Brazil’s manager enjoys his visit to Wembley, ‘temple’ of football
Tite discusses Harry Kane and Gabriel Jesus comparisons
England remain a “big team” who have a chance of winning the World Cup with their combination of technical and physical attributes, according to the coach of Brazil.Speaking in a stadium he described as a “temple” of football, Tite talked up his opponent on the eve of the latest glamour friendly at Wembley. Related: Neymar leaves Brazil press conference in tears after friendly win over Japan Continue reading...
Video technology has a strong debut, Argentina are in trouble without Lionel Messi and Ross Barkley continues to occupy the sidelines Related: Wilfried Zaha hits back at Southgate’s ‘timescale’ claim over England selection Related: Argentina suffer setback in Bolivia after Lionel Messi banned for four games Related: Brazil qualify for 2018 World Cup after Coutinho and Neymar down Paraguay Continue reading...
The Tottenham Hotspur forward showed fine movement and cute attacking play, but just lacked a goal to mark him out as the game’s most valuable performerOn a still, at times rather slow-burn night in Dortmund England did enough to win, ended up losing, but still looked in patches like a team feeling away at the edges of its new shape, exploring with interest some new post‑Rooney attacking gears.By the end they had also received a lesson in how to win, in the importance of cold hard edge in between the grace notes. Lukas Podolski hadn’t really done much by the 69th minute of this match. He touched the ball 30 times in all, chugged about eagerly, perhaps looked a little...
Gareth Southgate’s world is brave and bright; Jake Livermore and Michael Keane show promise in Dortmund, and Wayne who?“We have to think differently and work differently. I’m trying to open their eyes to what we believe is possible.” So said the manager on taking charge for the first time as the permanent incumbent and so he proceeded to oversee a bright and original-feeling England performance. This featured fluid movement, a high press when possible, and a defiance that even after Germany scored on 69 minutes allowed them to keep on playing in this fashion. Too much can be made of fresh dawns when it comes to Three Lions football, of course. But what Gareth Southgate has over his predecessor, Roy...
Without Wayne Rooney the manager can concentrate on creating a side that recaptures the imagination with a strong team ethic and a game planHere we go again. Time to fire up the sirens, unfurl the St George Cross flag and rattle off once more on the charabanc of doomed hope and certain despair. The Gareth Southgate England era has at least been notable for its ability to cut straight to the point. This is already the first England reign to begin rather than simply end with an ashen-faced apology, Southgate spending those first few weeks looking sad and saying sorry for all that stuff with Big Sam, Iceland and pretty much everything else for the last 50 years or so.Six...