England 3 Scotland 0: Gareth Southgate’s men win crucial qualifier with swagger as they outplay Auld Enemy at Wembley Stadium
For one night only, England finally have something to crow about
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CONFIDENCE? Yes. Arrogance? Well maybe there was a bit of that, too.
England played with a swagger, a sense of entitlement and superiority against our dear auld friends from north of the border.
Cheer up, Gordon Strachan and all that.
For one night only, England finally have something to crow about.
It feels like years since England sent their fans home happy as they streamed down Wembley Way.
Most of them even stayed to the end. It was that kind of night.
This was a performance to warm the cockles of any battle-weary England fan.
It was only Scotland, but you can only beat what is put in front of you.
Finally, playing football on the front foot, England took control of a sport they invented.
Gareth Southgate’s side scored three goals — all headers — to put the Auld Enemy in their place.
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Daniel Sturridge, Adam Lallana and Gary Cahill got on the scoresheet, rising to Southgate’s overnight challenge.
This game meant so much to him.
The history of the fixture, the chance to go into 2017 at the top of Group F.
It sounds good on the surface — provided you do not mention the other countries Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta and whipping boys Scotland.
Still, a win is a win. And England won this very well indeed.
Finally the country is dancing to Sturridge’s tune.
His wavelength, his way of thinking. Sturridge, scorer of England’s opening goal against the Tartan Army, will like the sound of that.
You can be certain it was music to Southgate’s ears as well.
Sturridge was in the groove, setting the tone for England’s win with a clever header that beat Craig Gordon in the 24th minute.
Gazza still has the patent on the best goal scored against Scotland at this stadium when he mugged off Colin Hendry and keeper Andy Goram at Euro 96.
Still, this one was decent enough.
There is something about Sturridge that makes you want to believe in him.
Sturridge the enigma is out. Sturridge the hero is in. A guy who is clever enough, sharp enough to change games at the highest level.
In Brazil two years ago, he scored the equaliser in England’s opening group game against Italy up in the jungle.
At Euro 2016 he turned a game against Wales when it was a backs-to-the-wall job after Gareth Southgate scored from miles out.
And last month he scored the first goal of Southgate’s short stint in charge when England took the lead against Malta.
Southgate remembers that, cherishes that.
It is one of the reasons Southgate turned to him here, starting him up front and hoping to make something stick against these Scots.
They were rewarded midway through the first half when Danny Rose’s effort from the left was blocked by Grant Hanley.
Kyle Walker, steaming in from the right, picked out Sturridge at the near post to steer his clever header beyond Gordon.
After that, it was easy.
Southgate had stoked up a rivalry that is dimming every time Scotland take another beating off England.
Come on fellas, give us a game.
The second goal came five minutes after half-time when Rose swung in a cross from the left for Lallana to divert beyond Gordon.
It was another decisive goal, giving Lallana another lift after his return to the England squad.
The Liverpool man was missed last month when he was out injured, that much is clear.
His first England goal, scored in the final minute against Slovakia in Sam Allardyce’s only game in charge, has given him confidence.
He belongs now.
Scotland, dear Scotland, never got near England.
Darren Fletcher got a bit too comfortable at the start with a cheeky backheel. Scott Brown came out of international retirement for this one, but played like he was still in it. He was caught in a time-warp.
Wake up fella, Jordan Henderson has just left you for dead again.
Strachan will point to a couple of half-chances, with James Forrest’s costly miss at the start of the second half one of them.
Within seconds, England shot up the other end and scored their second goal.
They scored a third after 61 minutes when Wayne Rooney provided the chance for defender Cahill to glance a header beyond Gordon.
It was a good night to be Rooney, returning to the side after being dropped for last month’s qualifier in Slovenia. Here the captain’s assist finished off whatever poor old Scotland had left in them.
Truth be told, it was not very much.
The defensive flaws in England’s game still need to be ironed out, with the uncertainty back there a hangover from their disastrous showing at Euro 2016.
They prod a bit too much, lacking conviction in their passes when they are playing it around at the back.
Southgate can save that for Tuesday’s visit of Spain.
For once, it was just a very good night to be English.
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