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Three things we learned from England’s win over Sweden

By Thomas Bradley Alderman

SAMARA, RUSSIA - JULY 07: A lone England fan stands amongst thousands of Russian supporters as they cheer on their team at the Samara FIFA fanfest on July 7, 2018 in Samara, Russia. The quarter final game between Russia is taking place in Sochi for a coveted semi-final place. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
SAMARA, RUSSIA - JULY 07: A lone England fan stands amongst thousands of Russian supporters as they cheer on their team at the Samara FIFA fanfest on July 7, 2018 in Samara, Russia. The quarter final game between Russia is taking place in Sochi for a coveted semi-final place. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) /
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SAMARA, RUSSIA – JULY 07: Gareth Southgate, Manager of England gives the thumbs up during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Sweden and England at Samara Arena on July 7, 2018 in Samara, Russia. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
SAMARA, RUSSIA – JULY 07: Gareth Southgate, Manager of England gives the thumbs up during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Sweden and England at Samara Arena on July 7, 2018 in Samara, Russia. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /

Match management: 10/10

A buzz-phrase of 2018 football, is match management. Southgate is an expert in this area. In essence its definition is: appropriately concluding a game from a winning position. Tactics and fine decision-making are imperative for the system’s accomplishment.

In his column for the Evening Standard, Danny Murphy, assessed ahead of the Sweden showdown that: ‘you keep the ball for the sake of keeping it, just to get a breather’. Murphy refers to a balance between heat coping mechanisms, ball retention and deciding when to press.

This entails a working understanding of your opposition, as well as phenomenal knowledge of your squads depths and qualities.

Organisation is key: every player must be reliable and excellently drilled in the craft of his position and the art of patience. Systematically, each man does his job keenly; therefore providing a difficult shape and mentality to breakdown.

Man management is essential to the formula. BBC Sport indicated just how good Southgate is at motivating, relating to and securing the best from his young team. An element of this is the gaffer’s experience at international level. That too involved dealing with disaster and elimination following his own failed spot kick an a Euro semi-final. Invaluable experience.

I am unsure 5 live’s theory of any old-schooling style manager will now underperform, is correct. I find it difficult to imagine Brian Clough being unable to utilise a form of coercion to obtain power, respect while achieving goals. However, in respect to ‘millennials’: it seems a logical, less imposing character prevails.

Next: Three Lions disprove nasty remarks

Will England progress to the World Cup final?

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