England suffered a 1-0 defeat to Belgium in their final World Cup group game, setting up a last-16 tie with Colombia in Moscow on Tuesday.
England would have topped the group with a draw thanks to their superior fair play record, but Adnan Januzaj broke the deadlock early in the second half and they were unable to respond.
Gareth Southgate used the occasion to rest key players, making eight changes from the 6-1 win over Panama, so what did he learn from his side’s performance?
Henderson over Dier
One of Southgate’s eight changes saw Eric Dier start ahead of Jordan Henderson in defensive midfield. The Tottenham man was handed the captain’s armband on his return to the side, but his disappointing performance suggests he is unlikely to stay there against Colombia.
Dier struggled from the start, losing possession in his own half under pressure from Marouane Fellaini after just six minutes. His complacency became a theme of the first half, and Southgate will also have noted how easily Belgium’s attacking players bypassed him. According to Opta, Dier did not make a single tackle or interception.
Henderson is yet to be tested against top opposition at this World Cup, but he was one of England’s best performers against Tunisia and Panama. Southgate will surely back him to pick up where he left off against Colombia.
Mixed night for the wing-backs
Southgate swapped both his wing-backs, with Kieran Trippier and Ashley Young making way for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Danny Rose.
Alexander-Arnold performed well in the first half, marauding forward effectively and clearing a Fellaini shot off the line as he became only the fourth teenager in England history to start a World Cup game. Rose had his moments, too, dispossessing Januzaj and earning a free kick from Youri Tielemans with one explosive run midway through the half.
But both players found it tougher after the break. Alexander-Arnold had some difficult moments defensively and his set-pieces were no match for Trippier’s, while Rose was punished for failing to close down Januzaj for Belgium’s goal. Southgate will be encouraged by certain elements of their performances, but he will be expected to return to his first-choice pairing in the last 16.
Loftus-Cheek conundrum
Ruben Loftus-Cheek started his second consecutive World Cup game in the absence of Dele Alli, who is still recovering from a thigh strain, but after a relatively quiet performance in the 6-1 win over Panama, he is still waiting for his tournament to take off.
The 22-year-old showed flashes of his huge potential with two powerful runs through midfield in the second half, but for the most part it was a frustrating evening. He spurned an inviting shooting opportunity when he miscontrolled a loose ball on the edge of the box shortly before the break, and there were more moments of indecision in the second half.
Southgate is one of Loftus-Cheek’s biggest supporters and the Chelsea youngster’s talent is not in question, but he is yet to truly grab his starting opportunities after an eye-catching cameo against Tunisia. Has he done enough to keep his place in the side against Colombia? Fitness permitting, Alli will be hopeful of earning a recall.
Vardy has value
It was a disappointing night for Marcus Rashford, who spurned a one-on-one opportunity midway through the second half, but the man who set up that chance fared rather better.
Jamie Vardy failed to hit the target with his only shot of the evening, but his off-the-ball intensity unsettled Belgium and while he was largely starved of service, his pace was dangerous, too.
The Leicester man latched on to an under-hit backpass from Thorgan Hazard after just two minutes, only to see his cut-back scrambled clear by Thibaut Courtois, and his pressing panicked Roberto Martinez’s side throughout.
He set up Rashford for another chance when he pounced on a loose ball early in the second half, and there were plenty of other examples of him winning possession in Belgium’s half. Harry Kane is an undisputed starter in this team, of course, but Vardy’s industrious showing might have pushed him above Rashford in the pecking order.
He could be a useful asset in the knockout stages.
Reality check?
England were riding a wave of optimism after their record-breaking win over Panama, but this was a reminder that group games against limited opposition will not define their World Cup campaign. Even with their own line-up changes, Belgium provided a far sterner test and England did not have the answers.
They may yet be thankful for avoiding the side of the draw containing heavyweights Brazil, France, Argentina, Uruguay and Portugal, but a last-16 tie with Colombia is another tough proposition. England’s starting line-up will look very different when they step out at the Otkritie Arena in Moscow, but they will have to get the job done without momentum behind them.
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