Posted: 22:30, 15 June 2022 | Updated: 23:12, 15 June 2022
Those who hope that Gareth Southgate’s gloomy summer in England will lead to a change of approach are likely to be disappointed.
The stigma of being a defensive coach is what the England manager is struggling to change. It makes sense that the national team would benefit from Southgate releasing the handbrake a bit, although the decision to use a more aggressive style against Hungary failed dramatically on Tuesday night.
It remains to be seen exactly how Southgate will react to the 4-0 defeat at Molineux – a humiliating result that ended a miserable 10 days as England failed to win or concede an open game goal in four Nations League games.
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The smart money, though, is for Southgate to double his “safe-and-sorry” style.
“There is a great desire to see an open game, but we saw against Hungary that you have to have the balance of a team properly,” explained Southgate. “You have to make the right decisions.
“With a club, maybe if you are at the top and you have a long time to work with the players, you can play a more expansive game.
But even the top teams, they are so good defensively, they are good in the transition, everyone’s balance is right. So the idea that we can just play with a lot of attacking players and rely on talent to win games is not like that.
“And, you know, that was a reminder to myself against Hungary in the second half that it’s a bet. You go for a bet to try to win the game because you think it’s important. “But what happened can happen.”
Gareth Southgate has stuck to a conservative approach that has served him well in general
The midfield duo of Kalvin Phillips (left) and Declan Rice (right) can be considered negative
All this shows that Southgate starts with two holding midfielders in Declan Rice and Calvin Phillips in Qatar, a scenario that will disappoint many who believe that striker Jude Bellingham should be in the starting lineup.
It means that Southgate will probably prefer the physical ability and experience of Kyle Walker to Trent Alexander-Arnold – the best attacking back in Europe – on the right side of England’s defense. He can also see Mason Mount’s discipline and work ethic being preferred to Jack Grealish’s miserable approach to attack.
And the re-introduction of the five-man defense that served England so well in Russia four years ago should not be overlooked, although Southgate has said he would rather play with four backs.
Whether a conservative approach is appropriate for England remains to be seen. However, it will further alienate some fans who fear that Southgate’s preference for caution over penetration will ultimately cost this group of English players their glory this winter.
Trent Alexander-Arnold remains second choice behind Kyle Walker at right back
Southgate’s rebuffed by England fans after Hungary’s 4-0 win at Molineux
But Southgate has won the right to be trusted. The negative narrative that the coach’s trial approach cost the team in the World Cup semi-final a four-year defeat by Croatia may be true. Likewise, England’s failure to go to the jugular after an early lead against Italy in last summer’s Euro final may have cost the country its first trophy since 1966.
But the fact that England finished fourth in Russia in 2018 and runner-up at Euro 2020 is remarkable.
English football has been in the limelight since Euro 2016 and Southgate’s work to turn this group into a World Cup-winning team with a genuine hope of winning the tournament is indicative of the steps the national team has taken under the age of 51. .
“We have raised optimism and expectations,” Southgate said. “This is understandable, because people assume that there will be progress all the time. But it does not always work that way. “And we know that the competition at the top level is incredibly high.”
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These remarks will not be washed away by a section of fans who believe that Southgate’s tactics are the biggest obstacle to England’s lifting from the World Cup in Qatar in December.
“I will not be able to change my mood in the coming months, I have to accept that,” Southgate said. “It will be a different experience as an England coach that I have not had yet, but for which I was prepared and I knew it could happen at some point.
“It simply came to our notice then. So this is the disadvantage of international football, sometimes you are judged in a short time. Sometimes it can be 10 minutes that change your life.
“I can do nothing with the players now. They need rest. “They have to get out and clean their heads.”
