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By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer
England manager Gareth Southgate may have struggled to choose whether his glass has been half-full or half-empty since he reflected at St Mary’s a thud and blunder night against Kosovo.
First things — everyone at Southampton enjoyed a Euro 2020 qualifier that led at the end of the disorderly success of England.
And Southgate will have revelled in England attacking screen, flanked by a world-class operation out of Raheem Sterling, who performed as well as establishing two goals for Harry Kane.
Kosovo tormented after central defender Michael Keane presented them passing into Valon Berisha with a run at goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Regrettably, however, there must be a facet so are cruising through Group A after scoring 19 goals in those games and to this story even though England are observing four wins.
The most important thing is that — should they shield carelessly and shoddily should they are as easy to acquire at as Kosovo made it look and give possession off as cheaply as this England have little if any possibility of beating quality foreign sides.
Kosovo entering this game are currently improving quickly and having a triumph on the Czech Republic that raised their hopes of becoming among the qualifiers next summer.
They are, however, currently ranked 120th.
That is a slightly false evaluation given their ability but the truth that they pulled England back from 5-1 to 5-3 in the second half and generated an air of anxiety and anticipation among the fans in both end of St Mary’s says about the flaws within Southgate’s side.
England weren’t good enough — nowhere near the standard that could be okay at the greatest global level.
Keane was the first to err but he was not the last.
West Ham United’s Declan Rice gave the ball for the moment of Berisha while Manchester United’s Harry Maguire clumsily failed to clear before hauling down.
Maguire created an dreadful meal among the most basic piece of effort to make it a treble helping of horrible defending and for fantasy and all of the flair of the attacking play there is not any hiding this is a critical weakness.
Southgate himself pointed in mistakes. This was a night of unbridled joy for the manager of England. There is a lot to bother him.
Picture the likes of Belgium, France, Spain, Germany and a Couple of others when faced with the Kind of defending England?
The truth is it might be better not to imagine it.
Would be licking their lips at the notion of confronting this England defence at a tournament.
England have the John Stones of Manchester City to return while Liverpool’s Joe Gomez, the best alternative away from the collections, isn’t getting games in club 47, but he had a nightmare at the Uefa Nations League semi-final from the Netherlands.
Southgate’s first choice defenders haven’t established reliable against international opposition of the highest quality — and generated no evidence here to indicate they’ll do this any time soon.
The capacity to run through England’s midfield and get at the center of kosovo would also have concerned Southgate.
It may seem somewhat spoilsport to focus in after another victory that is important except to dismiss it might be delusion. Southgate will not let it escape his attention.
For the course and effectiveness of England’s attack, their present condition suggests since there’s absolutely not any way they will not concede 47, they will have to stand up at least three goals against these groups mentioned previously to stand a chance of success.
This task won’t be as easy as it was against a Kosovo side dedicated to an all-out attacking plan that occasionally left them open in the back.
England are horribly fallible in defence — however they are superbly irresistible in assault.
They’ve scored 14 goals in their home games, more than every other state in Euros.
And was that the Sterling, that produced a 45-minute performance against Kosovo which was on another level from anyone.
Sterling finished a sequence that was 27-game that was bare stretching back three years after he scored in Spain a year ago — today he’s irreplaceable, a gift reaching full maturity.
Since that game in Spain he has played seven games, scoring six goals from England’s qualifying matches so far and producing four assists.
He could not be stopped from the first 45 minutes as he put up England’s captain because of his 26th goal in level with Bryan Robson 41 appearances and yet behind David Platt along with his partnership with Kane is reaching proportions that were telepathic.
Sterling has been involved in 12 goals in his last eight England matches, with eight goals and four assists. He and Kane have combined for six objects under Southgate three times as numerous as any other duo.
If Arijanet Muric, only his second miss rescued his punishment in 10 tries for England kane’s performance contained a rare blemish.
In the end it wasn’t costly as Kosovo attempt at a wonder turnaround fell short and England can look at a Team A table.
However, the screen, particularly that occasionally shambolic defence of England, was not flawless if this is produced on a point and they will not come off unscathed.
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