A somewhat greater than 40 years on and Gareth Southgate can nonetheless freeze-frame the instant. So can each and every England fan of his technology. The lengthy throw were flicked on and there was once Bryan Robson, his hero, everyone’s hero, getting his frame side-on, permitting the ball to run throughout him ahead of volleying it down and in.
There had been 27 seconds at the clock and England had been 1-0 up towards France. Robson would ranking once more in the second one half of, an imposing jump and thumping header for two–1 and England pulled transparent to win 3–1. Their 1982 World Cup marketing campaign was once up and working.
Like numerous youngsters in England, Southgate modeled himself on Robson. He had the similar boots; he wore his blouse out on the entrance, tucked in on the again; he performed in midfield. He even attempted to run like him. Southgate ran that day, again from college to catch the France sport, getting there simply in time for Robson’s iconic opener.
Southgate grew up as keen on Manchester United, the place Robson moved in 1981, so this was once all impossibly good for the impressionable 11-year-old; his first shiny World Cup reminiscence. Southgate has obscure reminiscences of the 1978 finals, having to beef up Scotland as a result of England had now not certified, the ticker-tape and all of the relaxation. But 1982 was once his first actual World Cup, when the affection affair started.
He accumulated the stickers and he was once heartbroken when England fell quick in the second one team level, throwing at the half-fit Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking towards Spain however failing to free up the 0-0. They went house having now not misplaced a sport.
“Bryan was my hero and I remember both of his goals against France,” Southgate stated. “It was once my first World Cup looking at England and likewise the Brazilian group of that event – Zico, Éder, Falcão, Sócrates …
“I used to be a midfield participant like Bryan. Not of his magnificence however I used to chip in with a couple of targets. To get to paintings with him as a participant with England [Robson was the assistant manager from 1994-96] … I discovered that actually tough. The identical with Steve Coppell [who managed Southgate at Crystal Palace], They had been each heroes of mine so, yeah, I by no means actually were given absolutely pleased with that till later.”
As Southgate and England prepare for their World Cup quarter-final against France on Saturday, in Qatar’s northern outpost of Al Khor, it is strange to think it will be the first meeting between the nations at this competition since 1982. They have played each other on only one other occasion at the World Cup – the final group-stage tie in 1966 when England won 2–0 en route to the trophy.
Southgate has another France game in his thoughts, rather lower profile and less emotional but of real significance in terms of his England journey. It came in June 2017 at the Stade de France – his only managerial clash against Les Bleus – a 3–2 friendly defeat in which the gap between the nations was mapped out in graphic detail.
An 18-year-old Kylian Mbappé ran riot and so did Ousmane Dembélé. France were quicker, stronger, superior in every department. They had Raphaël Varane sent off when he conceded a penalty for 2-2 but it felt as though France had the extra man afterwards, Dembélé’s winner the least they deserved.
That was then, this is now and England approach the quarter-final as a team transformed – not only in personnel – comfortable in themselves and their system. Belief is high and it was reinforced by the manner of their 3-0 win against Senegal in the last 16.
Declan Rice was asked whether France ought to fear England rather than it being the other way around – as perhaps it was in 2017. “Yes,” replied the midfielder. “I don’t think we get the credit we deserve. If Holland and Argentina win their games comfortably, they get called masterclasses.
“With us, it always gets picked off. The negative things always come that way. If you look at the last couple of games, it’s been faultless. I think countries should be starting to fear us now because we’re a great team.”
Jude Bellingham, the person of the instant, additionally stuck the temper. “We’re attending to that time now, confidence-wise, the place we predict we will try to tackle somebody. We play with a fearlessness. Especially as younger boys, we do not actually care about who we are enjoying towards.”
It is easy to worry about Mbappé. As England made the coach journey to the Senegal game, Luke Shaw said that they were able to watch the last 20 minutes of France’s 3-1 win against Poland. Mbappé scored twice during the period, giving him five for the tournament, a grip on the Golden Boot and a channel into the minds of England’s defenders.
It would be naive to focus purely on Mbappé. France has other threats. And yet his presence, his ability to produce at the decisive moment, is by some distance the most insistent line of questioning for Southgate and his players. How to stop Mbappé?
England have made it this far in a 4-3-3 system, the balance of the midfield key. Since Jordan Henderson has come into the team, he has provided a measure of security around Bellingham, allowing the 19-year-old the freedom to push higher, to force turnovers, to drive with the ball. Rice adds his own qualities in front of the defense.
There has long been the feeling that when England face an elite-level opponent, Southgate will revert to a back three – using Kieran Trippier at right wing-back and Kyle Walker at right centre-half. This would offer a double bolt against Mbappé, who has operated off the left.
As an aside, it was a concern to see how the Senegal winger Ismaïla Sarr beat Walker and got away from him in one first-half incident. Walker, who had to foul him, fortunately escaping a yellow card, has played only twice since groin surgery on 4 October.
Southgate knows what everybody at home will want; Stick with the back four, try to be assertive in midfield. If England are to lose, then better to go out swinging. He appeared to suggest that he was thinking along those lines, although there remains plenty of time before the game.
“We’re short of to be sure and we really feel we now have accomplished that to this point on this event,” Southgate said, when asked whether he was considering a safer approach. “We’ve got energy in the team, we’ve got depth in the squad. So I don’t think we should be drifting too far from what we’ve been. You’ve obviously got to make allowances for the opposition and find out where you can exploit them but we’ve got good players to come in, as well.”
Rice made an upbeat ultimate level, attacking the grievance that has adopted England’s performances within the first 30 minutes of video games – and the primary halves towards the US and Wales.
“Against the big teams, there has always been a lot of talk about us using the ball,” Rice stated. “In this event, we now have just about managed each and every sport. We’ve had a fair proportion of ownership, we now have moved it actually neatly.
“The opening levels [of games] were actually shaky as a result of groups are actually seeking to prevent us enjoying. But when we get that objective, they’ve to switch. It opens up and then you definitely actually begin to see us play. Against France, we now have observed some weaknesses in them that we will attempt to exploit. It’s arrange for an ideal sport.”