International breaks usually spoil my weekends and this time it wasn’t any different, barring the totally unexpected smashing England gave the Czech Republic - 5-0!
It was the Raheem Sterling show as he bagged a hat-trick, plus an electric last 20 minutes from substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi, which pleased me no end.
It was a great all round team performance.
I’ve said it for a couple of years now, England have started producing very decent players again and it’s just a matter of time before the current crop start achieving. That is of course if the stuffy knobs at the FA pull back their involvement and allow the national game to move forward.
Is Gareth Southgate the right man for the job though?
He was lauded for his achievements at Russia 2018, but to be honest, I don’t think the Three Lions ever really looked like going the whole way. There were a couple of things missing, one was the immaturity of the side age and experience-wise, the other, the further they advanced in the tournament the more they retracted as a free-flowing, attacking unit.
UNSURE: Kyle Walker, Dele Alli and Gareth Southgate. Photo: Steven Patson
It’s that good ol’ FA-backed regimented style, like a stiff-lipped British aristocrat you just wanna slap it so hard. It’s a strategy that has cost England so many times over the years.
Hold out, hold out, hold out, before inevitably getting undone by a touch of creative flair. Southgate seems to be doing a Sterling job (did that on purpose), but I’m still not completely convinced as we’ve moved into his fourth year at the helm.
Is he the right coach to take this group of promising players the whole way?
Friday’s showing against decent European opposition, plus a debut for Hudson-Odoi (a livewire player with massive potential) is hugely positive, but with a Pep Guardiola, Arsene Wenger or Nuno Espirito Santo calling the shots, could the dream actually be realised?
It’s not rocket science, look who’s topping the best leagues in the world, Juventus ahead of Napoli in Serie A, Barca lead Atletico in La Liga, Bayern and Dortmund are one and two in the Bundesliga, Liverpool are edging City in the Premier League and PSG are streets ahead in France.
Please correct me if you disagree, but all of these clubs are playing a similar style of football. It’s high press, attack-minded and very technical, it’s what Sarri-ball was meant to be.
It needs the right personnel, a great man-manager, tactician and motivator to put it all together.
It’s where the game has gone and it’s the way England played at Wembley that produced such a notable result.
I just hope Maurizio Sarri gets the message, watching his bench boy ripping it with the type of confidence that needs drilling into his side!
Not surprising that the latest gossip says United have “joined the race” to sign him.
Prem is back this weekend.
DEBUT: Callum Hudson-Odoi. Photo: Carl Recine/Reuters
On Saturday Watford travel to Old Trafford, looks like it could be a bit of a tricky one with United having to get back to winning ways.
They’ll need to be on the front foot, but will be wary of the Hornets’ aggressive counter-attacks. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faces a dodgy away trip to Wolves the following Tuesday which will be another test.
Amazing how Wolves and Watford are now considered to be tough games!
It’s gonna be a huge one on Sunday as Spurs face Liverpool at Anfield. A game Tottenham need to win to stay in the race for a top four finish and Jurgen Klopp needs to secure to continue the Scousers' quest for the league title.
You just can’t call it yet.