Calm Southgate sees no change

WE’LL STICK WITH WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING

England manager Gareth Southgate says he is not about to change his team’s approach for today’s World Cup semifinal against Croatia, saying he wants the “same again” from his young side.

Although Croatia are the most difficult opponents England will have faced in the tournament, Southgate’s words suggest he will continue with his attacking formation and personnel.

Asked what he would be demanding from his players, the England coach told ITV: “To be able to keep doing what we have been doing, play with real defensive discipline, good organisation, tactical awareness and then with the ball, play with the freedom and expression that we have.”

While Croatia possess arguably the best central midfield pairing in the tournament in the shape of Real Madrid’s Luka Modric and Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic, Southgate’s language does not indicate he is about to bring in Eric Dier as an additional defensive midfielder alongside Jordan Henderson.

But he is certainly well aware of the threat that Croatia pose.

“They of course have a very strong midfield so it is about denying them space and making sure awareness of distances and coverage of the pitch is correct and knowing the right moments to press. The higher the level of opponent, if you press in a disorganised fashion, then you will get picked through and we have got to be conscious of that,” he said.

The contribution of Raheem Sterling remains a polarising debate in England with the player without a goal for his country since October, 2015 but Southgate says the forward’s contribution in Russia has been essential.

“Raheem has been fundamental to the way that we have played – his movement, the positions he takes up, his pressing of the ball, his work-rate for the team, the winning of freekicks and corners, his speed to stretch teams.

“He was a constant threat to Sweden. Of course he hasn’t scored the goals he would have liked to have scored but for myself and the players he has been a crucial part of the way we have been playing,” he said.

While England enjoyed a relatively stress-free 2-0 win over Sweden in the last eight, Croatia had to come through a gruelling extra time against hosts Russia and then a penalty shootout.

But Southgate thinks talk of that handing a physical advantage to England is being overplayed.

“We experienced the extra time and penalties (against Colombia) and we know the consequence of that,” he said.

“But any team in a World Cup semifinal is going to find the energy and the motivation. So we won’t win the game just because Croatia had half-an- hour more football than us three days ago, we’ve got to win because we play better.”

In keeping with his even-handed and calm style, Southgate said his team were neither complacent nor too pumped up for today’s clash at the Luzhniki Stadium, England’s first World Cup semifinal since 1990.

“We are just going to stick with what we have been doing all the way through”. – AFP

2004 - 2006 -

Eng 4 Cro 2 (Euro 2004) Cro 2 Eng 0 (Euro 2008 qualifying) Eng 2 Cro 3 (Euro 2008 qualifying) Cro 0 Eng 4 (WC qualifying)

2007 - 2008 - 2009 -

Eng 5 Cro 1 (WC qualifying)