SHOCK TREATMENT
Southgate: We cannot take any rival for granted
WHEN the giants have fallen, the impacts have been colossal at this World Cup.
But Gareth Southgate is hoping he has rendered England earthquake-proof ahead of tonight’s assignment with the USA at the Al Bayt Stadium.
England have it in their power to qualify for the knockout stages with a game to spare after their opening 6-2 win over Iran.
But at a tournament where the shocks, when they have come, have been seismic he has made it his priority to ensure the Three Lions are as insulated as possible.
They have been steeled, by his demands for a mental reset, against the sort of mugging that befell Argentina and Germany.
“It’s a reminder we can’t take any game for granted and our humility has to be at a level where we’re preparing for the next two opponents, who might be ranked slightly lower than us but are both in different ways really dangerous,” said Southgate.
“USA will be highly motivated and we’ve got to make sure we’re in that right psychological space where we were before the first game.
“As well as tactically preparing the team, you’re also trying to emotionally manage that group dynamic.
“We’ve got to make sure that we’re in the right head space.”
A history lesson might help. At the 1950 World Cup, a hearse driver called Frank Borghi performed heroics in the USA goal and a Haitianborn student by the name of Joe Gaetjens grabbed the winner as a team of part-timers registered an upset victory over England.
Borghi said later he had hoped to hold an England side that included Tom Finney, Stan Mortensen and BillyWright to five or six. When the sides next met 60 years later, a blunder from England goalkeeper Rob Green meant Fabio Capello’s men had to settle for a 1-1 draw. As Southgate put it: “Have we ever beaten the States in a major tournament? No, so we have to try to make history.” There is banana-skin potential against an athletic side – among the youngest in Qatar – who are probably better than their world ranking of 16. But expectations on England, modest before the finals, have soared given the manner of a display against Iran bettered only by Spain. It was the interplay and dynamism, as well as the goal glut, that stood out from a side typecast as negative under the management of Southgate.
“I know people might find it hard to believe but that’s what we normally aim for,” he said.
“We know the patterns we want to play, we know the areas we are trying to help the players get into and the understanding we are trying to create – but of course lots of individuals played very well.
“I think the States will make it more difficult for us. They play in a way that is different to Iran.
“Our defenders and midfield players especially will be pressed more aggressively and we’ve got to be able to cope with that.
“They will be more of a threat in counterattacks as well.
“It’s a higher level of players and lots of players with Premier League experience, so it’s a different type of test.
“We have to make sure we have got the answers to those questions.”
The tent in the desert awaits.