An affair of the heart, going head over heels, but a need for identity. A look at England in Gelsenkirchen
Six things from Gelsenkirchen...
Football’s an affair of the heart. Sports science, analytics and the xGeneration all have parts to play in shaping and enhancing players. But guts can underpin glory. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane both looked so drained to Gareth Southgate after 75 minutes that he considered taking them. But they stayed on and just fought their way through their exhaustion to make vital contributions. Bellingham was shattered, his body weary, and yet he managed to contort like a gymnast to equalise. Then Kane, his mind weary, just had the determination to go again, to gamble on the ball being recycled in after a clearance. That’s an acquired knowledge of positioning but also huge heart. England have deficiencies as a team but the individual’s heart cannot be questioned.
**
What is England’s identity? Do England have a style, a shape, a personality any more? Heart? Yes? Individual moments of brilliance? Yes. But what’s their DNA? They used to have one under Gareth Southgate but it’s impossible to discern now. They have become a team of moments, rather than momentum, and their next opponents, Switzerland in Dusseldorf on Saturday, are a team of momentum with individuals like Granit Xhaka also capable of special moments. Maybe Bellingham’s will have an uplifting, cathartic effect on the squad, bonding them into a considerable force.
**
Teams evolve. Tactics change. It was smart of Southgate to show his squad a film of how England’s line-up changed during the journey to the 1966 World Cup glory. The presentation reminded the 26 that anyone can play a part in the odyssey, and so needed to be ready. As England opened against Uruguay in 66, Jimmy Greaves and winger John Connolly began the World Cup; nine of the final XI played. In the second game, against Mexico, Alf Ramsey still deployed a winger, this time Terry Paine for Connolly while Martin Peters came in for Alan Ball; 8/11. Against France, Connolly for Paine: 9/11. Against Argentina in the quarter-final, the Wingless Wonders finally take off. Ball, unimpressed with missing the last two, returned in full energic style and replaced Connolly while Geoff Hurst made his tournament entrance. The rest is history. Fast forward, 58 years and Kobbie Mainoo makes his first start in Euro 2024, only his third for his country, and helped Declan Rice well in midfield. Southgate also made the point that his substitutes all contributed, the likes of Eberechi Eze in and out of possession.
And a special word for Aaron Ramsdale, who is not likely to play a single minute out here in Germany, but gets on the pitch before kick-off, goes into Jordan Pickford’s penalty area and warms England’s No 1 up until almost the first whistle. The bond between two individuals is very clear, from the selfless work that Ramsdale puts in to the embrace they then share before kick-off. It reflects the good characters in Southgate’s squad.
**
Ivan Toney. The striker sums up Southgate’s argument of starters and finishers. Toney made a real difference when he came on. He distracted Norbert Gyomber and helped create space for Bellingham’s pyrotechnics. Toney provided the assist for Kane’s winner, delivering the type of headed ball that he knew was perfect for another forward.
**
Changes. Ezri Konsa, possibly Lewis Dunk, probably replaces the suspended Guehi, who will be missed. One of the debates this week will be should England go 3-5-2, use Saka as a left wing-back, get Palmer in the side and start Toney alongside Kane. Saka’s versatility was on parade in Gelsenkirchen, right wing, left-back, left wing-back, right-back. Could he start left-back? That would allow Palmer in. Can Luke Shaw be anywhere near fit enough to start against physically and mentally strong opponents like the Swiss? That would be a gamble. At least Southgate does have options. He has to get them right.
**
More affairs of the heart. England’s official allocation was 6,500. 48,013 tickets were issued for Arena AufSchalke, the gate was 47,244 and at least 20,000 were English, probably more. Even if there’s an uneasy truce with Southgate now, the backing for the team is phenomenal, whether as they run out, during the deafening National Anthem (although still some No Surrender), the Foden and Saka songs or renditions of Hey Jude. Outside the ground, England fans borrowed the megaphones of friendly stewards to get songs going. Some players feel the weight of expectation from fans as heavy. But really it should lift them, and they will need them to survive dark, difficult moments against the Swiss.
As you say teams change and evolve during competitions. But Gareth is very resolute. For the four games so far he’s picked 10 out of 11 to begin a game. To his immense credit Gareth has managed to get his players on his wavelength and ideas ——which they have subscribed to wholeheartedly. It’s Declan Rice’s partner who has had to suffer the most. Poor Trent Alexander Arnold, Conor Gallagher and Kobi Mainoo have almost been sacrificial victims for what is presumably the missing Kalvin Phillips place. It seems Gareth will change and try new tactics but, my, at what a glacial pace.
Behind him is a bureaucracy of men in track suits poring over a compendium of iPads, folders, charts, lap-tops, possibly even a Panini album of foreign players for all I know. It must feel stifling working in this environment
I’m not sure what style England play. Once a player has possession it’s like which statue should I pass to? The other players lack movement. The nearest I can get to describing their style is as an intermittent measured freneticism. The players in the squad are admirable in that they will stick with Gareth through thick and thin. Jude Bellingham is a case in point. He’s been mostly invisible throughout the various games. If he was playing elsewhere he’d be more improvisational. That wondrous goal of his would not have been attempted in the first half or for that matter the second. Until then he’d slavishly followed instructions. Only in the 95th minute did he think he could try something out of the ordinary. Perhaps he didn’t feel he would be held accountable for any misdemeanour of not following orders.
Most tellingly of Gareth’s tactics is that Kane and Bellingham were subbed after scoring. Then on with the subs. What would have happened if it had gone to penalties without the two best penalty takers? Is it timidity, caution or sheer fear of the spontaneous.
Maybe the spark has been ignited and future performances will improve on what we’ve seen so far. Winning cautiously is all very good. It might satisfy the mind but it doesn’t stir the heart.
I want to enjoy the England matches, not endure them.
I have always been of the view that Southgate has riches at his disposal. Arguably, an embarrassment. For me Henry your key sentence is, “At least Southgate does have options. He has to get them right.” I am old enough to know that one can insert “Ramsey” for “Southgate” and there you have it.