England's Recent Performance Weren't Great - But There's No Need to Panic

Well, England played. And it was...not pretty. In fact, it was really, really ugly.

Two years on from the hype of the World Cup, the Three Lions are slogging to uninspiring results in the UEFA Nations League against Iceland and Denmark.

"Gareth Southgate is clueless, he's got to go", one Englishman furiously tweeted. "This is worse than the Hodgson days", clamour those who have clearly blotted Euro 2016 from their memories.

But was it really that bad? Really?

Okay, hear me out. It was NOT good, and Southgate has to take a lot of the blame for that. The criminally defensive lineup against Denmark was baffling, and the lack of a left-back in the squad was frankly inexcusable. And yes, the performances were terrible. But was it worth the Twitter meltdown?

Firstly, it's important to remember that these games were highly experimental. Six different players were given their England debuts in the last week. On top of this, the Denmark game saw Southgate adopt an unfamiliar 3-4-3 formation. And with everyone lacking match fitness, and the likes of Harry Maguire, Jordan Henderson, and Ben Chilwell absent, things were always going to be a bit more challenging.

But also, they weren't even bad results. Iceland and Denmark aren't world beaters by any stretch of the imagination, but they're not minnows either. Since 2018, both of them have managed to pick up draws against the world champions. To pick up four points while looking far more defensively solid (Gomez's 90th-minute head loss vs Iceland aside) is a positive that can be taken.

While it was better at the back, the frontline was seriously lacking. However, there are reasons to believe that it will get better up top. For example, in qualifying for Euro 2020, only Belgium scored more than England, and they played against part-timers like San Marino and Scotland (*runs for cover*).

And sure, battering the likes of Montenegro and Bulgaria is hardly earth-moving stuff, but you can only beat what's in front of you.

So that brings us to one of the most common criticisms of Southgate's England - they look good against lesser opposition, but when it comes to facing one of the big boys, they struggle. This is a label that has stuck with Southgate since the World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia.

The people who shout about this tend to forget the Nations League victories over Spain and Croatia in 2018, which saw the Three Lions top their group to qualify for the semi-finals. The Spain game in particular was brilliant. Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane, and Marcus Rashford combined on three occasions in the first half to demolish Sergio Ramos and co. at the Benito Villamarin.

Furthermore, what level do people expect England to be at? Are they supposed to be tearing through every single side in the world, leaving an irreparable trail of destruction everywhere they go? No, of course not.

There's certainly enough talent in Southgate's ranks to compete for major honours. And...well...he's done that, hasn't he? He's managed in two tournaments, and reached the semi-finals in both of them, before suffering narrow extra-time defeats to high-quality opposition. There's no shame in that...right?

Now of course, doing alright in the past doesn't necessarily mean you'll do alright in the future, and there are reasons to be skeptical. Nonetheless, there are also indicators that the coming years could be bright.

For starters, it's a youthful squad. From the latest selection, only Kyle Walker was above the age of 30, while the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jadon Sancho, Declan Rice, and Phil Foden are all 21 or under. With a few more years' experience under their belts, Southgate could have a very talented squad at his disposal.

Additionally, the willingness to use two different systems adds an extra dimension. While the 4-3-3 has proven to be lethal going forward, it can leave the Three Lions open at the back, which is going to be a problem against world class attackers. In contrast, the 3-4-3 offers more defensive solidity, but perhaps limits the attacking potential of the side. There are pros and cons to both setups, but it's useful to get accustomed to both.

In conclusion, is Gareth Southgate the reincarnation of Brian Clough? Probably not. Is he the man to bring football home? That remains to be seen. Does he deserve another crack at a major tournament? Yes, he does.

Sing with me now: Looking back on when we first met...