Football Daily | England muddle on and Clarke checks out as World Cup moves up a gear

UP THE BRACKET

After overmuch hesitant wallchart-filling, Geopolitics World Cup fans are yet capable to feast their eyes connected a complete knockout stage and crippled their team’s way to a achy punishment shootout exit. Unlike successful erstwhile tournaments, location is nary remainder time for nan wicked this time, pinch nan first last-32 necktie – a blockbuster necktie betwixt Canada and South Africa – taking spot 15 hours aft nan last group reached its melodramatic conclusion. Despite what their supporters sing, nan GWC statement will now proceed without Scotland … who will proceed without Steve Clarke. The GWC mixed zone’s slightest celebrated man has asked himself whether he is champion placed to lead nan federation into nan adjacent awesome tourney and has accepted nan reply (‘no’) pinch bully grace. “Thanks for having maine and bully luck to my successor,” Clarke sniffed arsenic he backed distant from nan lectern and headed for nan doorway marked Do One.

Thomas Tuchel mightiness person been envious of Clarke’s abrupt state arsenic he watched his England squad bluster their measurement to a 3rd half of goalless shot connected nan bounce. After a turgid first hour, Jude Bellingham decided that was capable faffing astir and put Panama distant pinch a extremity and an assistance for Harry Kane. Unlike against Ghana, Bellingham had to judge he astir apt was nan champion subordinate connected nan transportation – and by rather immoderate distance. England now person 4 days to get themselves down to Atlanta to play nan Democratic Republic of nan Congo. Tuchel will astir apt walk nan formation watching his right-backs for illustration a hawk, for nan knack curse that struck down Tino Livramento, Reece James and Jarell Quansah is surely coming for Djed Spence. Don’t beryllium straining that jaw connected immoderate rock-hard aeroplane bread, Djed. Let’s get Trevoh Chalobah immoderate other limb room, excessively – conscionable successful case.

In nan look of overmuch harrumphing astir England’s capacity successful New Jersey, Tuchel tooted: “These players are utilized to these moments. We will measurement up. The bigger nan games get, nan bigger we will get.” The federation tin remainder easy, then, knowing Ezri Konsa’s Bigger Vase acquisition will extremity him jumping successful two-footed connected immoderate much rampaging attackers connected England’s way to nan last – moreover if Ghana lurk successful a imaginable semi-final reunion. After Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo found it tough going against personification that isn’t Uzbekistan Colombia and were chucked connected to nan different broadside of nan tie to beryllium fed connected by Spain, France, Germany and nan USA USA USA, England’s broadside of nan bracket has, arsenic usual, opened up a touch.

Of nan world’s apical 10 teams successful Fifa’s soft-drink-fuelled rankings, only Argentina (No 1) and Brazil (No 6) guidelines betwixt England (No 4) and nan final. That leaves nan different 7 to conflict among themselves connected nan different broadside of nan draw. But past again, England person hardly passed nan tests of Ghana (world No 73) and Panama (No 34) pinch flying colours. Post-Panama, ITV’s floating question-poser Gabriel Clarke asked Bellingham if he expects a amended England successful nan knockout stage. “We’ll see, hopefully,” he shrugged. And who tin blasted him for not being wholly convinced.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

John Brewin, Billy Munday and Yara El-Shaboury will beryllium steering nan GWC news blog earlier nan information of 32 commences. South Africa 0-0 Canada (aet; 0-1 connected pens) successful Los Angeles is nan curtain-raising fixture successful nan knockout rounds; Daniel Harris will bring you nan action from 3pm EDT/8pm BST.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

28 May: “It’s very important to look up and scheme for nan early and, while my squad will beryllium doing everything successful their powerfulness to compete and make nan state proud this summer, it besides gives america certainty up of nan tourney knowing that we tin look to build connected those foundations for nan long-term, and it is simply a privilege to proceed successful this role” – Steve Clarke signs a four-year statement extension to enactment successful complaint of Scotland done their 2030 World Cup campaign.

27 June: “The astir affectional portion of this goodbye is for my players, without whom we wouldn’t person had immoderate of nan memories that we’ve accumulated from 2019 until now. They merit each nan praise and adulation that they person and it was genuinely an honour to beryllium called their gaffer. Thanks for having maine and bully luck to my successor” – astir that certainty: Clarke resigns.

That’s him away: Steve Clarke has walked distant from his four-year Scotland statement extension. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

double quotation markRe: Mike Towers’ petition for imaginable stepping shot position (yesterday’s letters). If 2 neighbouring Scottish teams play each other, is it known arsenic nan ‘infirm derby’?” – Roger Mart.

double quotation markIf Mike Towers wanted to sample stepping football, he needn’t moreover person near his house. He could person conscionable watched Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Portugal” – Derek McGee.

double quotation markAs we participate nan knockout stages of nan GWC, I thought it clip to put down a marker. On astatine slightest 4 occasions successful nan past mates of years, you person predicted punishment shootouts to decorativeness 1-0. According to RSSSF, this has happened possibly doubly ever successful a normal shootout (including Silures’ 1-0 triumph connected penalties against Hafia successful nan 2nd information of nan African Champions’ Cup 1979 are not known). So extremity it – I’m connected to you” – Neil Rose [never! – Football Daily Ed].

double quotation markKev nan Poet’s proposal that Odysseas Vlachodimos is simply a midfielder mightiness explicate why he was truthful bad whenever he played successful goal” – Jim Hearson.

If you person any, please nonstop letters to [email protected]. Today’s prizeless missive o’ nan time is … Derek McGee. Terms and conditions for our competitions, erstwhile we tally them, are here. 

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