England’s past has long represented a shadow. Underachievement can generate unflattering comparisons as well as a sense of nostalgia for better times. If part of Gareth Southgate’s success in the 2018 World Cup was to turn much of that on its head and take a less talented England team farther than most of their predecessors, the search for reference points has nonetheless continued.
Jack Grealish's hugely encouraging full debut against Wales on Thursday, coupled with his dribbling skills, prompted mentions of Paul Gascoigne.
“I would love to be like Gazza,” said the Aston Villa captain. A former Villa skipper was less keen for them to be discussed in the same breath. It was not a criticism.
“Jack had an excellent performance,” said Southgate. And yet a teammate of Gascoigne in the side that reached the semi-finals of Euro ’96 added a caveat.
“I am very conscious that I don’t want to be dampening the enthusiasm for Jack,” he said. “When you are talking about Gascoigne, there was not a player in English history that was at that level, in my opinion. I played with [Paul] Scholes, [Wayne] Rooney, [Steven] Gerrard and [David] Beckham who were phenomenal but I just feel Gascoigne is so unique it is a bit like talking about Bobby Moore. You shouldn’t burden young players by tagging them and comparing them with anyone.”
The more immediate assessment of Grealish comes against his peers. The verdict will come on the teamsheet. Southgate may have been slow to select Grealish but that was in part because of the competition for places on the left and, even in the absence of the injured Raheem Sterling, there are two major rivals for his place against Belgium. Grealish flourished in what was essentially a second-string side on Thursday. Southgate can now recall some of his regulars. Now options include Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, who have been in the headlines for very different reasons.
The Borussia Dortmund winger was unavailable for the Wales game after he, Ben Chilwell and Tammy Abraham breached Covid-19 regulations about gatherings of more than six people to attend a surprise birthday party for the Chelsea forward.
Chilwell is out again, but Sancho and Abraham are back in contention.
“That situation is done and we move forward,” said Southgate.
Rashford, meanwhile, has been awarded an MBE for his campaign to get free school meals for children from poorer backgrounds.
“It is an amazing achievement, wonderful for him and his family but he didn’t start this project to get the recognition,” Southgate said. “He started it because he has been affected by it and cared passionately.
"For someone his age to make the difference he has is phenomenal. You can only marvel at what he has achieved and the difference he has made.”
If Rashford is a role model off the field, Belgium provide one on it. Roberto Martinez’s team have been ranked first in the world for two years. They beat England twice in the World Cup, albeit in a group game when Southgate rotated his squad and the third-place match.
Belgium are the early frontrunners in their Nations League pool, beating Denmark 2-0 and Iceland 5-1. England have two fewer points and six fewer goals so far, being fortunate to beat Iceland 1-0 and stuttering in a stalemate in Copenhagen. They will surely have to take at least four points against Belgium to reach a second successive Nations League semi-final.
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England v Wales ratings
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ENGLAND RATINGS: Nick Pope – 7. Claimed a catch confidently with his first involvement in the game and then reacted to smother the ball at Kieffer Moore’s feet. Had very little else to do but was always quick off his line. EPA -
Kieran Trippier – 5. The skipper had a quiet game and found it hard getting involved while hugging the right flank. However, his cross from a free-kick in the second half was inch perfect for Conor Coady to finish. Getty -
Bukayo Saka – 5. Looked nervous in the opening exchanges and was guilty of giving away possession. The Arsenal youngster had very little time on the ball, but he grew into the game and tested Wayne Hennessey in the Welsh goal with a stinging effort. EPA -
Joe Gomez – 5. A quiet evening for the Liverpool man who had little to do before being substituted with half an hour left on the clock. EPA -
Conor Coady – 7. Looked solid at the back and should have done better in the other area in the first half when he blazed over following good work from Saka. He did do better in the second when he leathered home a half volley from Kieran Trippier’s pinpoint delivery. An impressive second cap: captain material. AP -
Michael Keane – 5. England struggled with three at the back initially and Keane often lost Kieffer Moore, who was awkward to mark. Moved to the right side of the three in the second half and looked more comfortable. Getty -
Harry Winks – 5. Was profligate with the ball at times and played deep, meaning the forward line was often exposed. The game seemed to pass him by. EPA -
Kalvin Phillips – 7. Phillips’ cross-field passing was excellent but was sometimes overrun as Wales enjoyed the best of the possession in the first half. Improved in the second and his reading of the game, and his range of passing, will both have been duly noted. Reuters -
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 8. Had the first chance of the game when, after having timed his run to perfection, he rounded Wayne Hennessy but couldn’t find the power in his shot. He did better on 25 minutes when he headed home following Jack Grealish’s cross. Looked likely. AP -
Danny Ings – 7. Started in a wide-right position and connected well with Calvert-Lewin, providing a sublime pass for the first chance of the game. He dropped deeper at the start of the second half and then ended it spearheading the attack, from where he scored England’s third goal with an impressive overhead kick. AFP -
Jack Grealish – 8. On his first England start, Grealish made the first goal and was involved in the second. First, he used quick feet to give himself a yard of space to then cross perfectly for Calvert-Lewin to head home. Moments later, he worked hard at the other end to cover Saka. In the second half, after enjoying a lot of possession, he was fouled, and England scored from the subsequent free-kick. The pick of England’s players on the night. PA -
SUBSTITUTES: Reece James (Trippier, 58) – 6. Looked solid when he came on and gave Matondo very little time to manoeuvre. Getty -
Mason Mount (Calvert-Lewin, 58) – 6. Looked busy when he came on and provided energy for England going forward. Showed the odd neat touch and turn. Getty -
Tyrone Mings (Gomes, 58) – 6. Settled on the left side at the back and one of his first touches was to nutmeg Neco Williams. EPA -
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Saka, 76) – N/A. Ran into the box and his first touch let him down before his shot was blocked. PA -
James Ward-Prowse (Winks, 76) – N/A. The Southampton midfielder worked hard and tested Hennessey from distance at the death. Getty -
Harvey Barnes (Grealish, 76) – N/A. Looked dangerous when he came on and broke into the box on a number of occasions. AFP -
WALES RATINGS: Wayne Hennessey – 7. Made his 92nd cap to level Neville Southall’s record but had to pick the ball out of his net three times. Made a superb save from Saka’s shot in the second half, and another impressive stop from Ings late on. EPA -
Connor Roberts – 5. Got booked in the first half for a late challenge on Saka but always offered a wide option on the right when Wales attacked. EPA -
Chris Mepham – 5. The defender lost Calvert-Lewin and left him unmarked when England opened the scoring. At the other end, his header from a Williams corner failed to trouble Pope in the England goal. Struggled at set pieces. Getty -
Joe Rodon – 6. Started well and had his hands full with Calvert-Lewin, and it took him until the stroke of half-time to win his first header at the Everton man’s expense. Came off at the break. PA -
Ben Davies – 6. The skipper started strongly and always looked lively when going forward. A steady evening. PA -
Ethan Ampadu – 6. Had the enviable task of marking Grealish and stuck tight to his man in the most part. Pressed hard and made a couple of overzealous challenges to let the Aston Villa man know he was there. Was taken off after picking up a yellow card. AFP -
Joe Morrell (left) – 6. Returning from injury, Morrell started well as Wales dominated in the middle, though he was substituted when he tired. Getty -
Jonny Williams –7. Dominated the centre of the park and quite often enabled Wales to have three against two in the centre of the park. Provided great energy. AFP -
Tyler Roberts – 7. Found himself unmarked in the box at the stroke of half time but he saw it late and the ball caught him firmly in the face. In the second half he showed good strength to fashion a shooting chance, but his effort didn’t trouble Pope’s goal. A promising performance. Reuters -
Rabbi Matondo – 5. Got himself into good positions but his final ball often let him down. Managed to evade the back line on one occasion and hit the post as he cut in but was adjudged offside. AFP -
Kieffer Moore – 7. Seized on Saka’s poor clearance and had the first real shot on goal, but his volley finished wide of the post. He looked a danger through the middle and came close again, only for Pope to save at his feet. Did well before coming off and his absence weakened Wales significantly. Reuters -
SUBSTITUTES: Neco Williams (Kieffer Moore, 40) – 6. Looked busy when he came on and linked defence and attack well. Getty -
Dylan Levitt (Morrell, 46) – 5. Got overrun a bit in midfield but stuck to the task well. Reuters -
Ben Cabango (Rodon, 46) – 5. Had a tricky evening in the second half as England attacked. AFP -
Will Vaulks (Ampadu, 62) – 5. His first contribution was to leave Danny Ings unmarked for England’s third. Getty -
Chris Gunter (Roberts, 73) – N/A. Earned his 97th cap and will hope he did enough to add to that tally further next week. PA -
Matthew Smith (Williams, 40) – N/A. Had little chance to show what he could do. Getty
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“Belgium have had an amazing crop [of players] in the last 10 years,” said Southgate. It is all the more admirable from a country of 11 million people. They may have to demonstrate their strength in depth in the absence of the injured Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard, but in Romelu Lukaku they have a striker who scored 41 goals in four years of international football before it was interrupted.
“He is fantastic striker, one of the best in the world,” said Eric Dier, who may be charged with stopping the Inter forward.
Southgate has reverted to the back three he used in the 2018 World Cup for England’s last two games and is expected to retain that shape.
Dier, a midfielder then, has been relocated in the defence but has fond memories of Russia.
He scored the winning penalty in the last-16 shootout against Colombia. It almost made him a national hero, one interviewer suggested.
“Almost?” Southgate said with a smile. “What more does he have to do?”
From Gascoigne to Rashford, English football has provided different sorts of national heroes. But, Southgate would argue, each in his own way.
