ENGLAND 3-0 WALES: Thomas Tuchel enjoyed another comfortable win from his side, who are looking better and better with eight months to go until next summer’s World Cup
They carried on from where they left off. And it is difficult to argue with Thomas Tuchel now. Mind you, if England keep playing like this then Tuchel will do well to convince us they will be underdogs at the World Cup next summer.
England were terrific as they absolutely tore Wales to shreds with a dazzling, entertaining show at Wembley as they built on last month’s 5-0 win in Serbia. Tuchel sparked a huge debate by leaving out England’s biggest star, fit-again Jude Bellingham, for this squad because he wanted to stick with the players who did the business in Belgrade.
The England boss has insisted it must be about team spirit and togetherness rather than ’collecting’ star players and that decision was fully justified with this performance. Morgan Rogers might not have the stardust quality of Bellingham but, after his man-of-the-match display against Serbia, he delivered again. Rogers, ironically big mates with Bellingham, looks hungry and ready.
Ollie Watkins took his chance with Harry Kane injured and left out as the Aston Villa striker scored and showed England can win without their captain and top scorer. Then there was Bukayo Saka’s wonder goal which was the best of the lot as England put on a sensational performance. Wembley has not seen enough of these sort of displays – and now the fans are really buying into Tuchel.
They even had a different captain as Declan Rice wore the armband in Kane’s absence and England looked cohesive, together and united. A record-breaking eighth consecutive clean sheet for Jordan Pickford. It was Team England. Let’s be clear: England have to find a place for Bellingham in the squad next summer.
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But suddenly there is genuine competition and if players are not up for it then they have got no chance. Wales were pretty poor and barely laid a glove on England. So much for all their passion and manager Craig Bellamy promising to come to Wembley for a battle. At least their fans never stopped singing.
But they were also made to look bang average by England’s slick passing, fluency and dangerous forward play. It started in the third minute as suddenly England played like Arsenal with Rice swinging in corners and the big players queuing up while Wales looked nervous under every high ball.
Rice swung over a third-minute corner, John Stones headed on and there was Marc Guehi to pull the ball back from the by-line for Rogers to sweep home. What a start. Rogers’ dazzling display in Serbia was no flash in the pan. It has been a difficult season for him at Aston Villa but suddenly players wear the England shirt well.
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England got their second after 11 minutes. A corner was not cleared, Saka got the ball back into the box, Rogers flashed the ball across goal, Guehi flicked it on and there was Watkins at the back post to force home.
Incredibly, that was two assists for Guehi. After his first England goal in Serbia, the Crystal Palace captain has become a serious goal threat. Saka then scored an absolute worldie. The Arsenal winger cut in from the right, got the ball onto his favoured left foot and then curled home a brilliant shot into the top corner.
They could have got more but Rogers crashed a chance against the crossbar. England keeper Pickford showed his quality with saves from David Brooks and Chris Mepham. The game faded away in the second half as both teams made changes.
But England can clinch World Cup qualification on Tuesday if they win in Latvia and Serbia fail to beat Albania on Saturday night. You better get the World Cup wall charts ready. Expectation and excitement levels are already on the rise.
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