UEFA Nations League

NO express pace up front, no sorcery in central  midfield, no composure in defence.
In one of their last serious tests before next summer’s Euros, there was little to  suggest that England can be genuine contenders to win the thing.

Harry Kane goes closest for England in the first half with a header that is cleared off the line in his 50th international appeaanceCredit: Rex Features

Half the four-man England wall fails to get off the ground as Dries Mertens curves a free-kick to double the Belgium leadCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Skipper Harry Kane and his England team-mates were down on their luck as they battled well in Belgium but lacked quality at both endsCredit: Rex Features

You might call it a reality check, but in reality, Gareth Southgate’s men have been uninspiring in four of their five competitive matches this autumn.
Their chances of reaching the Nations League finals were ended by two early goals from Youri Tielemans and Dries Mertens.
And even though England created chances against Fifa’s world No 1 team, Belgium had superior quality at either end of the pitch.
Southgate can point to injuries and suspensions to key players — Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez might all have made his starting line-up.

But his devotion to playing with three central defenders and wing-backs leaves the Three Lions without a creative force behind skipper Harry Kane.
So to decide against starting with the pace of Jadon Sancho, who had scored against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday, always felt like a conservative move — and there have been too many of them from Southgate.
At least the England boss has lost his blind spot over Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, who was excellent on his first competitive England start and will take some shifting from this team.
But it still wasn’t enough to unlock an experienced Belgian defence.England aren’t bad at all but neither are they world-beaters.

Youri Tielemans roars his approval at his tenth-minute opener for Belgium Credit: AP:Associated Press

Jack Grealish squeezes in a half-chance past Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld but England drew blanks all nightCredit: AFP or licensors

Boss Gareth Southgate sees England struggle to turn possession into goals, with Belgium chief Roberto Martinez watching onCredit: Reuters
You sense that, in his heart of hearts, Southgate doesn’t quite believe they are ready to win a tournament, hence those overly-cautious starting line-ups.
Sterling had failed a late fitness test after suffering a knock in training, so Southgate elected to start both Grealish and Mason Mount to support Kane in attack.
England’s victory over the Belgians at Wembley last month had been notable, yet they had been thoroughly outplayed for the opening half-hour.
But a subsequent home defeat by Denmark left Southgate’s men knowing they would probably need a victory in Leuven to reach the finals — and that was never really on the cards.
Belgium are unbeaten in competitive home matches for more than a decade and you could see why, even though England had more shots on goal.
Within two minutes, Kane went on a driving run at the heart of the home defence and drilled one just wide.
But England were behind inside ten minutes.
Eric Dier’s pass put Mount under pressure, Jan Vertonghen nicked possession and Romelu Lukaku, surrounded by five England players, managed to tee up Tielemans.

Dries Mertens enjoys making it 2-0 to Belgium with a free-kick on 23 minutesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans fires Belgium in front with a deflected effortCredit: AFP or licensors
The Leicester midfielder leathered his shot, which deflected off Tyrone Mings, with Jordan Pickford only able to turn it on to the inside of the post and into the net.
Dier is respected as a player and a bloke but at elite level, he gives away too many goals.
England were straight back at  Roberto Martinez’s side, though,  Kieran Trippier whipping in a cross and Grealish nipping in at the near-post only for his effort to be deflected wide by Toby Alderweireld.
From Trippier’s corner, Kane beat Thibaut Courtois with a stooping header, only for an alert Lukaku to dart back and nod off the line.
But midway through the first half, Belgium were two up — Declan Rice penalised for catching Kevin De Bruyne after he had nicked the ball.
Mertens, playing in his hometown stadium, bent in a superb free-kick with Pickford clutching at air. Ben Chilwell was forced off through injury before half-time and replaced by Bukayo Saka, leaving Southgate without four defenders who might be considered first-choice.
BOBBED AND WEAVED
If there was to be a change at half-time you would have expected Sancho to arrive and give England an injection of pace.
Instead it was Harry Winks, not currently playing for Tottenham in the Premier League, who replaced Jordan Henderson.
Still, England had a couple of early sighters in the second half.
Grealish got away with a foul on Axel Witsel, before Alderweireld brought down Spurs team-mate Kane on the edge of the area but Mount was wayward with his free-kick.
Then Grealish, on a darting run, was tripped by Thomas Meunier only for Trippier to plough his free-kick into the wall.
Mount soon released Kane but the skipper — who had just taken a heavy whack from Jason Denayer — shot meekly at Courtois.

Grealish, increasingly influential, bobbed, weaved and shot just over.
Pickford made a fine save to deny Lukaku and with England stretched it was the hosts who looked the more likely late scorers.
This has been a grim old autumn for Southgate — and even though off-field controversies have often overshadowed the actual football, there is little doubt they have gone backwards.

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DUTCH master-blaster Georginio Wijnaldum kept up his amazing streak of international goals as an early double sunk Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The Liverpool midfielder now has seven of Holland’s last 13 goals – and 12 in his last 19 internationals.

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum celebrates the first of his two early goals as Holland best Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-1Credit: EPA

Memphis Depay hails making it 3-0 for the Dutch, with Luuk de Jong, Denzel Dumfries and Georginio Wijnaldum leading the praiseCredit: Getty – Pool

The 30-year-old Dutch skipper was unmarked to slot his opener before nudging home a second on 15 minutes, via Steven Berghuis’ header.
Lyon attacker Memphis Depay then showed why he is being linked with Barcelona, Juventus and Roma by tapping Holland 3-0 up on 55 minutes.
Smail Prevljak soon netted Bosnia’s consolation in their 3-1 Nations League loss.
But Holland ending a five-game winless run never looked in doubt as they dictated most of the game.

And Wijnaldum was again their star turn.

So perhaps his staggering form was why he declined to rule out a move when questioned about Barca back in September.
In the final year of his Anfield contract, the former Feyenoord, PSV and Newcastle star said: “They are only rumours. I can’t say anything at the moment.”  
Not surprisingly, though, he has a good relationship with fellow Dutchman and Nou Camp chief Ronald Koeman, notably from the latter’s two years as Holland manager.

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RAHEEM STERLING faces a late fitness test ahead of England’s Nations League clash with Belgium tonight.
The Man City superstar picked up a knock while England trained at Pennyhill Park on Saturday, but the nature of the injury is unclear.

Raheem Sterling is an injury doubt for England’s clash with BelgiumCredit: Rex Features

Jack Grealish impressed against Ireland and could step inCredit: AP:Associated Press

Jack Grealish is ready to step in if Sterling is ruled out with injury in Sunday’s Nations League clash.
The Aston Villa ace impressed in England’s 3-0 win over Ireland on Thursday and could get a chance to catch the eye in a competitive clash.
But Gareth Southgate faces a defensive headache with both Harry Maguire and Joe Gomez out of Sunday’s clash.
Manchester United centre-back Maguire is suspended while Gomez suffered a serious knee injury in training last week.

Harry Kane is set to make his 50th appearance for England after sitting out the friendly win on Thursday.
Southgate said it was a “privilege” to have Kane in the team in the build-up to Sunday’s showdown with Belgium.
The England boss said: “Every country is going to play differently and have their outstanding players who have different sorts of attributes.

“Harry is a different type of centre-forward to Romelu Lukaku, for example.

“Different to Olivier Giroud or Kylian Mbappe. We are just delighted we’ve got him and we know his impact. His scoring record for us is just phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal.
“You always know, going into a game with the likes of Harry, with Raheem as well, that we’ve got a tremendous goal threat which a lot of countries would be delighted to have.”

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HARRY KANE is capable of knocking Wayne Rooney of the top of England’s goalscoring charts, according to Gareth Southgate.
The Three Lions travel to Belgium this evening for Sunday’s Nations League clash, which will see Kane earn his 50th cap.

Few England internationals have been as efficient as Kane, with the striker netting at a rate of a goal every 1.5 games.
Such a strike rate makes the 27-year-old a top candidate to bag the 24 goals which will make him the nation’s all-time leading scorer.
The England boss told reporters: “In terms of what is possible, the goalscoring record is the really interesting one because his strike rate for us is phenomenal and he has time on his side to chase Wayne Rooney’s record, which would be a remarkable feat.
“I know from his perspective, while the personal achievement is something he is driven towards, it is the team achievement.

“He is so focused on the team having success and he would want to look back over the next few years at the team achieving.”
Southgate managed Kane in the Under-21s before his elevation to the England senior team.

Harry Kane is also launching up the Premier League scoring charts
And his maiden international strike past Lithuania in March 2015 ranks as Southgate’s favourite goal by the Tottenham star.
The former defender also highlighted a last-ditch equaliser against Scotland three years ago, in their last meeting before next summer’s Euros.

Southgate recalled: “Whenever one of your players get called up, you always want them to do well.
“I remember hearing he had scored [against Lithuania] and that was a brilliant moment for all of us because you want your boys to progress and do well.

Gareth Southgate is set to hand Harry Kane is 50th cap on SundayCredit: Reuters

“His goal at Hampden as well and of course his goals at the World Cup. To win the Golden Boot is an incredible personal achievement.
“It is a special moment for him.
“We have had three or four get to the 50-cap milestone in the last year and for all of them it is a fantastic achievement.”

Harry Kane smashes goals in during England training More