England defeat to Spain punctures their summer optimism

England returned from the World Cup having reached an unlikely semi-final, but yesterday’s defeat by Spain proves there’s still a long way to go for the Three Lions.

That unexpected semi-final run in Russia had given England fans hope and optimism that their country had turned the corner after the debacle of Euro 2016 and defeat by international minnows Iceland.

However, last night’s opening game in the UEFA Nations League underlined how far England still are from competing with the best teams in the world.

More from Playing for 90

The Three Lions started brightly and took an early lead through Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford.

But Spain responded straight away and quickly drew level after a fine finish from Saul Niguez before exposing England’s defensive frailties at a set-piece to take the lead through Rodrigo Moreno.

That proved enough for the win despite the fact England had a disputed late equaliser from substitute Danny Welbeck ruled out by the referee.

A 2-1 loss to the recent double European and 2010 World Cup winners Spain might not on the surface appear to be that bad a result. But in truth, England struggled to assert themselves in this game and often looked worryingly vulnerable at the back.

On the positive side, the England attack looked dangerous throughout. And Rashford in particular had a fine match showing what he can offer when given a chance by his manager to play a full game.

There were also some promising performances from several players who weren’t part of the England team at the World Cup.

Joe Gomez came into the side at centre-back and looked assured and comfortable at this level. And the return of Luke Shaw before his injury was another welcome sign.

Left-back was one area where the England defence looked lacking in quality and depth in Russia. Ashley Young didn’t do badly but certainly doesn’t represent the future in that position and it’s good to see a genuine full-back with a left foot playing there.

Shaw’s been so unlucky with injuries these last few years and was again yesterday. Hopefully his head injury won’t prove serious as he’s just got back into something like the form he showed before Manchester United paid so much to sign him from Southampton.

Now to the problem areas.

Defensively England proved vulnerable, especially defending set-pieces and this will be a concern for manager Gareth Southgate. As the World Cup underlined set-pieces are becoming just as important in international football as they are in the domestic game.

This always used to be an area where England were strong but they were undone quite easily by Spain last night. Ironically the changes in the modern game have contributed to this.

The increased emphasis on defenders who are less physical and can play out from the back, the difficulties in playing the off-side trap and the greater attention on preventing defenders man-handling opponents, might have made teams more vulnerable there.

Whatever the exact reasons, it’s something that England have to address. The other area where the Three Lions must improve is their ability to keep the ball.

Possession can sometimes be an overrated aspect of the game. But obviously the more you have the ball the less defending you have to do and the greater the chances of creating a goal yourself.

For long periods in this match Spain controlled the ball and played with pace and incisiveness. They always looked like they could up their tempo at will and threaten England.

Too many of the home team’s midfield players are a similar type. Henderson, Dier and Delph are all essentially defensive players.

England lack a player who can get hold of the ball and help dictate the pace and tempo of the game in their favour. And there isn’t anyone on the horizon likey to fill that role either.

Having someone like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlin back from injury will help give the Three Lions greater drive and energy from midfield, but he’s also not a truly creative, ball-playing footballer.