England kick off their UEFA Nations League campaign when they face Spain live on Sky Sports on Saturday night, but will Gareth Southgate find a solution to their open-play creativity issue?
England defied expectations with their run to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia, scoring more goals from set-pieces than any other side before they were eventually knocked out by Croatia.
Their potency from dead-ball situations proved a major weapon on their route to the last four, but it also masked deficiencies elsewhere.
England vs Spain
September 8, 2018, 7:00pm
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Over the course of the entire tournament, England only managed 10 shots on target from open play – and four of those came in the third-place play-off against Belgium. In their knock-out ties against Croatia and Colombia, they did not even manage one.
The statistics underline a long-standing issue. England don’t have a history of producing creative players. And while Southgate and his coaching staff deserve credit for finding ways to play to their strengths in Russia, the challenge now is to improve on their major weakness…
Who can help?
The problem, though, is that England are not blessed with players capable of picking apart stubborn defences. At the World Cup, the midfield was comprised of Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard. There is no shortage of talent among them, but their strengths do not lie in defence-splitting passing.
Henderson anchored the midfield well in Russia, while Alli and Lingard both chipped in with goals, but there is no ready-made Kevin De Bruyne figure; no Luka Modric waiting in the wings.
It can be seen in the Premier League. Last season, the top five players for chances created from open play were Eden Hazard, Mesut Ozil, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen and Alexis Sanchez. This year, the only Englishman even in the top 10 is Southampton’s Danny Ings. When it comes to assists, the only Englishman to have provided more than one is James Milner, who has retired from international football.
For those players who could help, there is the issue of game-time. Southgate has described Adam Lallana as England’s most creative player in the past, but he has only played three minutes for Liverpool this season having dropped down Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order. It has caused him to struggle for consistency and made him susceptible to injuries – much like Jack Wilshere.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is in a similar position. The 22-year-old, regarded by many of his former coaches as one the biggest English talents of his generation, is in Southgate’s squad to face Spain and Switzerland, but he has only played 33 minutes in the Premier League under Maurizio Sarri.
Tottenham’s Harry Winks, another English midfielder with an eye for a pass, has only played six Premier League minutes under Mauricio Pochettino this season. It’s little wonder Southgate describes playing time for English players as one of his “biggest concerns”.
The next generation?
England’s youth teams offer hope. They have enjoyed an unprecedented period of success over the last two years, winning major tournaments at U17, U19 and U20 level and topping the scoring charts on a regular basis. Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho are among the creative players to stand out, but are they ready for the step up to the senior side?
Southgate feels it’s too soon. “What have they done to warrant an England senior call-up?” he said when asked about the absence of any “kids” from his squad to face Spain and Switzerland.
“We’re as excited by them as anyone else but given the profile of some of those lads at the moment we’ve got to be really careful. I think those guys have got a good mentality and can cope with most things but there are issues. How much are they going to play for their clubs? So if I’m going to elevate them internationally, I have to ask if that’s realistic.”
Are there any other candidates? Wilshere is struggling to recapture his best form at West Ham, with Southgate stating that he is not currently up to England level, but there might be more hope for Leicester’s James Maddison and Watford’s Will Hughes.
Neither player was named in Southgate’s latest squad, but both have started the season impressively. Maddison has been watched by Southgate, and the England boss has also opened the door to Hughes, who has been a key figure in Watford’s winning start to the season.
Both Maddison and Hughes will hope to get their chances in the future, but when it comes to Spain on Saturday night, it’s down to Southgate to find solutions from the current squad. It is a far from straightforward task.
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