England
travel to the Vasil Levski National Stadium tonight with a raft of unaswered
questions hanging over them after an appalling performance in their last game
against the Czech Republic.
Friday
night represented England and Southgate’s toughest examination in what is an
incredibly kind qualifying group. And it is an examination they failed
horribly.
Critics
of this England side have long been arguing that a potent attack and favourable
fixture list have been papering over the cracks present in this England side.
However, it would have been impossible to envisage just how long the list of
negatives from the performance would be in the build up to kickoff.
Southgate
has faced a lot of criticism, much of it justified, for his team selection and
decision to experiment in a game whioch could have guaranteed progression to
the Euro’s. This was his best, and arguably chance to test his first choice 11
in a competitive fixture agianst challenging opposition before England kickoff
their Euro 2020 campaign at Wembley next year and he blew it.
It
was a game for fine tuning not mass experimentation. During the World Cup
England had found a blueprint and system that carried them all the way to the
semi finals. This had since been refined, converting from a wingback system to
4-3-3 during the Nations League with wins over Spain and Croatia in competitive
fixtures clearly indicating that there was something working which could be
built upon.
The
time between the World Cup ending and Euro 2020 starting should have been
regarded as a time to hone England’s approach. Indeed, Friday should have been
all about refining the current system in the face of concerns from the Kosovo
game. It was not a time to embark on trying to implement a third new formation
in the past 15 months.
Tactical
issues were not limited to the choice of formation. In attack England are
starting to look painfully one dimensional. They seem to have one move, which
is repeated over and over. Kane drops deep, picks up possession, then looks to
play either Sterling or Sancho in behind. It worked for the penalty but rarely
after that. Once the Czech Republic had found a method to counter this approach
there was a real lack of imagination and variation from England in attack.
Whilst
on the topic of Kane his standing and position within the national side is
becoming slightly problematic.
Firstly
let’s get one thing clear, Harry Kane is a world class player. Part of what
makes him so great is his wide skillset. He has the ability to be both a
creator and out and out number ‘9’. Sadly, as his stature at both club and
country has risen to near untouchable status, he appears to want to focus almost
exclusively on the former.
Kane
sees himself as a hybrid between a number ‘9’ and ‘10.’ However, it is clear
that he favours playing a deeper role, even though it was his exploits as a goalscoring
centre forward that first brought him international acclaim. At times, like on
Friday night, when plan ‘A’ is not working England need Kane to revert back to
the number 9 we saw between 2014 and 2018. They need variation from Kane, with
him running both at, and in behind, defenders. Sadly, this appears to be something
he is currently unwilling to do and is quickly becoming a facet of his game
confined to the past.
Then
there is the fullback situation. In Trent Alexander-Arnold England have
arguably the best right back in Europe and without doubt the most creative. At
left back, in Ben Chilwell, England have a young, developing player who is bang
in form at a club flying high in the Premier League.
The
decision therefore to pick Trippier and Rose in the fullback positions was
puzzling before kickoff and looks an even worse call in the aftermath. This was
a chance to see how two players, who should surely be considered England’s
first choice fullbacks, would fair against decent, if unspectacular opposition.
Now though, it is an opportunity which has passed Southgate by.
Then
there is the problem at centre back. Harry Maguire’s place in the side is currently
beyond doubt, however the selection of Michael Keane alongside him was surely a
mistake. England are missing their most naturally gifted defender in John
Stones through injury, and while Joe Gomez has not been a regular starter for
his side, he would surely have been the better option for this game.
Keane
has never looked comfortable in an England shirt and at club level is
struggling in an underperforming Everton side. Gomez on the other hand is only
being kept out of the Liverpool side by arguably the best central defensive
partnership in world football. He is also blessed with pace which is something
that Maguire is clearly lacking. Given England’s struggles in defence Soutgate
would be wise to give Gomez a run out in the side this evening.
Operating
just in front of the defence the double pivot axis of Jordan Henderson and
Declan Rice was an abject failure. Southgate suggested that this change was to
provide England with extra defensive stability in response to the three goals
conceded against Kosovo.
Sadly
neither player could do anything to stem the flow of Czech attacks, with Rice
appearing to be constantly overrun in the first half in particular. Not only
that but the approach also limited England’s pressing threat, something that
has been so important to their relative success in the past 18 months or so.
Furthermore,
the combination stunted England’s ball progression in possession. Both players
played exclusively on the same line. Neither appeared willing or able to drop
in between the centre backs to allow the fullbacks to push high, nor did they
look to receive the ball beyond the Czech Repubic’s first line of defence.
The
end result was a tedius display of passing without purpose inside the England
half. Rice and Henderson barely played a forward pass between them in the first
half and it was as if we had been transported back in time to the timid England
of the Sven Goran-Eriksson era rather than watching this supposedly bold and
adventurous side Southgate has been working to create.
Southgate
knows that every decision he makes tonight will be intensely scrutinised by
media and fans alike. Goodwill still remains from England’s enthralling World
Cup campain, however any more peformances like Friday night and this will
quickly evaporate. Even a positive performance and result is unlikely to be enough
to convert the doubters, and may even add fuel to the fire of the argument that
the boss got it horribly wrong for England’s toughest test in this group.
Manager and players alike know that anything less than a win tonight, while not
fatal to their chances of winning, will be viewed as unforgivable.
