England manager Gareth Southgate took a gamble by naming a number of youngsters in his squad for the friendly matches against Germany and Brazil, but his decision has been justified thanks to some impressive performances.
Southgate is “staging a quiet revolution” by proving to be his own man and showing he will be the manager on “his terms”, says the BBC’s Phil McNulty.
Even though England qualified for the 2018 World Cup, the displays have “hardly been sparkling” since Southgate was appointed full-time a year ago, adds the journalist. However, having worked as the FA’s head of elite development and as coach of the U-21s, the manager knows the players in the England system and is not scared to give them a chance at senior level.
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Southgate’s policy may have been forced by injuries and withdrawals, but the performances of players such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 21, Jordan Pickford, 23, and Joe Gomez, 20, has added competition for places in the England’s World Cup squad for Russia.
The manager praised his Young Lions after the 0-0 draw with Brazil last night, with Liverpool defender Gomez picked out for his performance against the attacking trio of Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho.
“In terms of heart, resilience and spirit, it was up there with anything I’ve been involved in,” he told The Times.
“We just showed resilience, guts and some outstanding defending and I’m incredibly proud. We had the best defensive record in Europe in qualifying and we have played the best two teams in the world and not conceded.
“When you dig in, you get half-chances and we had them at the end and could have won the game. It’s a base to work from. Joe Gomez’s performance, like all of the defending, was outstanding.
“It gives me plenty to think about. We are in the early stages of piecing this team together and it gives me huge heart. We took some brave decisions and, goodness me, the young players have rewarded me with some top performances.”