England watch - Southgate watch
Not a lot here really care, but here goes
The majority of England's best players who if used correctly, as they operate for their clubs could potentially actually give England a faint hope of Euro glory all play a well orchestrated and coordinated aggressive front foot pressing games for their clubs - Their was no sign of Southgate or his coaches using or attempting to use these players high level of ability at this in this evenings games
The majority of England's best players who if used correctly, as they operate for their clubs could potentially actually give England a faint hope of Euro glory are all used to playing with a front 3 with 2 wide/inside forwards of great ability and pace, who make frequent runs in behind to stretch opposition defences and frequently look to release these players early and play very direct to release them when the opportunity to do so is on - Their was no sign of Southgate or his coaches using or attempting to use these players high level of ability and familiarity with playing this way in this evening's game, despite England having a plethora of wide/inside forwards who can operate in this exact way
England Captain Harry Kane, has in the last 2 years developed himself into more of a playmaker forward, he is still devastating and deadly with his finishing in the box and just outside the box, but his game now is most frequently to drop off and make the play before getting into the box, supported by 2 wide/inside forwards or great pace and ability who make runs in behind to be released by Kane - Southgate and his coaches employed Kane as the 1 in a 4231 which hasn't been his game since his ankle injuries that slowed him down a little
Southgate and his coaches set up with a 4231 formation, with no front foot pressing, no runs in behind that rather than play to the strengths of the best players at his disposal, actually made them ineffectual for numerous reasons as follows:
No runs in behind meant barely any opportunities for players with the passing ability to release those players or change the point of attack by using the crossfield pass and switches and diagonals they have in their skill sets and also afforded them less time and space to pick their passes through the wide/inside forwards not stretching the pitch by forcing defenders to run back with them.
Southgate's 4231 saw several players crowding each other out and playing in the spaces other players use frequently to perform at their very best - Grealish and Lindgard were frequently in the space that Kane likes to operate in throughout the entire game - Rather than making runs in behind, Sako and Lindgard persistently came short and blocked the line for passes from deeper, medium and short positions into Kane and were constantly in the space Trent and Trippier use to play at their best and create from, as do Chilwell and James
Pickford playing in a side whose most consistent method of attack throughout the entire season has been the Everton hack man persistently hoofing long balls forward looking for Calvert-Lewin showed up really badly, he didn't once quickly throw the ball short to either full back, on any of the midfielders because, Everton don't have any full backs or midfielders who are very good with the ball in deeper positions
The 2 in the 4231 were literally all over the place and Austria were constantly allowed to find a player in really good space either side of the 2, predominantly on England's left, Bellingham's side, with acres of time and space to try and find a player making a run into the England box on the opposite side, with no midfielder or full back on England's left making any attempt to close the Austrian player with the ball down, another issue with not playing a pressing game.
All in all, on tonights showing from Southgate, for his tactics, formation and understanding of the plethora of highly rated England players he has at his disposal and what enables them to play at the levels they do for their clubs, I can't score Southgate any higher than 2/10 tonight was an absolute managerial disaster class
"If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, i'd close the curtains”
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