Scotland: the match notes – 24hfootnews

While Croatia and the Czech Republic neutralized each other earlier in the day (1-1), England had the opportunity to take sole control of Group D of this Euro 2020 at Wembley this Friday. For that, it was necessary to rub shoulders with a team from Scotland in search of rebound after their defeat against Czechia on the first day. For this highly anticipated shock across the Channel, a remake of the first international football match in 1872, Gareth Southgate lined up a 4-3-3 with the bluffing Phillips in the middle or the attacking trio Foden-Kane-Sterling. Steve Clarke was counting on the return of one of his base men, Tierney, who took his place to the left of the 3-5-2 defense of the Tartan Army also made up of McTominay, Robertson and the duo Dykes-Adams in point.

In a Wembley where the Scots made their voices heard, the 22 actors fought a real fight in the English rain, as one would expect between these two nations carried by the traditional “fighting spirit”, unleashing the passions of the on the other side of the Channel. In the first act, each team had the opportunity to score, to no avail. Stones first found David Marshall’s left post on a corner (12th) while Pickford put out an absolutely sublime parry on a spontaneous volley from O’Donnell (30th). Returning from the locker room, Mount quickly forced the Scottish goalkeeper to work on a sudden strike (49th), as if to announce the best intentions of the locals.

If the Three Lions dominated and pushed to surprise the Scottish block, Steve Clarke’s men were playing their chances and it took a rescue on his line from James to prevent Dykes from opening the scoring (62nd). Adams also completely missed his volley at close range (78th). In the end, neither team managed to get the better of the other, despite a last alert in the area of ​​the Tartan Army in the last seconds of this match (0-0). Status quo in the standings in this group D, where everything remains to be played at the end of the third and last day of the group stage of this Euro 2020.

Relive the film of the meeting on our live.

The classification of group D.

Man of the Match: Hanley (7): it was a little complicated for him to control the breakthrough of Foden (17th) but he knew how to extinguish Kane, who did not exist. The defense captain has continued to direct his partners to replace them. Surgery in the area on the vibrating Sterling (61st) and almost all of his duels won (8/9). Old fashioned but effective.

England:

• Pickford (5): Everton’s porter had work in this meeting. In the first period, he saved his team with a nice save on a low strike from O’Donnell (29th). In the second half he has almost nothing to do while Reece James saves him by narrowly releasing the ball which was heading towards the goals (62nd). A single parade and a rather quiet match.

• James (5.5): Established in place of Kyle Walker who had started against the Croats, the recent winner of the Champions League with Chelsea brought offensively. Positioned very high on the field, he tries several climbs and does not hesitate to go inside to try his luck in front of goal like this strike at the entrance to the surface (55th). In the second half, he even saves his team from a Scottish opening scoring by saving in extremis a strike on the header line (61st).

• Stones (5): the defender is illustrated in the first period with this header from a corner which touches the post of David Marshall and which could have turned into an opening scoring (11th). Defensively, he was also quite solid with 3 clearances, 3 blocked shots despite the speed of Che Adams that he sometimes had trouble channeling against.

• Mings (5): the counterpart of John Stones in this hinge was rather complementary tonight. His team does not concede a goal against brave Scots. Good in the aerial duels that he wins practically all of them, he made his reading of the game and the trajectories speak. With 3 clearances, a blocked shot, a tackle and only one dribble suffered in this meeting, he was solid and helped the Manchester City player at his side. Lateral by profession, he proves that he can indeed help out in the axis.

• Shaw (4): Gareth Southgate’s second change from the first meeting against Croatia, the Manchester United side replaced Kieran Trippier today. If he showed envy and determination in the first half, he died in the second act like the left side of England and his teammate Raheem Sterling who was invisible. A single successful center and a defensive solidity to remember (7 duels won out of 10 contested).

• Phillips (4): Author of a remarkable performance against Croatia, one of Marcelo Bielsa’s favorites in Leeds was less perforating offensively than in the first match. In the first half he tries several times to go up the field with the leather but things get complicated in the second half of the match. Despite a big activity with a wide coverage of the ground in the recovery, he was not as good in the last gesture as he was recently.

• Rice (4): he is the player who will have touched the most balls in this meeting (74), he was everywhere on the field. Big activity whether recovery or offensive, evidenced by its heatmap. He has not been successful in front of England since the start of this Euro. Very few duels won (only one out of 7 played), a tackle, a blocked shot and a rather decent match although the result was not in favor of his team. He has never succeeded in improving leather as he knows how to do so well.

• Sterling (2.5): Scorer in the first match against Croatia, the Manchester City winger was returned to the left lane tonight. More than rough, he brought absolutely nothing to this meeting. No strike attempted in 90 minutes, no cross and only one chance created. Any match bordering on mediocre for such a talented player. Clearly, we saw Sterling’s evil face tonight.

• Mount (5.5): the Three Lions metronome was the number one danger on the English side tonight. He ended the meeting with a high rate of balloons touched in this meeting (66) and was the initiator of most of the big English chances. A key pass, an opportunity created and two strikes including one on target (48th). No magnificent statistics but overall his team showed nothing offensively and disappointed. In a complicated match like this, he is the rare, if not the only one, to have brought or attempted in front.

• Foden (4): Manchester City’s nugget was not as inspired as its idol Paul Gascoigne tonight. Alongside other playmaker Mason Mount, he sometimes seemed unsure of where to stand. Despite a significant activity on the right side and success in his dribbling (3/4), he did not find the light and was not dangerous either through his strikes or his passes. Replaced through Jack Grealish (62nd) in the second half, he did not pay a great tribute to his blonde color. His replacement either did not shine despite a lot of balloons affected.

• Kane (3): in the first period the Tottenham center forward is alone and only touches 10 poor badly negotiated balls, most of them in his own area. Things are a bit better in the second half with a little worrying attempt in front of goal (58th). In the end, he came out in the second half and ended the match with a low total of 19 balls touched, two of which were in the opponent’s area. If he tried to get out of his outpost like he does in club, he did not have the expected influence. A more than disappointing match. Replaced through Marcus Rashford (73rd), which did not stand out.

Scotland :

• Marshall (5.5): despite the English domination, the veteran did not really need to work in the first period, Foden and Sterling controlling poorly, and Stones placed his head on the post (12th). He is vigilant on Mount’s powerful strike (48th) and has nothing more to do. Proof of the offensive weakness of the Three Lions.

• McTominay (6.5): Placed in central defense for this meeting, he experienced placement concerns to start but he was able to erase by authoritarian interventions as against Sterling (25th) or Mount (60th). Sometimes put under pressure by the opposing pressing, the Mancunian often did well in his raises.

• Hanley (7): see above.

• Tierney (6): Absent due to injury in the first match, the defender was back and that was good for Scotland. His sense of placement (9th, 27th) and his anticipation (47th) helped to fail the English in the area. An excellent center for O’Donnell (31st) but also a badly exploited counter ball (58th).

• O’Donnell (6): enterprising as against the Czechs in his right lane, the piston still did a good job between an excellent job for Adams (4th) or this perfectly balanced recovery (31st). He died a bit in the second half but was able to block his lane and support McTominay. Warned (87th).

• McGinn (5): always very mobile in the midfield, the midfield of Aston Villa has not made lie his reputation, especially not against England. However, he made too many mistakes and was even warned early enough for protest (15th). The midfielder put a lot of intensity into the duels and could have been served on a few deep calls.

• McGregor (4.5): a somewhat timid start to the meeting before managing to slowly reduce the influence of Mount and Phillips. If he lost a lot of duels, the Celtic player did good in midfield with his technique. He tried on a few sequences to organize the collective but we saw little overall.

• Gilmour (4): holder for the first time in the national team, the young Chelsea has struggled to stand out. He was especially illustrated in the game without the ball and to block the spaces but in the game, we hardly saw him. The frail midfielder struggles to resist physical combat. Replaced by Armstrong (76th), whose contribution was good at the end of the meeting.

• Robertson (6): omnipresent during the first match, the Scottish captain was this time more discreet. A big riot of energy all the same with a perfect intervention in its surface (61st), while there was danger, and another much more limited on Sterling (79th). Set pieces are not always well shot but unlike most of his partners, he has not given up physically.

• Dykes (5.5): it doesn’t have much that is impressive, but what a debauchery of energy for the collective. Admittedly, he forgets to mark Stones on the post of the Englishman from a corner (12th) but he often returned to defend and caused a lot of faults. A man with a hard head with a strike (on target?) Rejected by James (62nd).

• Adams (5.5): Holder in attack in place of Christie, the Southampton striker distinguished himself in the 4th minute by framing his recovery on this center from O’Donnell. A fighter, he worked hard to make life difficult for English defenders but he could surely have done better in this pivotal game (57th). Not always precise with the ball on the foot and in the last gesture (78th). Replaced by Nisbet (86th).