Signs of progress for Southgate’s men but familiar failings return against Italy

Gareth Southgate has until 14 May to submit his outline World Cup squad of 30 and until 4 June to refine the number to 23. The focus on individuals perhaps misses the point since past failures have not been rooted in the quality of the players necessarily, but in the failure to coax from talented footballers a semblance of coherence.

The most obvious example is the most recent, against Iceland two years ago when a team comprised of luminaries from Europe’s lesser clubs, including Cardiff, Charlton and Swansea, blobbed England in the first knockout stage of Euro 2016.

Southgate has always talked a good game and under his tenure England have been more or less plausible. Against the Netherlands in Amsterdam last Friday they gave perhaps their most convincing display since the match against Germany in March last year which, paradoxically, ended in defeat, sealed by Lukas Podolski’s insane finish.

The performance against Italy, the last of this experimental period, featured five changes from Amsterdam and was not as persuasive. It followed the pattern witnessed against Spain at home and France in Paris, where old failings returned, particularly in possession.

At their best under Southgate England have demonstrated familiarity with modern mores, like retaining purposeful possession, recycling the ball successfully through midfield. They don’t yet score enough but neither do they let many in. The problems come when Southgate defers to a defensive orientation, which he did against Italy with the inclusion of Eric Dier as the defensive midfield screen, with three at the back.

The move is entirely contradictory since it negates the point of selecting centrebacks comfortable on the ball, like John Stones, whose job it is to initiate from the back. With Dier sitting deep, the gap between defence and midfield becomes too great, a disconnection that ultimately spreads up the pitch. As the midfield gets overrun, as was the case in the opening 20 minutes against Italy, the attack is left isolated and feeding off scraps. And so the carousel affected by England in the Netherlands, with Jordan Henderson at the base of the midfield and Alex Oxlade-chamberlain and Jesse Lingard linking dynamically in front, was achieved only fleetingly.

England were dragged into the match by the brilliance of Raheem Sterling, who ambushed Italy with his pace through the middle. Once he made his presence felt, Oxladechamberlain and Lingard came more into play and Dier was sucked further forward. When that happens, England look well-equipped to prosper. The deployment of Kyle Walker, pictured, on the right side of defence was further demonstration of Southgate’s progressive thinking, perhaps allowing him to name one less central defender in favour of the extra midfielder/attacker.

Southgate said: “In terms of the last four games, we’ve played four of the biggest football countries in the world. They’re at different levels of progression, we’ve been competitive in every game. I think our patterns of play have become far clearer to everybody. We will improve that the more we work together.”