1) This test against an elite team showcased promise
Friendlies always have the capacity to descend into farce, with mass substitutions and some teams more eager to embrace the occasion than others, but there was still plenty here to have Gareth Southgate purring. His side, in search of that elusive positive “identity”, clicked for long periods, most noticeably at the start of each half. Their pressing was synchronised and panicked the Spanish in the right areas of the pitch at the right times. They boasted pace in the pass as well as of movement on and off the ball, with real speed of thought through the centre. So impressive was their tempo that they actually forced Spain to change systems midway through the first period, swapping to a back four, in search of a foothold. When was the last time the English did that to one of the world’s perceived elite sides?
2) Spain’s side were nowhere near their best
Even that, of course, requires context. This was far from Spain’s first team, and it should not go forgotten that the 2010 World Cup winners’ stay at Euro 2016 had actually been briefer than England’s (albeit by only a few hours, and via a defeat against Italy). Julen Lopetegui’s players were rattled by some robust challenges as well as all that initial quick English thinking, and struggled to coax Aritz Aduriz into the game for all the busy invention of David Silva and Juan Mata. Their defending was desperate and overwhelmed regularly by the hosts’ urgency, which is more reason for local optimism. It still feels odd to consider that, while the overriding nightmare of England’s 2016 will be of Iceland at the Allianz Riviera, this was a calendar year that started with victory over Germany and ended with a draw crammed with encouragement against Spain. They may only have been friendlies, but there are foundations upon which to build.
3) Lallana was ready to light up this stage
Adam Lallana is rapidly becoming key to this team’s style of play. Just as at Liverpool, where the midfielder is thriving in a more central role and never seems to stop running, he is the kind of player in whom managers are eager to place their trust. That 26-game drought at the start of his international career is a distant memory, with the penalty converted confidently past José Reina a third goal in successive England matches. Yet it was his pass, arced gloriously around Iñigo Martínez for Jamie Vardy to collect and draw the decisive foul from Reina, that truly epitomised the 28-year-old’s quality. Liverpool will be fretting over the injury to Lallana’s right ankle, inflicted by a frazzled Thiago Alcántara, ahead of the weekend trip to the player’s former club, Southampton. His absence feels like a proper loss these days.
4) Sterling among others to take up the mantle
Yet it was not as if England wilted in Lallana’s absence. Here was more evidence of Raheem Sterling’s lavish ability, his scuttling runs unnerving Dani Carvajal before he departed to a fine ovation, and Jordan Henderson’s growing influence in the centre. The captain for the night is another whose buoyant club form is starting to be mirrored on the international stage. John Stones appeared far more composed than last Friday, choosing his moments to collect and distribute short, while the full-backs – Nathaniel Clyne and Danny Rose – were bristling with forward-thinking intent. The last time England defeated Spain, back in 2011, they did so barely seeing the ball all night. “But we have a young team who are eager to show what they can do on the ball,” the interim manager said before kick-off. “We won’t have all the possession, but that’s the challenge.” Even with the late concessions, it was still one they passed.
5) Southgate to be confirmed before end of month
Even in the wake of some rather non-committal programme notes from chairman Greg Clarke, and the defensive fragility at the end, the result of this friendly was never actually likely to influence the FA’s decision to hand the reins to Southgate on a permanent basis. A four‑year contract should be confirmed soon enough, with a break clause inserted after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, on terms that will be considerably less than those offered to Sam Allardyce, Roy Hodgson et al. But there will be the potential for bonuses and, given Southgate is being appointed from within, he will accept the relative disparity in wage from the £3.5m earned annually by Hodgson, or Allardyce’s £3m. His considerable task, establishing an identity for this side while maintaining results and playing politics with the clubs, begins here. Instinct suggests he is the right man for the job.
