England’s World Cup journey continues
England 3 v Senegal 0
Discombobulated; To confuse greatly. Day fourteen of the 2022 World Cup and something is amiss. England have now played four games and in only one of those did they revert to type by regressing into a ponderous creative light method of play. Where are those aimless long balls aimed at an isolated forward which are invariably picked off allowing the opposition to mount yet another attack? It is, as I hinted earlier, all rather confusing and as a consequence the usual nail biting, backs to the wall final half hour has been, for the time being at least, strangely absent.
Has this circumstance come to pass because the current England side is particularly good, or is it because their opponents have been particularly bad? It is possibly a bit of both with Iran and Wales slotting into the latter and the USA and Senegal into the former.
For the first half hour of yesterday’s encounter with Senegal, the West African side made life difficult for their English opponents through the combination of a high pressing game allied to man marking and uncompromising tackling. Sloppy English defending also contributed to some hair-raising moments one of which required a good save by Jordan Pickford to keep the tie level.
But having weathered the early storm it took a moment of brilliance to break the deadlock Phil Foden’s first time lay off allowing Harry Kane the time to set Jude Bellingham galloping through the Senegal defensive line before the Stourbridge wunderkind fed Jordan Henderson who took his opportunity well. Five minutes later the two youngsters combined once again Bellingham’s mazy run on the half-way line allowing him the space to feed Foden whose first time pass put Kane free on goal. From just inside the box the Tottenham striker’s clinical finish gave Edouard Mendy no chance and took him to within one goal of Wayne Rooney’s all-time record of 53 England goals.
The icing on the cake of a dominant England performance came just short of the hour. Breaking down the left Phil Foden’s sublime cross was finished delightfully by Bukayo Saka who chipped the ball deftly over an advancing Mendy. Worn out by England’s superior passing game, Senegal were all but finished, allowing Manager Gareth Southgate the luxury of resting Foden, Bellingham and Saka. It is not meant to be like this.
Post-match plaudits were rightfully adorned on Bellingham whose combination of power and creativity at the heart of England’s midfield is making him such a game changer. But he wouldn’t be doing what he is doing without – dare I say it – Jordan Henderson and Declan Rice who have been tidy in possession and aggressive when not. Foden too is providing the creative guile that has been too often alien to English national teams over the years though I still think he’d be more influential in a central floating role - a la Griezmann.
And so to Saturday’s World Cup Quarter final tie with France, once more at the Al Bayt Stadium. The holders will provide a sterner test than anything thus far. But England have nothing to fear. France are missing key players and look fragile at the back.
Can we dream of another stress-free final half hour?
©Mark Brennand