TT BLOG
Clive Hayward – @Byehorse
We delve into the World Cup this week, and review England’s first game of the tournament!
TT MATCH VERDICT
World Cup Group L
England 4 (Kane 12 (pen), 42 Bellingham 47, Rashford 85)
Croatia 2 (Baturina 36, Musa 45)
MATCH SUMMARY
As we came towards the end of 24 opening games in which we have been able to see each of the 48 teams in this bloated World Cup, England produced a performance to savour, having far too much for Croatian opponents who have given us all the trouble we can handle in recent years.
After a slightly slow start, England began to exert pressure in midfield, mugging Luca Modric before the veteran schemer carelessly fouled Noni Madueke for a nailed on penno after 12 minutes. Bayern Bagsman Harry Kane stepped up from the spot, but over-complicated things. His stuttering run up fooled nobody, and the keeper Livakovic made an easy save. But Kane was given a second chance: the keeper had come off his line by 3 inches and there had also been encroachment into the box. Second time around Kane drilled home into the bottom corner, and the Lions were on their way.
We had the best of the first half, but international players can hurt you at any time, and on 36 minutes Baturina brought Croatia level with a wicked strike into Jordan Pickford’s top corner. The Mackem Blue did well to get a hand to it.
After a Premier League dominated by set-pieces, England produced a simple one to rapidly go back in front. Kane hung back at a corner and planted an unchallenged header past Livakovic on 42 minutes.
Without looking brilliant, England had got themselves back in front at an important time. But injury time brought another Croatia equaliser, with Musa (not that one) profiting from an intelligent knockdown.
Evidently there were harsh words in the dressing room, and whatever was said bore fruit because England dominated the second half.
4-2 greatly flattered Modric’s men. There were chances for Kane to get his hatty and twice Nico O’Reilly eluded markers in the box. His first header went wide and the second straight at the keeper, but mark my words this boy will be England’s left back for a decade and will score a lot more goals than Stuart Pearce managed.
Only 2 minutes had elapsed before Jude Belllingham showed his class and justified his selection with a high class run and finish off the right. Many opportunities came and went before sub Marcus Rashford scored an archetypal goal for him: with a little time and space he chopped left to right and curled in an expert finish.
Tougher tests await Tuchel’s men, but this was a fantastic start. It’s feet up and then back on the training ground before they face Ghana next Tuesday.
PLAYER RATINGS
Pickford- 7.5 The only member of the team not to have won a trophy but rightly a fixture between the English sticks. No chance, for me, with either goal. If I’m being picky, his distribution was sometimes a little hesitant.
James- 8 Not necessarily my cup of tea and arguably not the best player in his own family, but the Chelsea right back did little wrong on his recall to the biggest stage.
Konsa- 7: Trusted at centre back ahead of the higher-profile Gueyhi and solid enough
Stones- 7: Is he quite the player he was? Probably not, and he has been shown the door at Man City, but a competent night from the Pride of Penistone.
O’Reilly- 8: I can’t get enough of this lad. Tall, quick, aggressive: I think he’s got the lot. Ashley Cole on steroids.
Rice- 8: One of the two deeper lying midfielders, Rice covered every blade of grass and his corner was on the money for England’s second goal.
Anderson- 8.5: If he starts next season at Forest I’m a Dutchman. He gave a performance that would see him walk into any Oranje team. His tackling and passing were excellent
Madueke- 8: Seized his chance on the right wing and his pace and skill had Croatia in a muck-sweat all night.
Bellingham- 8: He’s class. He knows it, we know it and Real Madrid know it. Stepped up big time with a goal that settled any nerves and left the defenders for dead.
Gordon- 5: A stroppy little bugger at the best of times, he can normally be relied on to scrap away down his left flank, but he showed us nothing last night and was fortunate even to reappear for the second half.
Kane- 8.5: You probably can’t go under the radar playing for one of the greatest club sides in the world, but he is often out of sight out of mind whilst the Premier League publicity machine predominates through the winter. Make no mistake, he is still operating at full capacity. As well as his goals last night, he showed a willingness to work hard, sometimes dropping back to slide balls through for our speed-merchants, and he produced an important block when he had somehow found himself last man in the second half.
SUBS:
Rogers (for Rice, 72)- 8: The Villa livewire has had an electric season and was very unlucky not to start last night. He surely has a big role to play in this longest of tournaments.
Rashford (for Gordon, 72)- 9: As a Leeds fan it takes a lot for me to say this, but I love the way Marcus goes about it. The Barca forward is equally at home on the wing or at centre forward, and he reminded us all of his class last night.
Saka (for Madueke, 72)- 8: Not risked as a starter, but had an immediate impact when introduced and it was his raking ball to Rashford that made the fourth goal.
Spence (for Bellingham, 79)- 8: Djed won many friends in his season on loan at Elland Road, and he must be gutted to have returned to a smaller, struggling North London club. I’m sure he’ll get over it. Unlucky not to score when bursting through on the keeper late on.
Guéhi (for John Stones, 87)- 7: The game was well and truly won by the time the God bothering homo-sceptic centre back came on. His omission from the starting eleven had been a surprise.
POTM
Harry Kane, for me. England’s Captain Fantastic produced a dominant display in a game which I had confidently predicted as a tight 1-1 draw.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Take your pick. Anderson has bloomed into a high-class midfield presence. Rashford reminded us of his abilities and Madueke excites me.
TACTICS
Tuchel employed a 4-2-3-1, a formation Torquay fans have grown to know and love over the last couple of years. The squad has the technical ability to use a slow build-up when needed, but there is pace and flair aplenty too. I’m not totally sold on our ability to keep high class teams out, but maybe this is the year when we finally “score one more than you?”
THE OPPOSITION
There is lots to like about the team from the prettiest part of the Balkans. Since gaining independence, Croatia has consistently turned out good players and their national teams are often greater than the sum of their parts. Has Luca Modric played one year too many? They were quite easy to get at last night, but that might be more credit to England.
THE OFFICIALS
Nothing bad. In general it’s been a reasonable tournament so far. VAR doesn’t seem to be over-used and refs are often letting the game flow. Keep it up!
KEY MOMENT
Bellingham’s goal must have been a killer for opponents who had just about managed to stay in the game at half time. It was always going to be a long second half after he slotted his shot home soon after the restart.
CONCLUSION
We mustn’t get carried away. France are clearly a huge threat and Spain will have Yamal and Williams back soon. Never underestimate the Argies, especially in the heat, and Mexico may lie in wait in the last 16: what a game that would be and an opportunity to lay those Azteca ghosts 40 years on from The Hand of God.
But 4 goals in one of the only matches so far between two good European teams is a hell of a start.
COYLions
COYY – Clive
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