We’re not very good at playing football.
But we’re good at chiselling out results against teams who often play more skilfully and more intelligently than we do.
In other words, England are better at winning than playing.
So we usually qualify for tournaments & going to Russia is achievable.
That’s why the FA should now hire Gareth Southgate for the next four years.
Myself, I was shocked when Sam Allardyce was appointed to the job he always wanted but should never have been allowed near. He lasted 57 days.
Southgate has now done as much as any Interim Manager can be expected to do.
He’s won his three games.
He’s beaten Scotland 3-0 and that’s England’s biggest victory over the old enemy since 1975, when QPR’s Gerry Francis scored two goals in a match I remember well.
Personally, I doubted whether Southgate wanted the job permanently.
But his body language proves he does.
When England scored their second goal, he lost his inhibitions. He exploded.
After Adam Lallana headed in Danny Rose’s cross, Southgate punched the air in triumph, and spun into an almost-kneeling position in the technical area.
HE WANTS THE JOB AND THINKS HE CAN DO IT!
Southgate is fortunate that foreign club coaches have improved some of his key players.
Jurgen Klopp has transformed Lallana by getting him fit and playing him in midfield, not in a front three, as he was last season. Being smart and two-footed, he can assist cleverly, and also score, by coming from deeper positions.
Mauricio Pochettino has hugely improved Danny Rose, Kyle Walker, Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Harry Kane. All five have now become first choice players for England.
Pep Guardiola has taken the nervous wreck that was Raheem Sterling and given him the confidence to fly in the Champions League.
When Sven was in charge of our so-called “golden generation”, England reached three quarter -finals. We came to regard the last eight as our level, accepting that we would never be top four in Europe, let alone a World Cup.
But the we nosedived in Euro 2016 and bottomed out by drawing with the worst Russian team anyone has ever seen.
Then, looking scared and clueless, we lost 2-1 to Iceland.
In World Cup qualifying, England are now top of Group F with 10 points from four games.
We are two points above Slovenia, four above Slovakia, five above Lithuania and six above Scotland.
Gordon Strachan gambled recklessly by making eight changes. That made Wembley a death-or glory drama and put too much pressure on individuals in his re-configured side.
Four chances went begging when Scotland were 1-0 down
Grant Hanley mistimed a header a great position.
Scotland, quite simply, wasted too many opportunities to score. When Lee Griffiths should have played in Snodgrass, he decided to shoot from 20 yards, hit Stones’s foot, and saw the ball break gently towards a grateful Joe Hart.
By contrast, England were clinical. Walker crossed, Sturridge headed in. Rose crossed, Lallana glanced in for 2-0, Rooney lifted a pinpoint corner to the near post, Gary Cahill glided away from the goal to convert from a typical Chelsea set-piece.
Three headers, three points.
Overall, England coughed up chances that Spain would gobble up in a serious match.
On Tuesday night we play Spain in a friendly.
Sergio Ramos, Diego Costa, Pique and Iniesta are out, so we may be able to give them a game.
The match has some interesting aspects, which I hope explain tomorrow.
Enjoy your Monday.