SOUTHGATE’S
Tough as Defoe and Vardy break through on smothering Sunday
ENGLAND are only half the side they were a couple of years ago.
At least, that’s what yesterday’s scoreline suggests.
Exactly two years ago today, Roy Hodgson’s men beat the Lithuanians 4-0 at Wembley on their way to qualifying for Euro 2016.
Yesterday, they could manage only goals from Jermain Defoe and Jamie Vardy as England’s unbeaten record in World Cup and Euro qualifiers stretched to 34 games.
Optimism
Of course, judging Gareth Southgate and his men by the scoreline alone is unfair but there was, sadly, a sense of deja vu about this match.
Just like in 2015, when Harry Kane scored 79 seconds into his England debut, there was some cause for optimism.
Michael Keane once again looked international class and Marcus Rashford, who came off the bench, was confident and hungry on the ball and constantly willing to have a go at inferior opponents.
Defoe, six years older than any other England outfield player, still looks a natural goalscorer three years after his last cap.
But would he be a serious threat at the World Cup next summer in Russia, at the age of 35 if, as expected, England cruise through qualification again?
He was named man of the match while the man who replaced him, Vardy, scored with his first touch in the 66th minute.
Vardy’s was a clinical finish, the sort we would have liked to have seen Dele Alli – who was disappointing yesterday – produce against Germany last Wednesday when he had the goal at his mercy.
The Three Lions reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation after their 3-4-3 experiment in Dortmund and as we have seen so many times before, struggled to break down opponents who defended deep. Lithuania tried to turn it into Smothering Sunday, getting yellow shirts back en masse, and they largely succeeded.
England tried hard to be patient and creative but, in truth, it was only Rashford who looked fearless and up for it from the second he came on.
The man he replaced, Raheem Sterling, showed some flashes but not enough.
His best moment came when he slipped past Egidijus Vaitkunas in the 21st minute to set up Defoe to finish with a clean sidefoot shot.
It was Defoe’s first international goal in four years and four days, since claiming two in an 8-0 thrashing of San Marino.
England had a scare just before the break. A long header from midfield fell for Nerijus Valskis, and as Joe Hart charged out the striker nodded over the keeper.
John Stones was alert to get back and clear the weak header before the ball crossed the line, with replays showing he linesman had missed Valskis being well offside.
Defoe came off to a good reception in the 59th minute. You can only guess what the injured, but also out-of-favour, Wayne Rooney must have felt watching someone three years his senior score at Wembley. Defoe, though, unlike Rooney, looks in excellent physical condition.
Vardy did not take long to make his mark.
Kyle Walker played into Adam Lallana’s feet and his flicked, first-time pass presented the Leicester hitman with the perfect opportunity to drill in low with his right foot. He didn’t fail.
As the clock ran down, 19-year-old Rashford continued to show the zest strangely missing from others.
Still, the job was done and Southgate will hopefully have learned a little more about his squad as he tries to turn England into a team without a terror of tournaments.