England 0-4 Hungary (Sallai ’16, ’70, Nagy ’80, Gazdag ’89)
With 10 minutes to go, as “you don’t know what you’re doing” rang around Molineux, it was hard to know whether that was the most damning indictment of England’s Nations League campaign – or the fact those singing it were the ones who had bothered to stay after Hungary’s third goal.
The worst was still to come, but the main takeaways were already there: a worst home defeat since 1928, winless in four games, bottom of the group; no goals from open play over the entire international break; defeats home and away to Hungary – and just two competitive games to go until the World Cup.
With John Stones’s harsh sending-off, the capitulation was complete, but this has been coming – well, not quite this – from that first humbling defeat in Budapest, to a late draw salvaged against Germany and an uninspiring stalemate with Italy.
It was hoped that at least with the return of fans – the Italy match was played behind closed doors as punishment for the crowd trouble at the Euro 2020 final – the Three Lions’ final fixture of this international break might be marginally less excruciating. Not so. Though nobody could possibly have predicted quite how miserable it would turn out to be, least of all Hungary.
Here’s what we’ve learned, looking ahead to Qatar.
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Criticism of Southgate is nothing new. Mutiny within the stands has been largely unheard of in his reign, however, and while he accepted the fans’ frustrations, it is hard to see how he survives beyond Qatar, barring total triumph. That, essentially, is nothing new; he had already spoken last week of not wanting to outstay his welcome.
Where does this midfield go next?
The main frustration levelled at the manager has always been an inclination to favour pragmatism over imagination; some say it cost England their first major trophy since 1966 last summer. Yet here was an attempt at injecting lifeblood into a midfield three of Conor Gallagher, Jude Bellingham and Kalvin Phillips. Bellingham did drive forward from the midfield and linked up well with Harry Kane in the first half, but there is still a fundamental disconnect. Sat in with Phillips and Declan Rice, there is at least control, but there are no easy solutions.
Kane will lead – but needs more back-up
With Kane on the verge of replacing Wayne Rooney at the top of England’s list of all-time goalscorers, he will have to wait until later this year to make history. There is no doubt he will, but serious concerns are creeping in about where else the goals will come from.
England have now gone more than six hours without scoring from open play, drawing a blank in three out of four games over this international break. Southgate has given Tammy Abraham and Jarrod Bowen the chance to impress, but the burden of responsibility still falls heavily on Kane and Raheem Sterling.
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England’s right-back conundrum
Kyle Walker has been given more game time than any of Southgate’s other options at right-back this month, but that does not necessarily mean he will start over Reece James in Qatar. Southgate said of the Manchester City defender: “Kyle Walker isn’t captain of his club but he’s such a man within the group, on the pitch, off the pitch.”
Found wanting for Hungary’s second goal on Tuesday night, Walker looks assured of his place ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold at present but there is also Kieran Trippier to consider, who Southgate may accommodate again on the left.
Perhaps this is one conundrum that needs no immediate answer, with at least three of them likely to be on the plane.
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No Mount, no system
For the first three fixtures, the one recurring theme in England’s attack was Mason Mount – he was the only one of the front four(ish) to start all of them. That changed in the 4-0 defeat to Hungary, and while there have often been questions raised over why Southgate is so determined to favour the Chelsea midfielder when he also has Jack Grealish and Phil Foden – among others – to fit in, that is how this England side are now used to operating. It suggests, at least, that he will remain a starter at the World Cup.
A schedule with no signs of letting up
If there is any possible relief, it is that maybe these results can be taken in the round. In the Channel 4 studio, Joe Cole pleaded for “perspective”, while Eni Aluko said there was “no excuse” for some “unacceptable individual performances”.
These players are exhausted – Southgate said some could “barely walk” after the Germany game, and that was with two matches still to play. There is no sign of any let-up either, with the Premier League season starting even earlier, around the weekend of Saturday 6 August, with a mid-season break to accommodate the winter World Cup.
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