This loss will hurt England as much as any other
For all the talk of progress, Croatia’s superior composure got the deserved reward in the end
ON Tuesday evening in Moscow, Gareth Southgate said that his side would be stronger for this World Cup experience no matter how it ended. It’s hard to subscribe to that theory this morning.
How will they get over this? How will they come to terms with the fact that a World Cup final was so close, that it was within their grasp?
This new, focused, efficient England had Croatia on the ropes. If Harry Kane converts the firsthalf chance that he would normally stick away in his sleep, then Gareth Southgate’s men would be preparing for a World Cup final this morning. Of that, there is no doubt.
It seemed improbable that their night would end in defeat at that point. The fact that it did puts this up there in the pantheon of great English disappointments.
Eleven years ago, they missed out on Euro 2008 after losing to Croatia in an error-strewn game at Wembley.
English football has improved a lot in the intervening period – Gareth Southgate said as much in a pre-match press conference that could easily have functioned as a victory speech as he spoke of improved underage structures that have borne fruit.
But when it came down to the crunch, Croatia were simply better. Granted, the genesis of their goals was quite straightforward, aided by tardy defending.
Yet it was appropriate that England’s goal came from a setpiece, which is the route where nine of their 12 goals in this competition came from.
The England had set-piece had become a hugely anticipated event, the Pete Sampras serve of this surprise tilt at the title.
SUBSTANCE
Fans produce phones for everything now, but for the English dead ball, there is a belief they might actually catch a moment of substance.
You knew England were in trouble when they went through almost the entirety of the second half without forcing a corner or free-kick in a threatening area. At the end of normal time – and in extra-time – they were praying on lofted deliveries in the hope it would yield a return. Otherwise, the ideas well had run dry.
There will be revisionism now, aligned with the obvious jokes at England’s expense. Who did they beat after all? Tunisia, Panama, a Colombian team going through a breakdown, and a Swedish side that were exposed as average.
That would be a harsh judgement, given that the key element for successfully negotiating a passage to the latter stages of tournaments is an ability to efficiently brush aside lesser opposition.
England’s recent rap sheet is packed with dramatic failures, such as the lethargic Euro 2016 defeat to Iceland that was highlighted as the classic example of a national side permanently afflicted with the glare of a rabbit caught in headlights.
This team was wiser, led by a manager who understands the complexities of the role. And he managed to rid the group of the irrational fears and inhibitions that have dogged them.
But Croatia asked questions which others had failed to pose.
Much as the pendulum had began to swing in the eventual victors direction after the half-time interval, they were still struggling when it came to the final ball.
Sometimes, they were searching for two players in a box containing a phalanx of white shirts. England defended in numbers, even though Croatia were slow to commit bodies. Southgate’s men started to give the ball away easily and it just invited pressure and one good Croatian cross and Perisic finish shifted the mood in the stadium.
England were rocking. Everything that was good before the concession was suddenly bad. Walker had been complementing Stones and Maguire, with his pace mopping up problems. It’s been a feature of the tournament.
However, Croatia had now managed to make him look like a right-back playing centre-back. Indeed the chilled out back three, passing the ball with a swagger was now flustered and hurried. Pickford rode his luck with unconvincing kicks brought about from Croatian pressing.
Dalic’s players were growing in strength, when logic suggested their battery power should be emptying.
Their movement made England’s organisation look predictable.
Henderson was one-dimensional
growing in strength, when logic suggested their battery power should be emptying. Their movement made England’s organisation look predictable.
Jordan Henderson was onedimensional compared to Croatia’s fluid playmakers, who were switching the play and dragging England out of shape, and it was telling that he was eventually replaced in extra-time.
Marcelo Brozovic was up there with Rakitic and Modric in terms of influence; Perisic was a pest.
Much as England stirred themselves for the extra 30 minutes, the additional time only really served as a reminder of why Croatia were better equipped to advance.
England’s best opportunity came from a set-piece, the Stones header that was cleared to safety, and Croatia were temporarily unstable.
And then they regrouped to show they had superior footballers and game management skills and began to patiently stroke it around. Their sub left-back, Josip Pivaric, glided in and out of tackles like a young Damien Duff before moving the ball on.
As the final whistle approached, and England grew even more desperate, Croatia spurned a couple of chances to launch the ball out of trouble and run down the clock
Instead, they opted for possession play, in keeping with their natural philosophy. They knew their strengths.
Southgate’s England came to Russia with similar ideas, but ultimately it wasn’t good enough.