ENGLAND COACH GARETH Southgate was keeping his feet firmly on the ground after England’s 6-1 World Cup group-stage rout of Panama, declaring “I didn’t particularly like the performance”.
With a grin Southgate explained to the BBC: “I’m being hyper-critical, but I didn’t like the start, I didn’t like the goal at the end. The bits in the middle were pretty good though!”
Southgate was speaking after a hat-trick from Harry Kane, a double from John Stones and another from Jesse Lingard saw off Panama and qualified England into the knockout stages.
As it stands England are level on goal difference with also-qualified Belgium but top the group by virtue of yellow cards — two compared to the Belgians’ three.
The countries meet in Kaliningrad on Thursday.
Asked about possible changes to his XI to face Belgium, Southgate commented: “I want to keep the momentum, we have to think about the team we want to put out, it’s an opportunity for players who need a match who haven’t played for a while but on the other hand we want to keep winning.
“It’s a nice decision to have!”
Reflecting on a record World Cup win for England — their previous best result was 3-0 — he added: “I was a bit anxious at the start, they (Panama) had six at the back and three in middle, but once we worked that out I thought we played some really good stuff for 35 minutes.
Southgate’s main gripe was his defence allowing Felipe Baloy to score Panama’s first ever World Cup goal in the 78th minute.
“At half-time we talked about one more goal to be top of the group, that’s why the goal at the end was disappointing,” he said.
“We’d rather be in control of the group than not, and confidence wise it’s important to score goals.
“It was a big moment for Lingard and great for the captain (Kane) to score a hat-trick, that way he didn’t have the hump when I took him off!”
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Fine margins. If the ref had not allowed an extra play, Cork would have been All-Ireland champs in 2013. The 2013 CLare vintage, re-discovered their pulse against KIlkenny last Sunday. Yet Tipperary probobly should have beaten them in Ennis. For the want of a solitary point, many a team perishes. For all the tactics and amazing players, luck plays a huge part also.
Very true Eddie, particularly for knock out cup competitions such as the all ireland, which suggests the league is prob a better gauge of strength in depth of a team over time
Awh ye, blame the poor auld ref lol.. match is never over till the whistle is blown eddie. Anyway we proved who were the real masters in da replay
I’d love a sitcom based on the Cork county board. Frank as a Basil Fawlty type figure
Unfair on poor Basil !
Cork could have been competitive for a few more years instead fading quickly after 06
If my auntie had liathroidi she’d be my uncle
Donal Og will get his day in the spotlight this summer. All the shitalk he has been spooning the Cork public and the country in general will be back to haunt him when Clare’s tactics get exposed under pressure.
A bullshit artist of the highest calibre
Jeez the begrudgery is strong in this one, the man was a very good communicator and analyst on tv, and he now seems to have contributed positively to a previously poisonous team, deal with it
Rebels? The only rebel they ever had they shot him!
Looks like your a bit of a historian there Vinny and i suppose you know who shot him too?? you little bolox!!!