack Grealish, Mason Mount and Phil Foden on the pitch at the same time and England fell behind in the 24th minute, looked disjointed and struggled to a draw via a Stones equaliser. It was their worst result of the qualifying campaign for the Qatar World Cup.
More from Football
Switzerland are no easy opponents. They weren’t meant to be. They are 14th in the Fifa rankings. Above Croatia and Uruguay, only three places below Germany. Eight games out from a World Cup, Southgate wants opponents who will test and challenge, pose problems his players must solve.
There was no Maguire, on the bench, a mainstay of two big major tournament runs whose name was, remarkably, greeted with a smattering of boos when it was read out prior to the match. No Stones, injured in the warm-up. No Sterling, unable to train fully during the week due to an engagement with the Royals in Jamaica. No Trippier, injured. No Declan Rice, on the bench, or Kalvin Phillips, injured, the trusty, unexpected central duo of Euro 2020.
And it showed. Forget the final result, forget England creeping to victory after both sides had made double-digit changes turning it into a free-for-all and the Mexican waves rippled repeatedly around Wembley. Forget Luke Shaw’s thumping equalising goal in first-half stoppage time.
Shaw’s strike papered over the cracks of a first half Switzerland had dominated: nine shots to England’s two, four on target to England’s one, England’s woodwork rattled twice to Switzerland’s one. Where would England have been without three crucial Pickford saves in that period?
They were unable to control possession, uncertain in defence. Inexperienced Ben White, in for Stones, was out-jumped for Switzerland’s opening goal, Breel Embolo able to find and exploit the gap between the Arsenal defender and debutant Kyle Walker-Peters before producing an impressive header.
Related Stories
Ben White is proving Jamie Carragher wrong, nobody is questioning Arsenal defender's form now25 March, 2022
Harry Kane says it is 'really important' England fans can fly LGBT+ flags at Qatar World Cup23 March, 2022
When Soccer Aid 2022 is taking place, the teams and how to watch the charity match on TV22 March, 2022You could argue that nobody could’ve predicted what a delivery Xherdan Shaqiri would provide in that moment — dug out, in-swinging, from an unlikely angle. But that’s what’s required of the best defenders, to travel far in major tournaments, against the world’s best. And that’s the barometer Southgate has set, the heavy weight of success he wears around his neck.
Of course, Southgate also wants to experiment in these friendlies. Because major tournaments are tough and unpredictable, and there are plenty of places up for grabs outside of and around the core.
It was a time to try something different, the game renamed the Alzheimer’s Society International and the England players wearing shirts without names on the back for the second half to raise awareness of those living with dementia who can find forgetting names a daily problem.
Conor Gallagher, the 22-year-old making strides on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea, did his chances no harm with a strong performance starting on the right of central midfield. He brought energy and pressing high, although England failed to control the midfield and the game with Gallagher alongside Jordan Henderson and Mason Mount. It’s why Rice is fast becoming one of England’s most undroppable players.
But individually Gallagher, playing his first proper season in the Premier League, did well. He set up Shaw’s goal, slipping the ball across that missed Mount but ran for Shaw. His scooped pass to Kane that almost produced a goal was inventive. And he did not look out of place nor lack confidence, driving at Switzerland’s defenders, on one occasion opting against a cross to Mount or Foden to cut inside and curl for the far corner with his left, the ball headed over.
Southgate will have learnt much from what he saw. The impression left by Gallagher, the fleeting moments of the substitutes. But what will stay with him is that England are still at their best when he turns to the tried and tested.
from Football | News and analysis from the Premier League and beyond | iNews https://ift.tt/gdSas73
Post a Comment