England were the World Cup’s set-piece kings but their third-place play-off defeat to Belgium was a reminder of what they lack…
England will leave Russia with their heads held high after a World Cup campaign which captivated the country and reignited enthusiasm for the national team, but when Gareth Southgate sits down to assess where his side can improve, there is one area which will jump out at him.
England’s creativity issues were obscured for much of the tournament. Southgate’s side were not scoring from open play but what did it matter when they were so potent from set pieces? It was only when the opposition became tougher that it became problematic. In Saturday’s third-place play-off, the contrast with Belgium was stark.
Roberto Martinez’s side picked England apart repeatedly in Saint Petersburg, with Kevin De Bruyne the orchestrator. He notched an assist when he released Eden Hazard for Belgium’s second goal, but he could easily have had more if not for Romelu Lukaku’s wastefulness.
Twice De Bruyne split England’s defence with eye-of-the-needle passes to put Lukaku through on goal, and twice the Manchester United striker failed to get the ball under control. It was frustrating for Belgium, but whether it was finding the final pass or constructing counter-attacks from deep, De Bruyne’s vision and execution were close to perfect.
England did have moments of their own from open play, with Marcus Rashford and Eric Dier combining to put the latter through on goal at one point and Ruben Loftus-Cheek showing flashes of inspiration at others, but they leave Russia having managed just 10 shots on target from open play across seven games.
On Saturday, they dominated possession by 58 per cent to 42 per cent, but a closer look at the numbers reveals a crucial difference. The two England players with the most touches were defenders John Stones and Kieran Trippier. Belgium’s were De Bruyne and Hazard. England passed the ball around the back, but Belgium dominated the midfield and had the penetration to match.
It should come as little surprise. In De Bruyne and Hazard, Belgium possess two established stars who ranked in the Premier League’s top three players for chances created from open play last season. England have pace and potential, but they do not have anyone of that ilk and Southgate knew it. “We have tried to maximise the players that we have,” he said afterwards.
Of course, it should not be forgotten that England managed that brilliantly, harnessing Trippier’s outstanding delivery and scoring more set-piece goals (nine) than any other side in World Cup history, but the challenge now is to strike the right balance from open play. In that sense, there are lessons to be learned from Belgium.
“You look at De Bruyne and Hazard and it’s an absolute joy every time you watch them,” Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said on ITV. “The way in which they hold the ball, the way in which they release it, the timing of everything.
“They’ve got five years on Loftus-Cheek and Sterling, but Sterling plays with De Bruyne and Loftus-Cheek plays with Hazard. The English national team have got to make sure that those two players are watching them every day and learning from them to get anywhere near that standard. That’s what England need, they need more quality in the final third.”
Certainly, England’s youthfulness suggests have the capacity to improve. This was perhaps the best chance Belgium’s so-called ‘golden generation’ will get to win a World Cup, but Southgate named the second youngest squad at the tournament. A fourth-placed finish is better than anyone expected and Southgate was eager to stress that point afterwards.
“You look at the number of caps that the Belgium players have and the ages of the squad,” said Southgate. “They are their peak and this is really their big tournament, but we’re nowhere near our peak and we’ve known that right the way through.”
England will hope to use their World Cup experience as a platform to build on. They will hope Loftus-Cheek can go back to Chelsea and hone his game under Maurizio Sarri, and they will hope Phil Foden, Mason Mount and the other promising playmakers from England’s successful youth teams can find the playing opportunities they need, too.
Until then, Southgate must continue to get the best out of what he’s got. Facing De Bruyne at full flight was a reminder of what he is missing.
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