So much to solve and yet so little time left Stars back Unicef
Glory seems far away with just three games to go
ARE we ready for the World Cup? Not the one that should be kicking off about now, a summer-long fiesta of football that we in Europe have become accustomed to ever since Jules Rimet suggested we take a boat trip down to Uruguay in July 1930 for a new-fangled tournament to ascertain the best team in the world. (Naturally, England declined to enter since we were self-evidently the best team in the world. As if this French contrivance would catch on anyway?)
No, it’s the mid-season November World Cup in Qatar we’re talking about. Though to be honest, in Gareth Southgate’s timeline it might as well be next week. He has three more games to get it right. Hungary here on Tuesday, games against Italy and Germany in September, and then two months before we kick a ball again against Iran in the opening game.
Normally a World Cup preamble features two or three warm-up friendlies, in which established players amble about trying not to get injured, players on the fringe dash about frantically trying to impress while those of us paid to analyse worry endlessly over what B team’s 1-1 draw against Norway will mean for our prospects against France in a semi-final.
In World Cup time, we’re at that point, three games away from our opener. So, what’s the system Gareth? Why haven’t you nailed it down? How can we win the World Cup with this team? Who’s the back-up centre forward? Why would you even think of playing five at the back against Iran? In World Cup time, Iran is a couple of weeks away. Yet in real time it’s five months, which presents unique challenges.
Still time for Jadon Sancho to start the season well and make the squad or Harry Kane to fracture a metatarsal and have us all fretting on whether he’ll be fit for the knockout stages, assuming we make them. Still time for Jordan Pickford to have a crisis in confidence and Tyrone Mings to announce himself as the go-to centre half as John Stones struggles to get a game at Manchester City.
It was hard to really believe that the World Cup is, figuratively speaking, right here, right now at a deserted Molineux. The few thousands kids allowed in amid our punishment for allowing the Euro 2020 final to descend into an abomination of hooliganism did their bit, cheering enthusiastically, singing the national anthem sweetly and booing cheerfully at Italy.
It was about as far removed from that bacchanalian summer’s evening at Wembley as it was possible to be. It was Italy but it was the Nations League, a trophy we will get excited about should we ever win it but which we won’t fret about otherwise.
So where do we stand after a 0-0 draw in what was for some the 62nd game of the season? This felt like a weary finale on which to judge whether Gareth Southgate, the man with the best England record since Sir Alf Ramsey, is actually Mike Bassett in disguise or on the cusp of his own ennoblement.
Some positives first. Aaron Ramsdale looked every inch an able deputy in goal. His first-half saves from Sandro Tonali and Matteo Pessina were first rate, exuding the confidence of a man comfortable in the England shirt. Reece James was good, though such is the proliferation of right-backs, it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference. Whoever plays in that position, England will be good. And Harry Maguire was fine. Right now, after a wretched season, Maguire will take ‘fine’ like he would once have seized a man-of-the match award.
The worries, over which we have five months to agonise yet just three games to resolve, are that England are still cut open far too easily at the back. Thankfully, Italy weren’t quite the force they were last summer and their finishing was wayward.
But Kieran Trippier is no left-back and Ben Chilwell needs to be back from injury soon. The midfield still doesn’t function smoothly whether it’s a 3-4-3 or, as it was last night, 4-2-3-1. They are slick going forwards at times but allow too much space for opponents to play in.
The game was only two minutes old when Gianluca Scamacca played in Davide Frattesi behind a flat-footed England back four. He pulled his shot wide when he should have scored. Likewise, Tonali should have done so, even though Ramsdale did well, on 25 minutes and Scamacca too on 44 minutes.
England also chances, Raheem Sterling’s miss from five yards on 53 minutes being the most notable. He does have 17 goals in his last 30 England appearances but this was reversion to the unconfident Sterling of old. Nor did Tammy Abraham impress. He should have scored when Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma misplaced a pass to him and the Roma striker ended up shooting wide. Thereafter, he didn’t have much to shout about.
When Harry Kane came on to replace him on 65 minutes, it felt like the cavalry arriving. Except that, on his 61st game of the season and just 11 months from the Euro 2020 final, even Kane has his limits. As do England. They’re better than OK. They’re reasonably good. They may even put a run together in a tournament.
But right now it’s hard to judge. Predominantly, they are tired.
ENGLAND players have made a private, just under six-figure donation to Soccer Aid ahead of today’s charity showpiece at the London Stadium.
An England XI face a World XI at West Ham with the proceeds going to children’s charity Unicef.
Gareth Southgate’s players have also recorded a video message that will be broadcast on ITV.
Joe Cole, Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, David James, Mark Noble and Teddy Sheringham are
set to feature for the England XI, who will coached by former Hammers’ boss Harry Redknapp.
Patrice Evra, Cafu, Petr Cech, Roberto Carlos, Andriy Shevchenko, Andrea Pirlo and Dimitar Berbatov are expected to turn out for the World XI, with Arsene Wenger giving instructions from the dugout.
Like all donations, the contribution from the England squad will be aid-matched — effectively doubled — by sponsors.