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Under the management of Gareth Southgate, the England football team is not only playing good football but also with confidence. This is a major difference from the England team of the past managers. With the Premier League being one of the biggest leagues in the world, expectations were huge for the past England teams. And the fact that fans expected more from the golden generation of English players. But now, it is rather different than from the past. With a better plan and game tactics from the manager, this English squad is performing better day by day.
Last night, England defeated the Colombian team in the penalty shoot-out, breaking the 22-year-old jinx of not winning a single World Cup knock out match that went to a penalty shoot-out. Though it seemed as a relief for the players and fans, moreover, it is a victory worth fantasising about a possible World Cup win.
Colombia vs England analysis
Although deprived of their talismanic player James Rodriguez, Colombia threatened the England defence when they got chances. Behind Falcao in the attack, Juan Quintero was brilliant on the ball and always looking for the forward passes. The fact that the England defence comprising of Kyle Walker, John Stones and Harry Maguire did not even faze the Colombian attack made it a gem to watch. The calmness of all the defenders and the goalkeeper made it look very like a different England team than we are used to. Along with the exciting attack headed by the brilliant Harry Kane, this England did not put a foot wrong during the whole match. The nerves were already visible on the players’ faces during the penalty shoot-out, but they ultimately got away with the win. This brings us to the point of how brilliantly Gareth Southgate planned for the team as a whole and not only their captain Harry Kane.
Who’s next for England?
Next up for England will be the pragmatic and hard-working Swedish team. They don’t have Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but they do have the team spirit of winning at all cost. The Sweden team do not have a striker of Harry Kane’s calibre or the youth of Dele Alli, but what they do have is the grit and experience anyone needs to win. There is no doubt that Gareth Southgate will want his attackers to be composed against the experienced and brilliant Swedish defence.
Conclusion
With the brilliant attacking players and a resolute and confident defence, there is no reason as to why this generation of England team can’t win this World Cup. Under the tutelage of Gareth Southgate, this England team is capable of winning a major tournament in the near future, if not this World Cup.
