ANYONE expecting Gareth Southgate to drastically alter England's approach in Qatar is going to be disappointed.
Just as Pep Guardiola will never stack players behind the ball and Antonio Conte is not about to abandon his wingbacks, so Southgate will not change the tactics which led to success at the last World Cup and Euro 2020.
The England manager will set up his side to be, above all, hard to beat, and any hope that he will suddenly release the handbrake and switch to a topheavy XI, packed with flair players, is wildly misplaced.
Southgate is confident that England will always have more than enough quality to nick a goal - most likely through Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling or a set-piece and is conscious that Didier Deschamps's France won the last World Cup playing cautious football and with a side which ultimately felt less exciting than the sum of its parts.
England are unlikely to be the most exhilarating side in Qatar, but history suggests Southgate's approach is effective when it matters.
Southgate's 26-man World Cup squad, which he named this afternoon, was set to reflect his conservative nature and the way he wants his team to play.
This story is from the November 10, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the November 10, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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