Harry Kane's late goal gave England a victory over Tunisia, but improvements can still be made
#4: Don’t let the tempo drop
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Jesse Lingard helps England to keep a high tempo - it's important not to let that drop
Perhaps the most worrying part of England’s performance against Tunisia was the fact that after a blistering start, their tempo dropped somewhat in the second half and they began to move the ball far more slowly than they had done earlier in the game. Some would blame Tunisia’s controversial equaliser for this, but then England’s pace remained high after it right until the half-time whistle.
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This was similar to their performance in their pre-tournament friendly against Nigeria – in that case the Super Eagles were completely outclassed for the first 45 minutes before coming back to give England a real scare, largely because the Three Lions allowed the pace to drop. Whether this was due to tiredness or an instruction from Southgate is a question mark, but it’s simply not a good idea to allow it to happen.
Against Panama – in hopefully cooler temperatures than they faced against Tunisia – it’s important for Southgate’s men to keep that heavy tempo up and really make their opponents work hard. England are finally blessed with fleet-footed players who can also keep possession well, so they need to make sure that heavy-pressing, rapid style of play doesn’t drop in the second 45 minutes. If that means Southgate needs to make earlier substitutions, then so be it.
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About the author
Scott Newman
Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.
Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.
Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.
His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.
Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.