England defeated Finland 2-0 in their Nations League game at Wembley on Tuesday to continue Lee Carsley’s winning start.
England registered 24 touches in Finland’s penalty area and more than 300 successful passes in the first half but could not break down Markku Kanerva’s spirited side. Angel Gomes, making his first start, impressed in midfield, while Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish and Trent Alexander-Arnold, after strong displays against the Republic of Ireland at the weekend, all looked dangerous.
Carsley’s side upped the pressure after the break and opened the scoring on 57 minutes when Harry Kane marked his 100th cap with his 67th international goal, followed 20 minutes later by his 68th after lovely build-up from Alexander-Arnold and debutant Noni Madueke. It sealed a comfortable and quietly impressive win for the new-look side.
Jack Pitt-Brooke, Liam Tharme and Tim Spiers analyse the key moments from the match.
A welcome sighting of a fit Harry Kane and an England press
There was an irony to England’s opener against Finland: for all their possession and territorial dominance, it came from a high turnover.
One of England’s biggest problems at this summer’s European Championship was they couldn’t, or wouldn’t, press. Kane’s fitness was dubious and without a fit No 9, high-pressing systems fall apart.
The difference in front-footedness was clear between England, who finished as runners-up, and champions Spain. Luis de la Fuente’s side made 47 final-third regains, the most in the tournament and nearly twice as many as England’s 25.
On Tuesday night, there was the caveat of opposition quality, with Finland ranked 63rd in the world. That said, the last time England were at Wembley, they lost 1-0 to Iceland in their final pre-Euros warm-up game, with the only goal coming when England’s right-side tried to press but were too slow and were carved apart.
Kane celebrates against Finland (Getty Images)
This time, the right-side locked on, closed the lanes to the blue shirts, and Alexander-Arnold won the ball before immediately firing a pass into Kane. Often, people focus on England’s style with the ball, and for all the front-loaded attacking talent of Carsley’s under-21s side who won the Euros last summer, it ought to be remembered that team lifted the trophy without conceding a goal.
In a Premier League era where pressing is now standard, and sitting back is the exception, it’s a side of the game England need to find again.
Liam Tharme
How did Angel Gomes perform on his first start?
Progressing the ball through midfield was a problem for England throughout the Euros. They often looked like a video playing at 0.5x speed.
They lacked a pure possession player to dictate play with zip, pace and vision. Adam Wharton might be that player in the future but right now, could it be Angel Gomes?
The first player to start for England while playing for a French club since Trevor Steven of Marseille 32 years ago enjoyed a confident, accomplished first senior start at Wembley.
Sure, it was only against a limited and defence-minded Finland, but they were set up in a similar manner to the opponents who frustrated England in the early stages of the Euros.
Gomes constantly wanted the ball. He moved it briskly and crisply, he played on the half turn, he showed creativity in the final third when creating two opportunities for Kane, he was light, neat, nimble and in control of not just the football but the bigger picture, too.
He carried the ball and tenaciously won it back in a couple of snaps to get England on the attack — and he allowed Declan Rice to push further forward where he was effective around the Finland box.
Most importantly, he passed with purpose; this wasn’t just moving the ball for the sake of it. There will be much tougher tests, but on a familiar night for England against deep-lying opponents, Gomes offered something fresh and exciting.
Gomes looked assured on his first senior start for England (Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Tim Spiers
A low-key game after the intensity of Dublin
International football is not always as dramatic and emotionally charged as England’s trip to Ireland on Saturday. This game was a reminder of what England games are often like as they faced a disciplined and hard-working opponent who came to Wembley without ever really wanting the ball. England had to patiently move Finland around to find a way through.
In Dublin, England stepped into an absolute furnace of an atmosphere but this was a far more sedate occasion. Their players had to create most of the momentum themselves. The creation of the Nations League was meant to guard against this, with teams facing equal opponents, but England’s relegation into the B groups will consign them into more games like this.
Finland battled hard but were outclassed by England (Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
They only have themselves to blame and need to get back into the A group soon. Many of England’s World Cup qualifiers next year will follow this pattern too, so it is a skill Carsley’s England will have to hone. It is as much of an integral part of international football as coolly performing in a hostile away game.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
Is Trent Alexander-Arnold the big winner of this international break?
The biggest winner of this international break — other than Carsley himself — might just be Trent Alexander-Arnold.
He never looked fully settled under Gareth Southgate, always knowing that Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and even Reece James were ahead of him in the queue at right-back. The fact that he played in central midfield at the Euros underlined the fact that he was never going to get in the team in his favoured position. But he has started both of Carsley’s games so far at right back, and is now very much in possession of the shirt. In Dublin on Saturday he was excellent at picking out Anthony Gordon’s forward runs.
(Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
Here at Wembley he did his best work driving clever forward passes to Kane, the sort of passes Walker or Trippier would not play. The first few were cut out by last-ditch tackles but he kept doing it. When he freed Kane early in the second half he was rewarded with his first assist of the Carsball era. Then when he freed Noni Madueke with an incisive one-two, the Chelsea youngster set up Kane’s second of the night.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
What did Lee Carsley say?
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
What next for England?
Thursday, October 10: Greece (H), UEFA Nations League B, Group 2, 19:45 (GMT), 14:45 (ET)
Recommended reading
(Top photo: Getty Images)
Read the full article here