Do we need to talk about Jude Bellingham? On a night kissed by the northern lights, England’s brightest star was claimed by the dulling effect of exceptionalism. Yes he scored, but not in a way that reflected grace or dominance. Rather it was an opportunistic act of rescue that ultimately failed.
The Lee Carsley all-stars appeared so caught up in the manager-elect’s talent dream at home to Greece at Wembley they forgot that football is a collective enterprise. This would not be so bad were only one player affected. On this occasion half a dozen competed to out-Jude Jude to be the centre of attention.
This was the night Carsley would assimilate all the talents, Phil, Cole and Jude in a fun boy three that would obliterate all before them. Foden would be an irresistible pivot at 10, Palmer would pull Greece apart with abandon and Bellingham would bang in the goals, left foot, right foot, headers, the lot. Outside of them Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon would stretch the Greeks to the point of extinction.
None of this happened which leaves Carsley to rethink the fundamentals in Helsinki on Sunday and to figure out there is room for only one sun king. In effective Carsley is back in Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard territory, which itself reprised the tension around Glenn Hoddle, Ray Wilkins and Bryan Robson a generation prior.
Bellingham is perhaps processing his place in the universe following the arrival at Real Madrid of Kylian Mbappe, around whom the Bernabeu constellation now revolves. Notwithstanding the overhead kick against Slovakia, you could argue he has been out of sorts since the opening match at Euro 2024, where he ran the operation against Serbia then got all tangled up and lost function.
Since then he has assumed the role of Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United, trying to do everybody else’s job at the expense of his own. Less is more is the lesson Bellingham and Carsley were taught by Greece, a team that rose above their modest parts to frankly school England’s effete tricksters with their minimalist patterns.
It is not so much that talented players cannot play together. The problem occurs when every action has to be a proof of their epic gifts. Bellingham tore about the precinct taking too much on, over-engaging when a simple touch or pass would suffice. Foden, who was disturbingly absent for long periods, tried to be too cute with clever, angled passes which overcomplicated a dish already stuffed with ingredients.
Palmer likewise. Yes Carsley wanted the Chelsea rover on the ball, but in positions where he might devastate the opposition instead of circulating possession in the deep. By contrast Greece were a team populated by players who understood their roles, stuck to the plan and overwhelmed England with their organisation and discipline.
The only way Carsley can turn the deficit into profit in Helsinki is to determine Bellingham’s best position and structure the team accordingly. Bellingham is arguably the archetypal No 8, blessed with two good feet, pace, power and an eye for goal. You want him powering through the middle, bossing possession, dropping a shoulder like the guvnor he is.
It is then for Carsley to determine how he connects the dots. If Saka and Gordon are to be deployed on the flanks, then Carsley has to decide between Palmer, Foden and Jack Grealish at 10. Since Carsley has already pledged to change personnel, he might play Grealish and Palmer wide and retain Foden behind a conventional striker, be that Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins or Dominic Solanke.
Carsley wants his team to attack. On Thursday he discovered there is more to that than free-association football. Even the great ones need wrapping in a plan. The best players are still your best players was always Gareth’s Southgate’s mantra. Unlocking the formula is the key.
Nirvana lies somewhere between Southgate’s caution and Carsley’s fantasia, and the disciplined deployment of Bellingham.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/91zgsTS
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