Star Sports football ambassador ALEX CROOK previews Lee Carsley’s fourth game as England interim manager as the Three Lions travel to Finland in the Nations League…
The honeymoon is well and truly over for England interim-boss Lee Carsley after the shock defeat at home to a Greece team ranked a lowly 48th in the world, writes ALEX CROOK.
As suggested in this column, Carsley opted to play without a recognised striker to shoo-horn Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Phil Foden into the same team, a decision that backfired spectacularly as the visitors, inspired by the tragic passing of their former Sheffield United full-back George Baldock, beat the Three Lions for the first time in their history.
It was no fluke either as England were spectacularly outplayed by a side who had not beaten a top-five ranked nation since their surprise European championship win in 2004, and who have not qualified for a major tournament since 2014.
Greece actually had the ball in the England net FIVE times, with three goals ruled out for offside, while Carsley’s bewildered men mustered only two shots on target.
Almost more alarming than England’s woeful performance was Carsley’s post-match admission that they had only practised playing with a false number 9 for 20 minutes and that he was ’hopeful’ of returning to his under-21 job, which has raised fresh debate about his credentials to be named as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor.
It is interesting to note Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel’s odds tumble in the next England manager market with starsports.bet in the immediate aftermath of Thursday night’s Wembley debacle.
There is no time for Carsley and his players to feel sorry for themselves as they head to Helsinki to take on Finland in what has now become a must-win game in the quest for promotion to the top tier of the Nations League.
England were more comfortable than the 2-0 final scoreline suggests when these two met in London last month, and Finland remain rock bottom of the group having failed to pick up a single point from their three matches.
It looked as if their fortunes would change when they took the lead at home to the Republic of Ireland in mid-week only to succumb to a late Robbie Brady goal and lose 2-1.
The hosts have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last eight matches and, like Greece, have never beaten England in 12 previous meetings.
Providing Carsley picks an actual striker, and there is hope captain Harry Kane will be fit to return, this should be the perfect fixture in which to bounce back, although damage may well have already been done to Carsley’s long-term job prospects.
England at -1 on the handicap at
should be a winner, as long as there is no hangover from Thursday.
Kane has netted 10 goals in nine games for Bayern Munich this season and was at the double to mark his 100th cap in the grand fashion in the reverse meeting.
Skipper Kane to bag another brace is
with starsports.bet.
It has been 0-0 at half-time in two of England’s three games under Carsley so 21/20 for the second half to have the most goals with starsports.bet is also attractive.
For the Build-a-bet I will add in Jude Bellingham to score, along with Kane to score and England -1 on the handicap at 13/1 with starsports.bet
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BACK Harry Kane to score a brace 1pt at 15/4 (⭐
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Build-a-bet: Jude Bellingham and Kane to score and England -1 0.5pts at 13/1 with starsports.bet
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