England have dodged the Qatar chaos ... now they can cash in
While Germany crashed out and Spain had a wobble, all has been serene for Southgate’s team
ASENSE of quite beautiful chaos has descended on the World Cup and, happily, England have been nowhere near it. Germany, Belgium, Uruguay and Denmark have gone home. Spain almost went, too.
It was tempting to think of England — all tucked up in their expensive beds by the sea — on Thursday night as Germany and Spain played heart-attack football in Group E. It was tempting, too, to think of all those who would have chased Gareth Southgate from his posting before this increasingly engaging tournament had even begun.
To them, Southgate and his team are too boring, too pragmatic, just too damned steady to be worthy of real affection.
Yet while the German defence — typified by the far-too-smart-for-his-own-good Antonio Rudiger — were being unpicked by Costa Rica (ranked 31 in the world) on Thursday, Spain were being embarrassed by Japan (ranked 24). Luis Enrique’s team began this tournament by hammering Costa Rica 7-0. Yet at around 11.20pm local time eight days later, they were failing to qualify.
It’s this kind of excitement that we all want from a World Cup. We just don’t want it to happen to us, to our team. When it comes to drama of that proportion, you can keep it. Or at least save it for the back end of this competition.
England have been lucky so far at Qatar 2022. They were lucky when the draw for the groups was made back in April. They were then lucky when Wales somehow beat a superior Ukraine side in the play-off to make up the numbers in Group B. Ukraine would have been tougher opposition here than Rob Page’s deeply disappointing Wales team.
England were lucky Iran froze on day one. Iran were not that bad from then on. They were then lucky not to lose against the USA.
Nevertheless, England are in the last 16 unscathed. They have taken neither physical nor emotional damage on board and that is important. They are one of only five teams from 32 to have not lost a game. They are the tournament’s joint-top scorers. If England have been given a straightforward racing line to the last 16 then they have made the most of it. What else can they do?
Dependability and reliability: there is a lot to be said for it at major tournaments. It is largely what got England to the final of the European Championship in the summer of 2021. The highlights reels will show the win over Germany and the rout of Ukraine in Rome. But the truth is that England didn’t concede a goal until the semi-final and that is what almost took them all the way.
It will need to be the same here in Qatar. The partnership of Harry Maguire and John Stones has done very well so far, even though it is yet to face a quality attack. Senegal at Al Bayt Stadium tomorrow night may also lack a little stardust. In the absence of Sadio Mane, their two most dangerous forwards play their club football in the English Championship. But if England grind out a 1-0 win over the African champions then we will certainly take it. There is not a team in this tournament who Southgate’s players need fear further down the line. The important thing is to get there.
There have been some notable performances in this World Cup. Richarlison’s two goals for Brazil against Serbia. Spain’s dismantling of Costa Rica. Argentina’s resolve in recovering from their shock opening defeat by Saudi Arabia to win their group.
But the really impressive feats have come from those further down the football food chain. Australia, Morocco, Japan, South Korea and the USA. With all this in mind, is there really a team for England to worry about out here in the desert? If there is, then they are yet to reveal themselves in more than occasional bursts.
England’s luck will only go so far in Qatar. Indeed, it has probably run out already. In Russia four years ago and on our own shores during last summer’s Euros, Southgate benefited from being on the right side of the draw.
Not so this time. In Russia, England beat Colombia (on penalties) and Sweden before losing a semi-final to Croatia. Here, their route to the final is likely to go Senegal, France, Spain.
That has a more authentic World Cup ring to it and the chances are that it will prove too much for a side that came into this tournament with uncertainty shot right through it.
But that England have reached the guts of this tournament without any drama and without any upset is to their benefit. These are long tournaments and teams who expend too much mental energy early on rarely go the distance.
The best teams grow into World Cups step by step. England now need to reach for another gear. If they find it they will have a chance of going marginally further than most of us ever thought.