Southgate starts slow
Daniel Sturridge and Dele Alli do just enough for Three Lions as Maltese put up sturdy defence at Wembley, writes Steve Nailor
JORDAN Henderson says England need to find their killer touch for the rest of the World Cup qualifying campaign after missing a host of chances in a 2-0 victory over minnows Malta.
However, Liverpool captain Henderson accepts there is still plenty to work on despite making it two wins from two games in Group F.
Henderson said: “We had chances for it to be more, so that’s the one disappointment in the game; that we didn’t get more goals.
“I felt as though we got a little sloppy as the game went on, which we need to work on, but overall it’s good to get the three points.”
England put a tough fortnight behind them with a predictably straightforward victory against Malta, getting Gareth Southgate’s interim reign off to a solid if unspectacular start.
In the four months since the national team last trotted out at Wembley, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, the Three Lions suffered a humbling Euro 2016 exit to Iceland and Roy Hodgson’s successor Sam Allardyce lost his dream job after 67 days.
Last week’s publication of secretly recorded footage brought his reign to an abrupt and ignominious end, with interim replacement Southgate starting his reign with a simple 2-0 win against Malta.
Overcoming a side ranked 176th in the world is hardly a yardstick with which to measure success or progress, but there were flashes of promise as the first half drew in.
The speed of thought and feet seem to bamboozle Malta at times, with only wayward finishing and some fine goalkeeping preventing England from adding to Daniel Sturridge’s header and a Dele Alli effort before half-time.
The second half was a drab affair by comparison but Alli should have added another late on, with the frustration culminating with Wayne Rooney being booed by some of the Wembley crowd after missing late on.
Alli was guilty of missing some of the opportunities, and the Tottenham midfielder accepts he should have added to his goal.
He said: “I do like to get into the box and get goals and assists and I can’t complain, the chances were there, I just needed to be a little bit more clinical.
“It was a solid performance from the boys, we started strongly, we kept the ball and we dominated and it’s a good base.”
Malta’s Surrey-born goalkeeper Andrew Hogg put in an impressive display to help keep the score down for his side.
He said: “I just do my job, it was a good game, I’m happy. We have to be realistic, we have played against some of the best players in the world today, we have to be satisfied. We have gained some respect.”
England face Slovenia on Tuesday looking to maintain their perfect start, at least on the field, to the qualifying campaign.
Southgate said: “We could and should have had more goals, but their goalkeeper has made some very good saves.
“Subconsciously one or two looked after themselves physically in the second half.”
Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs has replaced the injured Ryan Bertrand in the squad which will travel to Slovenia looking to make it three wins from three.