England’s two most important meetings with Italy under Gareth Southgate have been defined by the battle for midfield supremacy.
In the European Championship Final two years ago, England’s age-old possession problem was again their downfall as they were overwhelmed by Italy’s midfield pass-masters — Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Nicolo Barella —before an agonising defeat on penalties.
England managed just 34 per cent possession at Wembley and 426 passes to Italy’s 820, in the clearest sign of the dominance of Roberto Mancini’s side.
It was a different story in March, however, as England took early control of Euro 2024 qualifying — which they can secure with a draw against the Italians back at Wembley tonight — with a landmark 2-1 win in Naples.
Italy used the same midfield three but Jude Bellingham started alongside Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips, and England overran the hosts in a dominant first-half, powered by their brilliant engine room.
Southgate believes his squad has evolved since the Euros and England’s qualifying win in Italy was further evidence that they increasingly posses the savvy and technical quality to outplay the international game’s traditional powerhouses — a point backed up at the World Cup.
“They continue to evolve and have far more belief ahead of these kind of fixtures now,” Southgate said yesterday. “In the last 12 months we have been able to be more front foot and more aggressive in our game. And part of it is the evolution of one or two players as well.
“And the spirit of the group just gets tighter and stronger.”
But as Southgate prepares to face Italy, now under new management in Luciano Spalletti, for a fifth time in a little over two years he has a fresh midfield headache. The manager’s preference in these games is “a double pivot” to provide cover for the prodigal Bellingham, which makes sense given the 20-year-old’s remarkable start at Real Madrid, where he is playing as what Southgate has described as a “high 10” with ballast behind.
The problem is that aside from Rice, England’s go-to options in midfield, namely Phillips and Jordan Henderson, now come with enormous question marks.
Henderson was booed by some England supporters during Friday’s friendly win over Australia at Wembley, a judgement on his summer move to Saudi Arabia rather than his performance.
Southgate says he will “100 per cent” continue to pick Henderson even if the boos continue.
More concerning, surely, is that playing in Saudi is poor preparation for a Euros, particularly for a 33-year-old already in the twilight of his international career. Henderson has insisted he feels “as good as ever” and is experienced enough to manage the step change when he joins up with England.
What he offers the side above all, however, is energy — a constant high-octane presence in the middle of the park — and inevitably there are doubts over whether he will be able to reach the same levels after a season in the sweltering, low-intensity Saudi Pro League.
Phillips, meanwhile, cannot get a game for Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola’s decision to overlook the 27-year-old during Rodri’s recent suspension suggests he never will.
Phillips played well in the friendly win over Scotland last month but Southgate has acknowledged that his lack of minutes is “not a good situation for us” and, should he fail to land a move in January, it will be a big ask for him to run England’s midfield next summer after two seasons stagnating on City’s bench.
As it stands, none of Southgate’s other options are suitable; he is unlikely to play James Maddison as a No8, as Ange Postecoglou is doing for Tottenham, and Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield is still at the experimental stage.
Conor Gallagher is impressing for Chelsea but was indisciplined against Australia, while Southgate does not see James Ward-Prowse as a solution.
“Is it a player who isn’t as good as Phillips but is playing regularly?” said Southgate yesterday, explaining his dilemma. “Or is it a player like Kalvin, who is an outstanding player — and that’s why he’s playing at the club he’s at— but can’t get games because Rodri, Bernardo Silva and [Mateo] Kovacic are some of the best midfield players in the world?”
Another question is whether it is better to have Henderson playing regularly, albeit at a low standard, or Phillips not playing for the world’s best team?
Italy are the toughest opponents England will meet competitively before the Euros and tonight should offer a clue to Southgate’s thinking in midfield.
In order to fully unlock Bellingham and continue England’s evolution, the manager really needs either Phillips to start featuring or Henderson to prove that while he has lost the respect of some England fans, he has not lost his edge.
