Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Day 5
Tunisia vs. England
Plenty to discuss, lets start with VAR and get that out of the way. I just don’t understand this system at all, or at least I don’t understand the utilization of the system. So back in the dark ages, prior to technology, there was no system available to review controversial decisions and make amends for mistakes that were influencing the outcome of important games. I’m an advocate of technology, I like it when games are arbitrated by football and not decided by referee decisions. But back in those dark ages there was no method to resolves those mistakes. There was a method, but just a blanket refusal to deploy such a simple resolution.
And then things changed when VAR came in, and there is it, finally a method where game-changing decisions can be reviewed and corrected. Yes, corrected. But now this is worse. The system is in place but its not being used. Previously football chose not to have it; now football does have it, but they don’t use it. I’m baffled by this.
England should have had two penalty kick for fouls on Harry Kane. TWO. The wrestling was way too aggressive, certainly more aggressive than Kyle Walker’s discretion; dumb it may have been but aggressive, no way. Kane was two assault charges, but nothing given. You can hide behind the terminology of VAR usage, but the bottom line is that two wrong referee decisions were not corrected. The system is not being used correctly.
Okay, to the game, the synopsis of England.
I don’t understand why England fans, England pundits and England players are so pleased with this outcome. I didn’t see anything to suggest that England are moving in a positive direction and the celebratory attitude after narrowly beating Tunisia is a massive over extension of what the team just delivered on the field.
11minutes in and England should have already been two or three goals ahead. But they weren’t. And the reason was that their finishing was juvenile, almost amateurish. The chances blown were so poor it was confusing how this was even an international football match. England’s finishing was only matched by the negligent defending that Tunisia adopted, which ultimately cost them the game. The way Tunisia defended Harry Kane in the 90th + minute from a set-piece corner kick made me so angry, it was so irresponsible; and I’m glad that Tunisia lost because of it, that defending deserved defeat.
Despite a buoyant but unsuccessful opening England then just capitulated, frequently confusing unopposed possession in their own half with dominance. I was just begging for one of the 3 central defenders to step out and join the attack, break some pressure on the dibble every once in a while rather than pass backwards, we’re getting bored here. It rarely happened. The second half correction saw a little more adventure from the back three into midfield and sometimes even higher, but where was this attitude when the supremacy of the opening 11minutes was ripe? Tactically a wasted opportunity not ceased upon. Maybe this is game-day coaching versus mere preparation, decision-making versus planning, having a touch for the game versus referring to your session planner.
England had dominance against their ball delivered from wide, more than often the first crossed ball was won, it would lead to the first goal. The England header won and Kane doing what Kane does better than anyone, following in to score a simple rebound goal. So simple you wonder why more players don’t try the same thing. But this method of attack from the wide crossed ball was not utilized by England enough, and certainly not utilized effectively. I disagree that Tripper’s delivery was good. Occasionally at best, but certainly not all night, which was disappointing as I think tactically that showed to be England’s best chance at success.
Finally, the attacking midfield line is a disaster. I’ve never been a Lingard fan, not sure that I ever will be. Dele didn’t do so much. I saw a nice little #10 #9 positional interchange with Kane that almost opened up something nice, but aside of that flurry it was rather basic in movement and in execution. And Sterling so rarely offered in-behind, Manchester City deployment versus England deployment is not the same for him, and so the outcome is not the same. Sterling’s best contribution was to wait for a touch in the back and draw a cheap foul, Tunisia’s defenders often obliged. Irresponsible.
I’m certain that everybody but Gareth Southgate thinks that Rashford should start. I just don’t think that 20minute cameos are fair to him and they are certainly not helping England enough. How much of the Sterling, Dele, Lingard axis do you need to see before you make a change?
I’m also not the biggest fan of right footed left backs, just saying.
So, overall, I don’t really agree with the general consensus that England were pretty good. I would have gone with pretty poor. I don’t think they utilize the 3-5-2 system very well, I don’t think they step out from the back with great execution, and I think the threat in-behind was not effective enough…and all against an inferior Tunisia team. But three points is now nonnegotiable, England won. Tough to argue with that.
By Jonny Carter - Chicago Fire
