Fearless, on the front foot and fast...
His team were positive and brave against Iran but will Southgate grab handbrake if England reach latter stages?
ENGLAND’S World Cup lift- off against Iran began to look even more spectacular as the day wore on yesterday. First came Argentina’s defeat by Saudi Arabia, then Denmark — a team who romped through qualifying — struggled to overcome Tunisia. If context was required in which to place England’s efforts then there it was.
What will be very interesting is what Gareth Southgate does next. The England manager has already pulled his first surprise of the World Cup on us. His decision to switch to a back four for the first time since that dreadful home defeat by Hungary in June was not something many envisaged before this tournament started. Having an extra attacking player, Mason Mount, certainly contributed to England’s domination of what proved to be surprisingly meek and muddled opponents at the Khalifa Stadium.
Standing outside the dressing rooms about an hour after his team’s first game had finished, Southgate spoke in terms that many of his detractors would wish him to. He waxed lyrical about his team being fearless and forward-thinking.
‘We’ve talked about that all week as a team,’ said Southgate. ‘That’s the approach we wanted to have.’
Courage has not been a feature of England’s football this year. Six Nations League games without a win saw even the more reliable of their players withdraw into themselves. When the final whistle blew on a hectic 3-3 draw with Germany in September, relief was the over-riding emotion.
It was hoped back then that the smell of actual tournament football would reboot England when the World Cup eventually rolled around. There was certainly an element of that in the way they played against Iran.
There was a positive tone about England’s use of the ball that was set by the precocious midfielder Jude Bellingham. That was picked up by Bukayo Saka and, when they arrived in the second half, substitutes such as Marcus Rashford and Callum Wilson.
Friday’s game against the USA will be different. The Americans did not beat Wales, but they should have. They looked like a team capable of playing at a tempo to worry opponents and will now face England needing a win.
Southgate will doubtless opt for a back four again. We can expect him to do that until his team meet opponents of higher pedigree. By then he will hope to have Kyle Walker fit enough to play on the right side of three central defenders.
But as Southgate often tells us, the way a team play depends on much more than a tactical pattern written on a team sheet. It is about a state of mind.
‘ We wanted that type of performance on the front foot and for 90 minutes we had it,’ he explained. ‘I liked the movement of the team and the way we played through their pressure was good, but we did have that threat in behind and that was important.
‘We were patient with the ball but didn’t just play in front of them. We’re going to need the squad and it was nice for the lads to come on to be able to refresh.
‘It was really nice for Marcus to get the goal on his first time back with us and I liked Callum Wilson’s unselfishness for the Jack Grealish goal as well. That’s how they’ve been all week. We felt they were ready.’
England’s six goals came from five different players and not one of them was Harry Kane. The England captain has not scored for his country from open play since the 10-0 win over San Marino almost exactly a year ago.
Kane would hope to change that on Friday and given his club form for Tottenham this season it is likely he will soon enough. But an over-reliance on one player is never a good thing.
‘To go far in any major tournament you need goals, from not just your main striker but from all over the place,’ said Kane. ‘We started the game really well. The boys who have come on have done brilliantly. I am really pleased and I know it will give everyone confidence.
‘Whenever you score or get an assist, it lifts a player’s spirits and we’re going to need everyone to do well in this tournament. To score six goals in a World Cup match is pretty good so I am really happy, but disappointed to concede a couple of goals.’
Southgate also referenced the two second-half goals scored by Iran. When he said they had changed his mood, he was only half joking. Iran also hit the bar in that brief period of the game when they remembered they were allowed to join in.
England would be wrong to dwell on those moments, though. This has been a better start to Qatar 2022 than anybody expected and once again Southgate’s gentle, pastoral style of management has paid dividends.
Along with young Bellingham, Saka was the star of Monday’s show and Southgate reflected afterwards on the road the Arsenal player has travelled since missing the last penalty of the Euro 2020 final shoot-out against
Italy. ‘I’ve had a couple of long chats with him early in the season,’ said Southgate. ‘He’s had great support from Mikel Arteta and everybody at Arsenal and I think he’s felt that from us as well.’
Southgate’s management of people has never been in doubt, it is the manner in which he sets up his football team that has recently been open to question.
For the first time in a while, he now has points in the credit column. It will be fascinating to see what he and England do now.