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...
Harry Kane’s ankle injury has exposed an England weakness, with only three forwards in the squad for the games against Germany and LithuaniaWhen England beat Germany in Berlin last March, talk of the emergence of a generation of strikers who could carry them to glory at Euro 2016 did not feel entirely outlandish. Danny Welbeck caused problems with his pace and movement, Harry Kane pulled off a Cruyff turn before his goal and Jamie Vardy scored with a brilliant flick four minutes after coming off the bench. Roy Hodgson had an embarrassment of riches up front. Wayne Rooney was still to return from injury, Daniel Sturridge was fit at last and Marcus Rashford was shooting to prominence at Manchester United.Reality...
Centre-forward Jamie Vardy did not score and missed an excellent chance but epitomised Leicester’s spirit, including goading Samir Nasri into a red cardTowards the end of a relentless, slightly hysterical night at the King Power Stadium Jamie Vardy could be seen punching himself repeatedly in the face. It seemed in the moment absolutely fine; all things considered entirely the right thing to do. He had just scampered 40 yards in pursuit of Riyad Mahrez before whumping his cutback miles over the bar with the goal gaping.Leicester were leading 2-0 at the time. A cool finish would have killed the tie. This was instead a crazed, dementedly adrenal finish. But still the only kind of finish Vardy was ever likely to...
Defeat at Swansea made it 610 minutes since Leicester’s feted forwards last found the net in the league – and the riddle is at the heart of Leicester’s worriesIt may have been defensive lapses that cost Leicester City defeat at Swansea, inflating their relegation worries, but at least as significant is the fact that they haven’t scored a league goal this year, a run that now stretches to 610 minutes. It is a problem with many sources, but the bare fact is that Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, the two forwards whose brilliance was instrumental in them winning the title, simply are not firing.Claudio Ranieri made clear last week he had spoken to both players, trying to coax out of...
Leicester City’s title win was every bit the fairy story, as was Wales’ run at Euro 2016, but England displayed their unerring ability to ruin the moodThe year 2016 was a terrific one for the Premier League and a terrible 12 months for English football. Leicester City’s title success was every bit the fairytale, the perfect antidote to long-held and justifiable fears that ordinary clubs could no longer dream of glory as the bigger institutions and the Champions League elite had effectively ringfenced all the prizes worth winning. Related: A 2016 football moment to remember: Dejan Lovren sets the Kop on fire | Paul Doyle Arsenal and Tottenham are particularly guilty of dithering instead of cashing in on managerial changes elsewhereI've...