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By Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport
Should England fans and gamers”thank their lucky stars” Phil Neville is accountable for
The Lionesses director’s claim was said in jest, however following a fascination with Belgium and defeat by Norway in their initial friendlies since the World Cup, his stock has barely risen.
Despite TV viewers such as complete and England’s World Cup matches in France, questions remain whether they can be implemented by these players and about their tactics.
The road to hosting Euro 2021 allows a lot of time to boost.
Neville also has said he wishes to take risks and move players during the upcoming friendlies of England from their comfort zones.
But are we any closer to learning about Neville and his staff following all these Norway and Belgium outcomes?
Neville sometimes says the wrong item, like in the World Cup when he predicted the third-place defeat by Sweden that a”nonsense” game.
Ahead of the 3-3 draw with Belgium a week that he said he regretted using that sentence, but argued it summed up his disappointment after falling into the United States days before.
In Norway, Neville said he had”a fantasy and bravery no other coach has, therefore thank your lucky stars. I’m here to stay”.
If it had been intended to ruffle feathers, it worked, and it chimed with his aim to make things uncomfortable.
He says it’s all part of his plan to take the Lionesses before hosting the Championship in two decades’ time.
Former England captain Casey Stoney stated she had no problem with Neville’s words, adding:”It’s a British mentality where you’ve got to be modest, unwanted and sometimes booked and that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with saying you are good occasionally.”
True enough, yet when England are to have a similar mindset to World Cup winners United Statesthey need to back it up with results.
Neville is yet to deliver on that front Regardless of winning the SheBelieves Cup last March. At least his own standards.
In stark terms, Neville shot England backward at the World Cup, with missed out on a bronze medal attained under Mark Sampson in Canada four years ago.
Neville would argue that it is going to take some time where he needs his staff to instil a fresh fashion.
The draw against Belgium, rated 14 areas below England, and conquer Norway, that they beat also came before the start of the Women’s Super League, meaning gamers are working back to full fitness.
But Neville did not accept this even if he had been critical of his team’s mistakes, having worked prior to the match all week on defensive form.
The biggest concerns are England’s vulnerability from their distribution and broad areas from the trunk.
From corners Neville’s side have conceded six goals in crosses and 2 in their last four matches.
Millie Bright and defenders Steph Houghton also gave away the ball in hazardous places, resulting in targets against Belgium and Norway.
Irrespective of their desire to play with football that is expansive, England should improve that part of the game before it will become a target for the opposition.
Moving Lucy Bronze that is right-back into midfield has been a subtext to the experimentation of Neville with England, however, it has been over-played.
Bronze adds want and force however she is into the likes of midfielders Izzy Christiansen and Jill Scott Nobbs, that are recovering from injury or being more rested.
In that role she is well-suited, but moving from leaves a hole around England’s flanks, where they’ve shown unsafe.
“Against Norway there has been a lack of clarity in the way England desired to play,” said former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis. “Overlapping full-backs were England’s individuality at the World Cup and I do not think we had a DNA against Norway.”
Positives from the 2 friendlies were limited, but the shining light among the team was midfielder Georgia Stanway, whose purpose lit up the first half against Norway.
Never one to shy away from shooting, the Manchester City player fired first step into the top corner to give England the lead.
She set Jodie Taylor for the opening goal against Belgium up using a pass following a speedy counter-attack.
Stanway made her World Cup debut in France, but did not look out of place, especially from Japan, and had been unlucky not to feature over the Fran Kirby.
With the Chelsea midfielder hurt for this latest excursion, Stanway may have given a nudge that she might deserve to continue to her place after England take on Brazil on 5 October at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium to Neville.
The 20-year-old has supported up Neville’s judgement when he spoke of her”world-class potential” in the World Cup.
He needs to prove he has attributes before his words begin to appear hollow.
From a liberal democracy into some dictatorship in four Decades
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