Gareth Southgate substituted Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, and Jack Grealish in the 71st minute of England’s win over Iran. They are not ordinary substitutes; rather, they are the manager’s finishers, brought on to up the tempo and close off the game. They made a difference and could do so again on Friday against the United States.
Gregg Berhalter’s team failed to contain Wales in the second half because their endurance was drained, and a late penalty was awarded due to Walker Zimmerman’s fatigued challenge on Gareth Bale.
If the United States runs out of steam in the same manner, they could face an even more difficult fourth quarter against England’s bench.
The starting are responsible for executing the game plan, while the substitutes enhance the tempo by 15 to 20% and complete the task – Southgate has many alternatives. Finishers play a crucial part in the modern game, maximizing the head coach’s resources.
They offer vigor and numerous goals for England. It is one of England’s greatest strengths that they have a substitute of Foden’s caliber available.
Southgate would have taken a 6-2 victory over Iran if it had been provided. I certainly would have. There were numerous positives, but he was concerned about surrendering two goals because tournament football is all about clean sheets.
On Friday, he would instruct his players not to become complacent. They were the two flaws in an otherwise excellent performance that established dominance.
The fact that Southgate selected a veteran team shined through. Fitness permitting, it is unlikely he will make too many modifications. I would have chosen Foden over Bukayo Saka, but Southgate’s decision was justifiable. The side counter pressed effectively and immediately regained possession of the ball.
However, I could see Foden starting against the United States. He is a skilled player who can take several touches in confined areas and against the intensity of the United States press, which could be important for finding the spaces they may leave behind.
It was exciting to see Jude Bellingham released in the middle of the field. He was permitted to express himself, move forward, and be himself. As England advances, Bellingham’s position may become more defensive, but he made the most of the opportunity to be aggressive against Iran, and it may do the same for the United States.
Everyone was aware of how Carlos Queiroz’s squad would approach their match against England: they would be compact and difficult to defeat. England had to earn the right to break them down, and it took until the 35th minute for Bellingham to score the game’s first goal with a header.
Bellingham would punch a pass between the lines to put England on the offensive, Raheem Sterling, Saka, and Mason Mount all found good pockets of space, while Kieran Trippier and Luke Shaw provided width.
At this level, possession dominance in the final third is insufficient. It is vital to move teams from left to right and create spaces for them to work. Then, as the game continues, it is possible to extend them in the opposite direction.
When the game is spread out, England has numerous possibilities for exploiting space in the rear. Wales attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to exploit the USA’s lack of speed at center-back.
I understand why Rob Page put Bale and Daniel James upfront because Tim Ream and Zimmerman are not the quickest, but the United States press prevented the ball from reaching them in the first half. The England squad possesses plenty of speed, which they intend to utilize to threaten.
Kieffer Moore should have scored from a corner kick, and Matt Turner was tormented by corners for the United States in their match against Wales. England’s set pieces were a strength against Iran. Harry Maguire should have been awarded an early penalty after being taken to the ground, and since then, penalties have been granted with a gentler touch.
This is one of the reasons I chose him for the opening game. Many people questioned the decision to select him, but my justification is that 30 percent of goals result from set pieces – it is a tremendous weapon.
When Manchester United signed Maguire, it was owing to his superb aerial duels. He has always posed a threat in attack and is crucial in defending set-piece situations. They should capitalize on the fact that England appears to be a dangerous and physical squad in the penalty area.
People should not undervalue the difficulty of the opening game in a big tournament. Argentina, one of the favorites, lost to Saudi Arabia. They were under pressure due to great expectations at home, but they were unable to complete the task against lesser competition.
Monday’s performance against a team intent on making things extremely tough merits a great deal of praise for England. Now they must maintain momentum, as momentum is crucial.
