Bruce Arena’s plans for the US national team are taking shape and his plans for Christian Pulisic and other young stars were on show against El TriA familiar American phenomenon has been in full force during the rise of Christian Pulisic this past year — for every US soccer fan or writer proclaiming Pulisic as the real deal, there’s been another one fretting about Freddy Adu, and the dangers of too much hope, too soon, being placed on the shoulders of the 18-year-old. It’s a familiar US pastime. And as Pulisic broke open a tense game against Trinidad & Tobago with two goals on Thursday night, the cautionary takes were as abundant as the hyperbolic ones. Related: World Cup qualifier:...
Gareth Southgate found natural width replacing Marcus Rashford with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but substitute Chris Martin nearly won Scotland the gameAfter a Premier League season in which three-man defences have experienced a sudden resurgence, Gordon Strachan surprised England by using that system in an attempt to provide extra defensive security – and succeeded in frustrating Gareth Southgate’s side for long periods. Related: Scotland 2-2 England: five talking points from Hampden Park | Andy Hunter Related: Harry Kane denies Scotland win over England after Griffiths sparks frantic finish Continue reading...
Kieran Tierney, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling impress, and Gordon Strachan does enough to warrant more time despite a shattering finaleThe England support drew unfavourable comparisons between their oldest rival in international football and San Marino, suggesting, impolitely, that Scotland were inferior to Europe’s whipping boys. Below the belt, but given their team’s problems against a committed but limited side it was not an occasion when England were in a position to revel in supremacy despite extending their unbeaten qualifying record to 35 games courtesy of Harry Kane’s injury‑time equaliser. The visitors were passive in the face of a ferocious Scotland start and, despite improving to take a degree of control, another illustration of Joe Hart’s weakness on his left-hand...
Gareth Southgate’s search for a permanent England captain may be over after Harry Kane’s pedigree shone through in denying Scotland victoryIn the end, Harry Kane did almost everything Gareth Southgate had hoped he might. This game had gone, the visitors apparently broken by Leigh Griffiths’ pair of free-kicks, when Raheem Sterling cut inside and flung over one last desperate cross from the left and there, opening up his body in mid-air to meet the delivery as sweetly as he could, was England’s captain to guide home a first international goal in 13 months. The manager leapt into the air, his manic celebrations born as much of relief as delight. He had been at pains to point out that talent, eventually,...
Leigh Griffiths’ majestic brace had Hampden Park daring to dream, but despite a rousing display the lasting impression is of yet more glorious Scottish failureIt probably should not be a shock that new chapters in the extensive back catalogue of glorious Scottish sporting failures are still being written in 2017. How familiar this was; how painfully familiar.Cold analysis should surround Scotland’s concession of two horrendous goals, the kind that undermine international campaigns and cost managers their job. The goals scored by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Harry Kane were horribly reminiscent of the type Scotland have continually shipped in recent times. Another blunt truth is that a point against England probably is not going to be much use in this World Cup...