It was an evening of lengthy walks for England’s gamers. First, the depressing trudge to the rostrum, the place the European Championship trophy was adorned in purple and yellow ribbons — look if you’d like, however stroll on by. Then down staircases to the dressing room, the place tears have been shed. Now this: a circuitous path to the exit, the place a bus was ready to whisk them off into the night time, their goals of glory dashed as soon as once more in a 2-1 defeat by Spain.
Few of them have been prepared to talk. One who did was John Stones, who described his feelings as “psychological torture”. “You suppose, ‘Could I’ve carried out this? Could I’ve carried out that? What if this occurred?’,” the Manchester City defender mentioned, reflecting on Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner. “You can play so many eventualities round in your head.”
But defeat had been coming. There had been moments of euphoria as England stumbled by the knockout stage, however in some methods, it was the least convincing of their 4 main tournaments beneath Gareth Southgate. They spent extra time teetering on the sting of calamity than glory.
Stones passes the trophy, which now belongs to Spain (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
It was an odd marketing campaign in so some ways. Southgate repeatedly spoke in regards to the “noise” that was so tough to beat, however in the long run, there was silence. The solely noise was the fiesta coming from Spain’s dressing room down the hall.
Stones spoke of delight in the whole lot England’s gamers had carried out in Germany — “how we dealt with ourselves, how we gave everybody these reminiscences” — however mentioned that finally “it’s simply unhappy”. It felt that means watching them go away, significantly kids like Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer, who hadn’t skilled disappointment like this earlier than.
For Southgate, Kane and others, the lengthy lonely stroll was achingly acquainted.
To inform this story of England’s summer season The Athletic has spent the previous month talking to a number of folks near the camp, a lot of whom have chosen to stay nameless to guard their relationships.
Five and a half weeks earlier than the ultimate, Kane and Southgate went for an additional stroll. This one was at Tottenham Hotspur’s coaching floor, the place England have been gathered earlier than their ultimate pre-tournament warm-up match.
Kane was anxious. He and a few of his team-mates have been in a state of shock after Southgate, having already left Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford out of his pre-tournament squad, omitted Harry Maguire and Jack Grealish from the ultimate group of 26.
Southgate had not loved informing kids James Trafford, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones that they had missed the ultimate minimize, however they all the time hoped for inclusion reasonably than anticipated it. James Maddison knew the writing was on the wall. Leaving out Maguire and Grealish was going to be a lot tougher.
Maguire knew he confronted a race towards time, having missed the ultimate weeks of Manchester United’s season with a calf damage. But even after a slight setback, the defender felt he can be match by England’s third group recreation. He was shocked when Southgate advised him he was out of the ultimate squad. Maguire insisted he can be match. Southgate advised him he couldn’t take the danger.
Grealish was equally surprised. He had made a optimistic impression from the bench within the pleasant towards Bosnia & Herzegovina three days earlier and hoped he can be concerned within the ultimate warm-up match towards Iceland at Wembley, however he too was summoned by Southgate and advised he had not made the minimize.
Kane and Southgate spoke after a ultimate squad choice that left many gamers shocked (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Maddison left the camp virtually instantly. Maguire and Grealish hung round, nonetheless shocked. In each instances, that sense of shock was shared by team-mates. Some visited Grealish in his bed room, expressing disbelief. Rice mentioned in a information convention he was “gutted” that Maddison and Grealish, “two of my greatest mates within the squad”, had been overlooked.
Beyond private emotions, some gamers merely felt Grealish ought to have been included due to his high quality and big-game expertise. He had barely figured within the ultimate weeks of the season at Manchester City, however he began each legs of a Champions League quarter-final towards Real Madrid in April. If Pep Guardiola was prepared to belief him in massive video games, why was he instantly surplus to Southgate’s necessities? Was it private? Something else?
Grealish wished all his team-mates good luck earlier than he left the camp, however he was in no temper for pleasantries with Southgate. He was shocked and deeply upset. It left a bittersweet feeling amongst a number of the gamers as they obtained affirmation of their call-ups. For many, it was not a cheerful camp that night.
Grealish and Maddison have been each overlooked of the ultimate squad (Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA through Getty Images)
Kane was eager to debate the matter with Southgate in order that he might higher perceive the choice and relay the supervisor’s ideas to the remainder of the squad. On that stroll, Southgate tried to clarify his reasoning.
The following night, England have been crushed by Iceland at Wembley of their ultimate warm-up recreation. There have been boos at full time from those that stayed lengthy sufficient. England had just one shot on the right track all night.
For the primary time beneath Southgate, the temper inside and outdoors the squad felt removed from optimum as they set off for a serious match.
No stone had been left unturned by the FA the employees at their base in Blankenhain within the former East Germany, simply over 60 miles from the border with the Czech Republic.
The Spa & GolfResort Weimarer Land had the whole lot from a basketball courtroom, a padel courtroom and a video games room, to spa swimming pools, ice baths, rest pods and cryotherapy chambers. There have been two 18-hole golf programs, to the delight of Kane and others, in addition to golf and driving simulators. Each participant’s bed room was embellished with dwelling comforts, household images and letters written by family members. There was art work commissioned of assorted gamers’ pets, a few of them sporting England shirts.
Meals have been ready by Danny Schwabe, the resort’s Michelin-starred chef. It even smelt like dwelling; FA officers had introduced diffusers from St George’s Park, their English coaching base, to make the gamers really feel extra at dwelling.
At one time, England gamers would complain about being shut away of their bedrooms at tournaments. Under Southgate, they spend most of their time in communal areas, whether or not across the pool (between matches of volleyball and water polo) or across the massive display screen, watching the opposite matches, or within the video games room or the juice bar. Lewis Dunk and masseur Ben Mortlock set to work on the Lego kits the FA had offered, rapidly constructing the Hogwarts Castle set from Harry Potter.
There was a distinct dynamic to this squad: no Raheem Sterling, no Henderson, no Sterling, no Maguire, no Rashford, no Grealish.
Some of the personalities throughout the squad have been effectively established: Kane a quiet chief, Jordan Pickford exuberant, Rice as infectiously enthusiastic off the pitch as on it, Bellingham exuding alpha male power, Bukayo Saka the universally liked “starboy”. Others would emerge because the match went on, not least “Uncle” Marc Guehi, mature past his 24 years, and children like Palmer and Mainoo.
Gallagher’s midfield inclusion was curtailed by Southgate (Adam Davy/PA Images through Getty Images)
A favorite pastime was “Werewolf”, from which the TV sequence “The Traitors” is customized. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bellingham, fiercely aggressive in the whole lot they do, have been the principle gamers — one thing they referenced with their celebration when Bellingham scored towards Serbia to get England’s marketing campaign off to a profitable begin.
But their efficiency that day in Gelsenkirchen was unconvincing. England hadn’t hit the bottom working the way in which Germany and Spain had. After a dominant first half-hour, that includes Bellingham’s objective, that they had simply 44 per cent of the possession and managed simply two extra pictures on the right track.
There have been different considerations. Southgate’s use of Alexander-Arnold in an unfamiliar midfield function had not paid off. The steadiness wasn’t proper. The supervisor expressed worries afterwards in regards to the bodily situation of his gamers.
Next was a 1-1 draw with Denmark in Frankfurt. Again, there was an absence of fluency and cohesion. Alexander-Arnold was substituted once more, this time simply 10 minutes into the second half. Southgate appeared to have pulled the plug on that experiment and was now able to attempt Conor Gallagher as an alternative.
The group’s power ranges have been an actual concern now. Southgate spoke of “limitations” of their capacity to press due to the “bodily profile of the group”. Kane, for his half, mentioned England’s gamers have been “unsure easy methods to put the stress on and who’s presupposed to be going” when the opposition have the ball.
A day later, a report appeared in the London Times detailing the teaching employees’s considerations in regards to the deficiencies within the group’s urgent recreation, however particularly about Kane. The report detailed conversations Southgate’s teaching employees had beforehand had with Kane, explaining to him that when urgent an opponent, he needs to be at prime pace when he reaches them. Kane, the report mentioned, “has by no means been ready to do that. He strikes at half-speed in the direction of his opponent, slowing down as he will get there”.
Kane scored towards Denmark however was later criticised (Vasile Mihai-Antonio/Getty Images)
The report was by David Walsh, who ghost-wrote a e book with Southgate 20 years in the past and was billed not too long ago as “the journalist who is aware of him greatest”. The line about Kane’s urgent may need been historic, or may not have come from Southgate, but it surely was strikingly particular.
Kane ended the match with three targets, sharing the Golden Boot award, however he appeared uncomfortable all through. There have been frequent recommendations that he was battling the again damage that curtailed his season at Bayern Munich, however publicly, he insisted he was match.
The points have been piling up, however the largest of them, in keeping with Southgate, was the one which escalated within the following days.
As a lot as Southgate was anxious about his group’s power ranges, their lack of cohesion, their lack of artistic spark and the struggles of Kane, what troubled him most post-Denmark was what he known as an “uncommon setting”.
This was his fourth match as England supervisor and it was the primary time he felt rigidity within the air. He spoke of “noise” and the problem gamers had in making an attempt to close it out.
There was nonetheless a heat to media engagements on the group’s base in Blankenhain — constructed across the now conventional day by day player-versus-reporter darts problem — however a number of the gamers felt they have been beneath assault from former England gamers together with Gary Lineker, who, on his podcast The Rest Is Football, known as the efficiency towards Denmark “s***”.
Kane hit again on the pundits, saying that they had a “duty” to contemplate the impression of their phrases on a bunch of gamers — a few of them at their first match — who have been already beneath intense stress.
At this level, there have been whispers from contained in the camp about whether or not Southgate had erred by leaving Henderson, Maguire and others behind. Even in the event that they weren’t going to get a lot taking part in time, some gamers questioned whether or not their personalities and expertise may need helped carry a way of calm.
According to these briefed on the matter, one participant advised a member of Southgate’s employees he had “by no means recognized something like” the criticism the group confronted after the Denmark draw, significantly on social media. There had been a backlash after 0-0 attracts with Scotland at Euro 2020 and the United States on the World Cup in 2022, however nothing on this scale. Kane was getting stick, however so have been Bellingham, Rice, Foden, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and others.
Southgate was troubled by the response of his gamers to the draw with Denmark (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
There was additionally unrest when one newspaper accompanied Walker’s former mistress, the mom of his 10-month-old son, to the sport towards Denmark. Another participant’s marriage was additionally the topic of media hypothesis.
The gamers all the time look ahead to spending time with their households the day after a recreation, however Kane mentioned a few of them felt a seven-hour “enjoyable day”, with bouncy castles and inflatable slides laid on for the kids, had been a “bit too lengthy”. “We may minimize down on that in future,” he mentioned — they usually did.
In the times after the Denmark recreation, Southgate confirmed his gamers some footage from the ultimate whistle in Frankfurt. He brazenly challenged the gamers over their physique language, telling them, “They (Denmark) are on two factors, we’re on 4. They’re celebrating with their followers, we’re on our knees.”
Southgate felt their response, symptomatic of that “uncommon setting”, had fuelled an outdoor notion of a failing marketing campaign. But the setting acquired worse earlier than it acquired higher.
First got here the boos and jeers. Then, as Southgate made some extent of applauding the followers on the finish of a dismal 0-0 draw with Slovenia in Cologne, got here a stream of insults because the air turned blue. Finally, there have been some plastic beer cups thrown within the supervisor’s course, which shocked him.
England’s place within the knockout stage was already safe earlier than they kicked a ball towards Slovenia, however the temper darkened on the ultimate whistle. It was aimed primarily at Southgate, however the gamers felt it, too. Ezri Konsa advised reporters that a number of the gamers’ members of the family had been “hit with a couple of drinks. My brother was hit, a couple of others. It was coming from all angles”.
So was the criticism. The group simply wasn’t working. Bellingham, Saka, Foden and Kane have been all struggling. Rice was carrying a heavy load in midfield. There have been points with the steadiness of the group — the mix in midfield, the shortage of width in assault, the absence of a specialist left-back with Luke Shaw nonetheless sidelined — however what troubled Southgate above all was what he once more known as an “uncommon setting”.
He mirrored after Cologne that the distinction in temper was “most likely due to me” and that this was now “making a little bit of a problem for the group”.
Empty cups thrown at Gareth Southgate as he applauds the England supporters. @TheAthleticFC #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/rvJhL6t5OL
— Dan Sheldon (@Dan_Sheldon_) June 25, 2024
There have been gamers Southgate felt he needed to take apart. They included Alexander-Arnold, who had been solid apart after two video games in midfield, and Gallagher, who was deeply disillusioned at being substituted at half-time towards Slovenia. Southgate assured each gamers they’d nonetheless have necessary contributions to make, even when they have been from the bench. He was happy by each gamers’ response over the remainder of the match.
But Southgate detected an underlying angst throughout the group. He didn’t go into specifics on the time, however two weeks later, having turned a nook, he was prepared to acknowledge it publicly.
“I’ve talked to plenty of psychologists through the years and one of many issues that human beings need to keep away from is public embarrassment,” he advised ITV Sport. “We had just a little little bit of that mindset within the group stage. We weren’t free. We have been too conscious of the noise round us.”
One participant appeared extra conscious than anybody. Bellingham’s man-of-the-match efficiency towards Serbia was adopted by detached shows towards Denmark and Slovenia. He was mentioned by these aware of the group setting to be aware of each phrase mentioned or written about him within the media. Any criticism of his performances appeared nuanced, however he would later discuss with a “pile-on”.
His manner was the topic of murmurs. That “Hey Jude” Adidas advert, which portrayed him because the nationwide group’s saviour, was effectively obtained by the general public, however some throughout the camp felt the tone was at odds with the collective ethos of Southgate’s England.
Bellingham has adopted a distinct path to his England team-mates: eschewing the Premier League to go from Birmingham City to Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid. He was fast-tracked by the England growth groups with out spending a lot time with others in his age group. Other than an in depth friendship with Alexander-Arnold, he doesn’t have as many robust connections throughout the squad as others do.
On the eve of the match, Bellingham was promoted to the group’s “management group” with Kane, Walker and Rice. But his management didn’t prolong to attending any of the day by day exterior media duties at Blankenhain, whereas much less skilled gamers, together with some on the fringes of the squad, equivalent to Palmer, Anthony Gordon and Adam Wharton, confronted up and answered awkward questions on the group’s behalf.
This was picked up on by former England captain Wayne Rooney, who wrote in a newspaper column that Bellingham “is able the place he must be taking duty”. “It could also be time to develop up, make selections and say, ‘I would like to assist out and communicate in the course of the tough occasions’,” Rooney mentioned, “as a result of if England win these Euros, I’m certain you’ll see him doing interviews.”
Bellingham — and England — wanted an enormous response on the pitch towards Slovakia within the spherical of 16.
England have been staring into the abyss. It was the fifth minute of stoppage time they usually have been on the way in which out of the match, 1-0 all the way down to Slovakia. They hadn’t acquired a single shot on the right track. Their marketing campaign — and, it appeared, Southgate’s tenure — was about to finish in embarrassment, ignominy and rancour.
And then, after a protracted throw-in from Walker was headed on by Guehi, Bellingham did one thing extraordinary, leaping, contorting his physique in mid-air and saving England with a spectacular, dramatic scissor kick. Bellingham charged away in celebration. “WHO ELSE?” he requested. “WHO ELSE?”
Well, there was additionally Kane. In the primary minute of additional time, the ahead made it 2-1. From dealing with humiliation within the face, England have been heading to the quarter-finals.
This time, Bellingham did the post-match interview rounds, having been named participant of the match by UEFA. He mentioned his celebration was partly adrenaline-fuelled however partly a “message to a couple folks”. “You hear folks discuss plenty of garbage,” he mentioned. “It’s good that whenever you ship, you may give them just a little again.”
There was additionally a second, after that objective, the place Bellingham appeared to make a crotch-grabbing gesture. UEFA gave him a suspended one-match ban — to be triggered within the occasion of an extra offence — and fined him €30,000.
Bellingham was the person of the second, however the largest pluses for Southgate have been the efficiency of Mainoo, who had introduced a greater steadiness to the midfield since changing Gallagher at half-time towards Slovenia, and the contributions of Palmer, Eberechi Eze and Ivan Toney from the bench.
The spectacular Bellingham objective that modified the temper (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
There was a distinct temper as England returned to Blankenhain that night. Nobody doubted that they had acquired away with a poor efficiency, but it surely felt like a weight had been lifted by the euphoria. Back at their resort, the gamers bonded, a few of them taking Southgate up on his supply of a celebratory beer or two.
The subsequent day introduced a restoration session, extra household time — a extra relaxed temper this time — and, within the night, a shock go to by singer Ed Sheeran, who carried out an acoustic session for the gamers, as he had throughout Euro 2020.
Not each participant shares Kane’s enthusiasm for Sheeran’s music, however the night time was an amazing success. Again, the gamers have been allowed to have a drink or two. Some took the chance to sing with Sheeran. There was hilarity when Ollie Watkins, an enthusiastic singer, instantly acquired stage fright and walked off, telling Sheeran, “Sorry, this tune isn’t the one.”
But in a wider sense, the worry of embarrassment had been overcome — simply. On the coaching pitch, on the padel and basketball courts, in these night video games of “Werewolf”, the temper was extra upbeat. There was a unity of objective and a way of momentum. They have been on what appeared just like the gentler aspect of the knockout bracket. That helped, too, with Spain, Germany and France all on the opposite aspect.
There was additionally a six-day break between the Slovakia recreation and the quarter-final towards Switzerland: time to get well, recharge batteries and refocus, but additionally time to work on the coaching pitch.
Three days earlier than the quarter-final, there have been widespread reviews that Southgate was contemplating switching to a three-man central defence towards Switzerland. With Guehi suspended after two yellow playing cards, it was reported that Konsa was prone to be part of Walker and Stones in central defence, with Saka and Trippier as wing-backs.
Southgate and Holland have been furious. Journalists have been invited to a convention name the place FA officers expressed anger and disapproval on the supervisor’s behalf. Southgate later requested in an interview with Talksport, “How does it assist the group to offer the Swiss (who may need been anticipating us to play otherwise) three days to work out what we’d do?”
The indignant response was a shock. Media shops, together with The Athletic, have regularly run tales about potential personnel or system modifications with out attracting such a backlash. The risk of reverting to a again three, mirroring Switzerland’s system, had already been speculated upon given that they had carried out so in further time towards Slovakia and Southgate had regularly used that system earlier in his tenure.
They labored extensively on the again three within the build-up to the quarter-final. They additionally ready for the potential of a penalty shootout: not simply engaged on their very own approach (together with the walk-up and the significance of slowing down respiration), however getting ready every taker with a chosen “buddy” to assist him after the kick, to keep away from others being disturbed.
The first-half efficiency towards Switzerland was England’s better of the match thus far, however there was a well-recognized drop-off after the interval. A sinking feeling took maintain even earlier than Breel Embolo gave Switzerland the lead with quarter-hour remaining.
Pickford’s penalty water bottle (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
It was desperation time once more for Southgate. Off got here Trippier, Mainoo and Konsa. On got here Eze, Palmer and, for the primary time all match, Shaw. Salvation got here virtually immediately from Saka, the 22-year-old slicing inside from the appropriate and beating Yann Sommer with a shot whipped contained in the far submit to pressure further time. England appeared the likelier winners within the first half of additional time, however they ended up clinging on within the closing levels.
Penalties, then: so usually the supply of English match distress prior to now, however not often so (with the Euro 2020 ultimate a notable exception) beneath Southgate.
Their preparations appeared scientific of their precision. So, too, did their penalties as Palmer, Bellingham, Saka and Toney all scored whereas Pickford pulled off an amazing save to disclaim Manuel Akanji (diving to his left, simply because the directions on his water bottle had advised him to if the Manchester City defender stepped up).
Alexander-Arnold walked as much as take England’s fifth penalty, understanding that he might safe victory. His response was emphatic, a thunderous shot that despatched his group by to the semi-finals. On the pitch and within the stands, the celebrations have been loud and joyous.
The earlier angst had given option to pleasure and a sudden sense of pleasure about what this match may now have in retailer.
There was barely time to relaxation now. England’s gamers returned to Blankenhain that night time and, after a restoration session the subsequent day, there was solely time for 2 full coaching periods earlier than they flew to Dortmund, the place they’d play the Netherlands within the semi-final on the Wednesday night.
Southgate mirrored on how “in the beginning of the match, the expectation weighed fairly closely and naturally the exterior noise was louder than it has ever been”. “We couldn’t fairly get ourselves into the appropriate place,” he mentioned. “I felt that shifted as soon as we acquired into the knockout levels and positively within the quarter-final.”
The “shift” he spoke about was, he felt, from a “worry mindset” to a “problem mindset” — being pushed by the problem in entrance of them reasonably than consumed by worry of penalties.
But it didn’t fairly ring true. They had appeared fearful for lengthy intervals towards each Slovakia and Switzerland, solely to be rescued in each matches by a second of particular person brilliance. Performances have been nonetheless unconvincing. They have been going to have to boost their recreation towards the Netherlands.
That want grew after they fell behind to a seventh-minute thunderbolt from Xavi Simons. But they responded effectively. The method through which they equalised was lucky — a Kane penalty following a VAR overview which discovered that Denzel Dumfries had adopted by on the England captain — however they have been taking part in extra fluently, with Foden having fun with his greatest 45 minutes of the match.
But once more they misplaced their means after half-time. Again they went a lot of the second half with out producing a lot as a shot. Foden’s affect had pale after a superb first half. Kane appeared exhausted.
Throughout his tenure, Southgate’s use of substitutions in massive matches has been arguably the largest blot towards his document. This time, needing contemporary legs, he despatched on Palmer and Watkins for Foden and Kane. A giant name. Two massive calls.
Watkins had solely had one transient cameo within the match to that time, however earlier within the day, Watkins had advised Palmer the pair of them have been going to mix for the profitable objective. Palmer, receiving the ball within the inside-right channel, knew the place to play the go. Watkins knew the place to run. He took one contact to tee himself up after which shocked Bart Verbruggen with a crisp end contained in the far submit. England have been by to the ultimate.
Watkins creates one other euphoric second (Adrian Dennis/AFP through Getty Images)
The scenes that adopted will stay lengthy within the reminiscence: Watkins being mobbed by the entire squad, led by Kane; Rice near tears; Jordan Pickford going berserk; each participant wanting euphoric, together with those that hadn’t kicked a ball within the match; Southgate dancing alongside to “Freed from Desire” and punching the air with delight.
“One extra!” Southgate shouted, holding his finger as much as the supporters. “Come on!” One extra recreation. One extra victory to “make historical past”, as Southgate put it later.
Spool ahead to 10.53pm native time on Sunday. The ultimate whistle was blown and, as Spain’s gamers and supporters celebrated a deserved triumph, their English counterparts sank into despair.
Rice on his knees. Stones on his again. Saka down, disconsolate. Bellingham walked off the pitch, in the direction of the dugout, after which took out his frustration on a crate of water bottles.
The first half went moderately effectively for England. They had far much less possession than in earlier matches, however Spain’s attacking risk had been stored at arm’s size. Foden compelled Unai Simon into an ungainly save simply earlier than the interval.
But barely a minute into the second half, Spain struck by Nico Williams after the precociously proficient teenager Lamine Yamal had escaped from Shaw on the alternative flank. It was a horrible time to concede.
Spain turned the screw, with Williams and Lamal having fun with themselves, and Pickford was repeatedly known as into motion. Kane gestured to his team-mates to maintain going, but it surely was simpler mentioned than carried out. Again, he appeared carried out for.
Southgate rang the modifications, sending on Watkins for Kane after which Palmer for Mainoo. If England have been happening, they at the very least had an obligation to go down swinging.
Palmer is the most recent to stir England, however this time they didn’t have the ultimate phrase (Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA through Getty Images)
Palmer’s impression, once more, was virtually quick. He had barely been on the pitch for 2 minutes when he struck a first-time shot that beat Simon with the assistance of a slight deflection. England have been again within the recreation.
It briefly appeared like each groups have been gearing up for further time, however Spain discovered renewed impetus. Yamal compelled Pickford into one other save after which, within the 86th minute, Oyarzabal performed the ball broad to Marc Cucurella and made a superbly timed run for the return go, sliding in forward of Guehi to make it 2-1.
England rallied once more, with Rice and Guehi each going shut from a nook, however Spain wouldn’t be denied.
There was post-match discuss of superb margins, as there usually is, however this time it didn’t really feel that means. England have been fortunate to finish up on the appropriate aspect of these superb margins earlier within the match. They had sailed near the wind for weeks. It was no shock when, lastly, developing towards a much more coherent group, they have been blown astray.
Additional contributor: Dan Sheldon
(Top photograph: Getty Images: design: Eamonn Dalton)
