RAH KEY TO LIONS SUCCESS
WE have to put England’s victory over Holland into context and say the game was only a friendly against possibly the worst Dutch national team I’ve ever seen.
They’re more Marco Boogers than Marco van Basten these days.
But, even so, I was enthused by the performance from Gareth Southgate’s men with their cohesive passing and plenty of pace.
The jury will still be out over Marcus Rashford as a central striker, but I want to give him the benefit of the doubt that, like Jamie Vardy, he’s an option coming off the bench when Harry Kane is back.
The one negative aspect that was so glaringly obvious, however, was that we don’t have a world- class midfielder who can change a game with a pass or a goal.
We have full- backs pushing forward into midfield positions with Danny Rose on the left and Kieran Trippier on the right. But I looked in the central area and thought, ‘Who’s buzzing in the middle? Who’s getting his foot on the ball and dictating play?’
Clashing
Raheem Sterling gets it and turns quickly, but he’s not a cerebral, brainy footballer, and we really are missing that world-class midfielder who can own a portion of the game. At the same time England were playing Holland, France and Colombia were clashing, and both nations have players of t hat i l k. James Rodriguez played well and pulled the strings for the South Americans. While Les Bleus have Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann or Blaise Matuidi who can all step up to the plate when required, something I’m just not seeing with England.
People will say, ‘What are you on about, Collymore? We’ve got that man – it’s Dele Alli’.
But they’re completely forgetting he has had an average season, he has been below average at times, with only the odd peak in individual games. Friday’s game in Amsterdam was crying out for the Tottenham star to get on and boss it, and I hope he saw that from his position on the substitutes’ bench.
Alli has pace, he has football brains and, as I’ve said before, the ability to be the best orthodox midfielder in the world. But at the moment we’re just not seeing that from him.
When I talk about orthodox midfielders, I mean players who get back and defend. Players who are then clued up enough to receive the ball and put their team on the front foot. They create game-changing chances and they score game-changing goals – think Bryan Robson and Steven Gerrard from yesteryear. Alli doesn’t have the personality and character of a Gerrard, who dominated games, or a Robson, but he can do the things they did. In the Premier League it could be a straight shootout between Pogba and Alli to become the best of that kind and, ironically, both have been criticised for being a bit flash and immature this season.
I’d love to watch both of them do well at the World Cup… until such time as France take on England, of course.
With Kyle Walker, Tr i p p i e r , Ro s e , Rashford, Sterling and Jamie Vardy, players with genuine pace who can get it, turn and play people in all day long, around Alli this England team could be really exciting. Alli did all right when he came on in Amsterdam but what he learned during the time he spent on the bench was probably more important than anything he or we gleaned from his 25-odd minutes on the pitch.
I hope he spent much of the time he was sitting on the sidelines thinking, ‘This team could be tailor-made to get the best out of me’.
If he didn’t, then I genuinely worry that he’s never going to realise.
Hopefully, Alli will start against Italy at Wembley on Tuesday as it’s a chance to lay down a marker and start producing the consistency that his team-mate Kane is renowned for.
Legend
It’s that consistency that has led to the plaudits being piled on Kane from greats of the game like Gigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini, and Alli would do well to recognise that.
What I’d love him to do between now and the World Cup is dig out some videos of Robson and Gerrard, and of Liverpool and Scotland legend Graeme Souness too.
If he does sit down and study footage of that trio he will soon see what he is missing. It’s the character, determination and consistency and if he started to show that he would really make England tick.
Let’s not think our Three Lions can challenge for the final in Russia, but if Alli can become England’s conductor then we could at least give a top seed or two a bloody nose. England win in Amsterdam on Friday night. Sterling played in a floating role up front with Manchester United star Marcus Rashford – and impressed.
And Wijnaldum was quick to praise the former Liverpool star, who left Reds under a cloud to join City after a contract standoff with the club’s hierarchy.
He said: “In the attacking half of the pitch I think Raheem Sterling had a big influence for England. He made it difficult for Kevin Strootman and me because he came in as an extra midfielder, and that made it hard both in the first and second half.
“The way they played with a switch, with Sterling playing as a midfielder at times and also a striker, was a problem for us.”
Van Dijk agreed, adding: “We were very sloppy in possession and gave England a lot of space in the first half, but I think also that England did very well up front.
“The strikers dropped off so they had space to turn and come against us. It wasn’t that dangerous in terms of the chances they created, but obviously it was difficult for us to defend and for our midfielders to cover it every time.
“England had a lot of movement in attack and Sterling did very well. England deserved to win.”
Wijnaldum also believes England should be taken more seriously in Russia despite their chances being down-played by boss Gareth Southgate, who insists they are a young team still developing.
“No I don’t agree that it’s too early for them to do well in Russia,” said the Liverpool man.
“Yes, they are a young team but they have all played with each other for a while. I think they will do well.
“It’s always difficult because a lot of good teams are going to the tournament – but England will be one of those.”
Van Dijk was also impressed, but warned: “Everyone thought for the last few tournaments England could do well, including Euro 2016, which didn’t go so well. But we shall see.”
What Alli learned during his time spent on the bench was more important than anything he, or we, gleaned from his 25 minutes on the pitch