Southgate’s England beat the Croats to open the last Euros, the Balkanites haven’t changed or improved much since, since most of them are still there.
The first half was typical Tuchel England. Slow ponderous lacking in any teamwork, from a typical Tuchel team. Madueke, do me a favour. Puts in one decent cross, no one on the end of it, never does it again, has plenty of chances but has to stop and dither into a defender.
Gifted the opener by Modric, no one wants to see Kane Eze a penalty. Don’t fanny about Harry. No, you don’t prance your runup on the hope the keeper comes off his line. The retake was the way to do it.
England and Kane’s second just highlighted one of the main problems with the players Tuchel pick. It was the one and only time someone put a high ball into the area anywhere near Kane’s head. And he powered the header into the net. It came from a corner, certainly won’t happen from open play. Well, one reason they don’t do it, no personal glory if Harry scores, but there is if you cut inside and hit a swinger into the net.
Great positioning and run from Kane but they didn’t let him have that freedom again at a corner.
In between those two goals Croatia scored an excellent equaliser, especially for a team that looked a bit clueless and lacking. Funny when Kane blocked a shot late on going full frontal on a shot from not very far away, where here Rice dod that “I’m pretending to block a shot, when actually I’m flinching out of the way” half turn.
Just before halftime they equalised again and it just took a lob into the middle of the box. A nod back and bang. Just imagine that defence against a good team.
The second half started with a bang, all action England.
Two minutes in and here’s Christ the Redeemer. Oh England’s saviour. Good run, scuffer of a finish, any teamwork elsewhere?
Down the left Gordon was making run after run, no one was giving him the ball, though what would he have done other than cut inside and have a greedy shot. Like for like change when Rashford came on. He did his one trick, stopped, cut inside and had a shot, got England’s fourth five minutes before the 90 was up.
It was pretty much all England in that second half, making it the best half under Tuchel but as said, that’s a low bar. Now if the play like that against the “lesser” teams in the group, Croatia seen as the biggest test, then they should breeze through, it’s all about when they meet someone of real quality but actually is there any real of real, real quality there?