The longer England’s malaise goes on, the more this begins to feel like a weird mesh of previous tournament disasters. After almost a decade of positive vibes and considered, thoughtful management under Gareth Southgate, the end is threatening to unravel in a way that was supposed to have been consigned to the past.
Never before have England looked so dysfunctional and misshapen under Southgate. Watching them labour to their 1-1 draw with Denmark at the Frankfurt Arena, it was hard not to conclude that it could have been Sven Göran-Eriksson, Fabio Capello or Roy Hodgson in the dugout. The only difference, perhaps, was that Sven’s “first half good, second half not so good” line did not even apply to this display. Confused, timid and exhausted, England were second best long before half-time.
Perhaps the one saving grace is that loyalty to Southgate makes a repeat of the John Terry-style mutiny from the 2010 World Cup unlikely. Otherwise, though, this is a journey through past flops. It could be something out of the 2002 World Cup, when Eriksson paid for his reliance on the unfit David Beckham. It could be the 2006 World Cup in Germany, when an injured Wayne Rooney erupted and the supposed “golden generation” struggled to break from their 4-4-2 cage. There is the fear and stodginess of Capello’s 2010 effort and the oddity of Hodgson in 2014 and 2016, when a cautious manager set aside his conservatism and crammed in too many attackers.
England were meant to have become more clinical. Instead Southgate, having spent much of his time in charge being driven by process, appears to be making things up as he goes along. He is reaching for solutions and control is slipping away. England remain likely to win Group C, but they are not ready for a difficult knockout match.
Southgate is culpable. Some circumstances have gone against him – Luke Shaw’s injury, Harry Maguire’s absence, the decline of Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips – but managers have to adapt. Southgate has met the challenge by making England less than the sum of their parts.
Harry Kane has been neutered. The midfield is all over the place. Phil Foden is ineffective on the left flank. Actually, there is no left flank. It is an incredible oversight by Southgate. Shaw has not played since February. His replacement, the 33-year-old Kieran Trippier, is right-footed and out of form. What is the plan here? Trippier never opens up his body when he receives a pass and the imbalance was obvious during England’s warm-up match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.