- England suffered a 2-1 loss to France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar
- England was tipped as one of the favourites in this tournament, but once again, they fell down
- England manager Gareth Southgate has been the talk of the town since then. Should he step down?
Gareth Southgate was the first person to recognize how brutal football is. Nobody intended for this to finish with Harry Kane blazing over the bar in the shimmering desert heat. As it always has been, the World Cup is a mirage.
With six minutes left and behind 2-1 against the world champions, it didn’t seem even remotely likely that England’s fate would depend on a penalty that would be given for the kind of computer glitch that we so infrequently see from Didier Deschamps’ generally dependable France team.
A complete gift, that was. However, despite England’s persistent pressure being repeatedly relieved by the poor calling, it wasn’t any less than they had merited given their persistent pressure throughout the game.
French quality revealed with an impossibly low drive to steal the breath away like icy air, Aurelien Tchouameni and an almost incomprehensibly hot-seeking cross from Antoine Griezmann on Olivier Giroud’s forehead.
Both goals were gut-punching blows from Les Bleus, but they weren’t strong enough to fully demoralize a bunch of English players who remained resolute in the face of the proverbial big moments that England was dismissing at the door.
Gareth Southgate’s future as England’s manager is uncertain after their quarter-finals loss in the 2022 FIFA World Cup to France. | PHOTO: Sebastian Frej |
Whenever they heard the words “not tonight, guys,” they forced their way back through the line wearing a different sweater and a renewed sense of self, longing, and belonging on that pulsing, spot-lit stage.
The fact that England didn’t force extra time is due to their 84 per cent career penalty taker and joint-leading scorer all-time missing from 12 yards.
Richard Keys, a man who only makes decisions in the future, believes that someone else ought to have taken it. Probably him, given the remarks made following Japan’s penalty shootout loss to Croatia.
“I used to walk with my chest out from the halfway line, alerting the goalkeeper that I was about to receive a free shot from 12 yards. I wouldn’t be anxious, and I would be anticipating it. “He spoke to Gary Neville, Ruud Gullit, and Andry Gray while exhibiting the same level of self-awareness as a newborn baby who lacks object permanence.
Southgate is not to blame for Kane’s taking the penalty or Kane’s absence. There can be no justifiable criticism of his starting lineup or first tactical strategy, both of which were appropriate and seemed to neutralize France until they didn’t complete.
The finest player at this World Cup, Kylian Mbappe, had little impact. England accumulated 2.41 xG to their opponent’s paltry 1.01 thanks to superior possession, more precise passes, more shots on goal, and more corners.
It shouldn’t matter if 1.58 of that total came from the penalty area. For instance, Tchouameni’s opening shot had a value of 0.03 xG, making it feasible and about as likely as Keysy saying anything genuinely self-deprecating.
The defeat of England casts questions on Southgate’s job security. He had faced a top international team in the knockout rounds of a major tournament before defeats to Croatia in the semifinals of the same competition four years ago and to Italy in the Euro final the previous year. It was still insufficient.
This has been used as a stick to bash him with because England has been little more than a bully on the flat track despite playing far weaker competition during their runs at these events. When urged to pick on someone his own size, Southgate could only give up his lunch money and apologize.
England manager Gareth Southgate. | PHOTO: The Sun |
He finally did it in opposition to France. The one substitution that leaves a bad aftertaste is the pairing of Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling in place of Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish. Apart from that choice, it’s difficult to think of anything else Southgate could have done to ensure his entry into the semifinals.
Whatever happens, going forward, Gareth Southgate will leave a fantastic legacy as manager of England. From WAGs and washouts to probable men and knockouts, there has been a radical shift.
This is the first England team in a lifetime that matches its brilliance with selflessness and friendship, devoid of ego and intramural conflict, and jam-packed with players who don’t wear the shirt to boost their own sense of pride but to make others proud.
Although it wouldn’t be tragic if Southgate completed the remainder of his contract until 2024, he should end this remarkable journey with the respect that both he and the players merit while he is still basking in the glow of public sentiment that has grown since that initial, soul-crushing disappointment on Saturday night.
The World Cup remains a mirage, as it always was, and the vision brought to reality fades. It’s time to look elsewhere and find it.
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