ENGLAND NEED TO BRIDGE GAP
Southgate refuses to ‘sugar-coat’ England’s poor display in Paris
GARETH SOUTHGATE did not sugar-coat things in the dressing room following a defeat to France that highlighted just how quickly England’s players need to learn.
Tuesday’s match was never going to be as embarrassing as their last clash on French soil given the Three Lions bowed out of Euro 2016 to Iceland at the last-16 juncture.
There was, though, an all-too familiar helplessness about aspects of their second-half display as France’s young, dynamic side flourished in Paris.
It would likely have been worse than a 3-2 loss was it not for Raphael Varane’s video-assisted sending off at the start of the second half, with Southgate’s frustration at many aspects of the performance palpable.
“There was no point raising my voice but equally you can’t sugar-coat what happened in that final 30 minutes, in particular,” he said, having seen Harry Kane score from the penalty spot to make it 2-2 just after half-time.
“I don’t think it does any harm. I think they know, they are a very honest group of players.
“They are fully committed, I can’t question what they’ve given. We’ve just got to learn quickly how to manage games in situations like that.”
England fell short in France despite going to their “absolute limit” – a gap to the elite that does not surprise Southgate after March’s narrow 1-0 loss in Germany and November’s 2-2 home draw with Spain.
“The only way you can understand what the gap is is by playing against those three teams,” Southgate said.
“If we’d played lesser teams and won, maybe we’d all be getting excited and thinking that we’re better than we are. The reality is, find out exactly where you are against the very best. We’ve had two matches away and one at home, and for long periods we’ve equipped ourselves well.
“But we’ve a bit do and I think it’s important that as a group of players and a group of staff we recognise that, added Southgate, who will go to the Under-21 European Championship, which start Friday, and Confederations Cup this summer.
England face a different test when they return to action in September, with the World Cup qualifier in Malta, ranked 182nd in the world, followed by Slovakia, the side second in Group F, coming to Wembley.