BHAICHUNG BHUTIA

Pretty to pedestrian, classy to clumsy --- that was how the semi-finals were going; France had cruised past Belgium and England seemed to be lumbering to the final. But in a World Cup full of wonderful surprises, it was appropriate that Croatia turned things around just when it seemed football had taken another step to going ‘home’.

Not in recent times have England got such an opportunity to be in a World Cup final. A superbly struck early goal was exactly what they needed against a Croatia team that was weary in mind and body.

Another goal before half-time and I think Croatia would have been overrun. The early signs were all there: Croatia players were often on their haunches, there were mispasses and they were yielding the midfield easily.

England did have chances to put the game to bed but couldn’t even though no team parks the bus against them.

Like against Colombia, England then tried to defend a one-goal lead instead of trying to keep the ball. Maybe this happened because neither the coach nor the team has enough tournament experience. Gareth Southgate has done wonders with this team, but with the wisdom of hindsight, he could have got Marcus Rashford earlier.

TACTICS GONE WRONG

Things could also have got interesting if Southgate had played Rashford and Sterling together and taken out, say, Dele Alli, who was busier with

On England’s tactics