Angel delight and other Wembley treats
Ten things we learned from England’s Nations League win over Finland.
1. Angel guardian. Nimbly protecting the back-four was Angel Gomes. He looks tiny, only 5ft 6in, and his shorts flapped around his legs like flags in the wind. But, wow, he’s tough and determined, putting in some strong, well-timed tackles, coming in under the radar on Finland’s No 9 Fredrik Jensen at one point. That low centre of gravity gives Gomes that quick spin away from danger (no comparisons etc but Michael Carrick reckoned Lionel Messi could put in three turns in the time he took to do two). Gomes has a lovely threaded pass between the lines to feet, carrying slight echoes of Paul Scholes. He completed 116 of his 124 passes, 17 of which were into the final third. That positivity embodied what Carsley wants from England. His positioning also allows Declan Rice to push on. Yet it needs emphasising the average quality of the press-averse opposition.
2. A road needed. England have to make sure they don’t drop into League B of the Nations League again. It has helped Lee Carsley settle in against unchallenging opponents but it’s almost friendly fodder again. It’s little preparation for the World Cup. Games against the Dutch, Germans, Spanish and French are what’s needed. England need to get promoted back into League A of the Nations League. At least, unbeaten Greece should provide some form of challenge.
3. Other tests for Carsley to come. The absence of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer made Carsley’s ability to make bold changes easier. Would he have started Anthony Gordon on the left and Jack Grealish at 10 had others been available? Will Kobbie Mainoo, who played well in Dublin, regain his place as Declan Rice’s midfield partner ahead of Angel Gomes? In October’s internationals with Greece at home and Finland, Carsley will have to omit big names and then handle questions from the individuals let alone the media. Carsley will continue working with the FA on how he explains issues in public, something that does not come naturally to him.