Southgate making all the right headlines
THE last time England faced the USA in the World Cup finals, American boss Bob Bradley was gifted the easiest pre-match team talk of all time.
The year was 2010, the venue South Africa. Resorting to an old footballing trope, Bradley distributed copies of the headlines from a dismissive English media.
‘Phew! World Cup draw relief’ proclaimed one newspaper, with the first letters of all four Group C teams — including Algeria and Slovenia — laid out to spell EASY (Y stood for Yanks). The back page, meanwhile, branded it ‘the Best English group since the Beatles’.
Despite Steven Gerrard scoring the opener for Fabio Capello’s side, English confidence faded when Clint Dempsey tried his luck from distance and Rob Green allowed the ball to bobble and squirm over the line for a 1-1 draw.
It was England’s second meeting with the USA in the World Cup finals, the first an embarrassing 1-0 loss to a team of amateurs in 1950.
Reminded of the headlines from 2010 by an American journalist yesterday, Gareth Southgate came close to offering one of those apologies politicians make for historic wrongs.
‘We’re good at that,’ said the England boss. ‘We’re good at talking highly of ourselves as a nation on the basis of very little evidence.
‘What we’ve got to do is perform on the field — and we know that we will play a highly motivated team. Perhaps even more motivated because of some of those types of headlines. But we have huge respect for our opponent, we know a lot of the players from our league and the quality and athleticism they have. So we have to be at our best.’
England’s optimism is justified tonight. Emphatic 6-2 winners over Iran in their opening game, the Americans fared less well. Gregg Berhalter’s side took the lead against Wales with a fine goal from Timothy Weah. In the second half, the physicality of Kieffer Moore and superpowers of Gareth Bale drained the USA of energy and composure. Conceding a needless penalty, they drew 1-1.
Southgate takes nothing for granted ahead of tonight’s game in the Al Bayt Stadium.
‘We can’t think that, because we played well the other day, we can just go through to the next game,’ he said. ‘We have to find that reset button to find the right psychology, the same determination. I do see that in the players. I don’t think we will be underestimating this USA team at all.’
This is becoming the World Cup of the underdog. Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina, Japan stunned Germany, and Canada outplayed Belgium for long spells before sliding to a 1-0 defeat. Southgate criticised his players for conceding two goals to Iran, but now feels he might have been a little harsh.
‘That process has been ongoing for a while. There is definitely greater sharing of tactical ideas across the globe and you see a more globalised game, if you like,’ he said.
‘We knew Japan, in particular, were very, very strong. You’ve got to be at your very best. It’s a reminder that, when I’m moaning about the players for letting two in, I should have been happy with three points, really. Every team is well coached and tactically aware.’
America’s will to win stems from more than a few 12-year-old headlines. Victories for England and Wales today — with Rob Page’s side facing Iran — could see both British teams through to the knockout stages if they draw in the final round of fixtures. To stay alive, the USA need to take something.
‘They have got high motivation playing against England, they play in a way that is different to Iran,’ said Southgate. ‘It’s about consistency of performance but also recognising that every game throws up different challenges and you have to respond to those.’
Against Iran, his team played with energy and a high tempo from the first whistle. Jude Bellingham looked like a superstar. Bukayo Saka consigned his Euro 2020 misery to the past. Substitutes Marcus Rashford, Jack Grealish and Callum Wilson all made an impact.
More pleasing than anything for Southgate is the recovery of captain Harry Kane from the ankle issue which sparked a pre-match injury scare. Responding to the bizarre notion among some England fans on social media that the striker might be no great loss, the manager described his on-field lieutenant as a ‘special player’.
‘Everybody will focus on his goals, but the quality of his build-up play the other day for Raheem (Sterling) and Marcus’s goals was exceptional. We’re blessed to have him,’ said Southgate.
‘Equally, what we’ve tried to do from the very start was not put all the onus on the captain, whether that’s media duties, whatever else it might be.
‘I see more of our attacking players in a better moment than they were in the Euros perhaps.’
If England go as far in this World Cup as they did in the Euros, the headline writers will have a field day.