sport news England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford believes the Three Lions can respond at the ... trends now
Strange as it sounds, one of the most notable memories of recent England games is that of Gareth Southgate standing on the turf at Milan’s San Siro in September being booed by the travelling supporters.
It was a moment to bring you up short. England had just lost a flat Nations League game 1-0 to a rather average Italian side.
England’s fifth game without a win — that run was to extend to six with a home draw with Germany that followed — it was a night that reminded us just how quickly things can change for an international manager, especially if he is English.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford didn’t play that night. He was injured. But asked about it at England’s training base outside of Doha on Sunday, he offered his own explanation.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (left) has backed England's players to execute Gareth Southgate's plans at the Qatar World Cup
Pickford is expected to continue his run as England's number one at the Qatar World Cup
‘It’s what we have talked about before,’ Pickford said. ‘It’s about expectations. They are going to be higher with all the progression we have made over the last four years.’
That is true but does not wholly explain the problems that have followed England east to Qatar.
The fact is England have just played poorly this year. Not poorly compared to how they played in reaching the final of the European Championships two summers ago.
Or compared to how they played in reaching the semi-final of the last World Cup. Just poorly. They have, for example, lost home and away to Hungary.
Southgate has taken just about all of the criticism for this. Wrong tactics. Wrong formations. Wrong substitutions. Wrong attitude.
Pickford has been England's hero between the sticks on countless occasions
He kept England in their Euro 2020 final shootout against Italy before eventually conceding defeat at Wembley
But if England are going to find something better and more familiar within themselves over the four weeks that lie ahead, then it will ultimately have to come from the players.
The team that Southgate is expected to pick to face Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium this afternoon has a total of 469 caps.
It is a team of vast experience. Raheem Sterling — playing at his third World Cup — has 79 caps. Captain Harry Kane has 75. Central defender John Stones has 59 and Pickford himself has 45.
Placed in this context, it is a stretch to expect Southgate to solve problems all on his own. If top players with vast Premier League and Champions League experience do not perform to their best levels, then it does not really matter what formation a manager plays.
‘The manager sets up a team to go and win the games and we have got to execute it,’ agreed Pickford yesterday.
