Realists do not require reality checks. England's progress to the World Cup semi-final had not convinced Gareth Southgate that they were among the planet's top four teams. Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Spain rather reinforced that. "I am pretty realistic as to where we are at," the England manager said. "This group of players achieved a result that was beyond where we were at the time."
If England benefited from a favourable draw in Russia, it feels as though Group 4 of the Nations League was designed to highlight their shortcomings. A side without a proper playmaker have been pitted against two countries, in Spain and Croatia, with a surfeit. Without the retired Andres Iniesta and David Silva and the dropped Koke, Spanish trio Sergio Busquets, Saul Niguez and Thiago Alcantara still ran the game at Wembley. England may yet have got a draw – Danny Welbeck's injury-time leveller was wrongly ruled out – but Spain's superiority was apparent for long periods.
Perhaps there was a role reversal in elements of a match where England scored from a passing move that began at the back and spanned the length of the pitch, and Spain, courtesy of Rodrigo Moreno, claimed a winner from a free kick. England, the World Cup’s set-piece experts, were beaten at their own specialist subject. Yet a first competitive loss at Wembley since 2007, as England suffered three consecutive defeats for the first time since 1988, came in more familiar fashion: they were out-passed and outclassed.
“We aren't able to keep the ball well enough when we are pressed extremely hard,” Southgate said. He has ruled out a return to the dark days of direct football. The remedy is improvement, but hampered by personnel restrictions.
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Read more:
Report: Harry Kane says ref 'bottled it' after England denied late equaliser against Spain
Richard Jolly: Southgate's England challenge: to ensure a rise is not followed by a fall
Ian Hawkey: Uefa Nations League - a welcome addition or calendar clutter?
Explainer: the Uefa Nations League, how it works and fixtures in UAE time
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Southgate bypassed the absence of an English Thiago or Luka Modric for much of the World Cup, using dead-ball expertise, systemic cleverness and defenders who were comfortable in possession. Yet Spain formulated an answer to that shape, turning Southgate’s 3-3-2-2 formation into a 5-3-2. Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard were turned from off-the-ball runners in possession to men less adept at tracking back and impersonating defensive midfielders. Spain engineered a situation where their full-backs, Dani Carvajal in particular, were often the spare men. It was telling that the Real Madrid right-back set up Saul’s equaliser.
If Luke Shaw was partly culpable then – and the Manchester United left-back’s eventful return to the international scene culminated in a head injury after a collision with Carvajal – his inch-perfect pass for Marcus Rashford’s opener represented the highlight of England’s night. Encouragement could be drawn from the way two who came into the starting 11 offered most cause for optimism. It underlined that Southgate’s model of evolution, not revolution, represents the sensible approach. England cannot magic a Thiago into the team when there is none.
They had a different sort of pedigree. Yet while Harry Kane was presented with the World Cup Golden Boot, he scored more goals in Russia than he completed passes on Saturday – six to five, for those who were keeping count. Two of those five nevertheless led to chances for Rashford, one a goal.
But his six goals in Russia came against Tunisia, Panama and Colombia, and while the South Americans were overcome on penalties and Sweden beaten in the quarter-final, England have arguably not beaten a top team in Southgate's reign. Depending on the definition, they have not defeated one of the established powers in a competitive game since they faced Argentina in the 2002 World Cup. Having rewound the clock already this summer, Southgate needs to again in the autumn. At least he should be under no illusions about the difficulties.
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
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Match info
Huddersfield Town 0
Chelsea 3
Kante (34'), Jorginho (45' pen), Pedro (80')
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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ABU DHABI CARD
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions; Dh90,000; 2,200m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 1,400m
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden; Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh100,000; 1,600m
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh125,000; 1,600m
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1; Dh5,000,000; 1,600m
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
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Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0
De Bruyne (70')
Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan