England's Nail-Biting Showdown with Ukraine: Walker's Goal, Foden's Miss, and Maddison Shines!
England stumble in their journey to Euro 2024 with a 1-1 draw against Ukraine Kyle Walker's first international goal salvages a point, while Phil Foden misses a key opportunity James Maddison impresses, but concerns persist for Jordan Henderson What lies ahead for the Three Lions?
At the Tarczynski Arena, where Oleksandr Usyk defeated Daniel Dubois two weeks ago, there was no Ukrainian knockout victory over the English opposition this time. However, the team displayed a truly remarkable effort.
England, the runners-up of Euro 2020, have consistently secured victories in Group C with a perfect record of four wins in four matches. It appears to be a matter of time rather than uncertainty for them to secure their spot in next summer's tournament in Germany.
The Three Lions, who had won 21 out of their last 22 Euros qualifiers, had to settle for a point on Saturday evening as they were unable to capitalize on Walker's excellent equalizer after Oleksandr Zinchenko's opening goal. Here are the key talking points from Wroclaw.
Maddison doesn't hide on England hard launch
Image:
James Maddison was booked in Wroclaw
This was James Maddison's true breakthrough at the international level. Although he made his senior debut against Ukraine in March and played his second match in the 4-0 victory over Malta in June, it was somewhat of a low-key introduction when he was still a Leicester player.
Now, in four matches, Gareth Southgate has chosen Maddison, Bukayo Saka, and Harry Kane as his front three in three games - but this time it was special.
England's front three combinations since September 2022
Maddison's performance in the early stages of the season compelled Gareth Southgate to select him for the starting lineup against Poland, cementing his status as Tottenham's key signing during the summer transfer window. Similar to his previous two appearances under the England manager, Maddison assumed a provisional role on the left wing, albeit with a slightly elevated position compared to his position under Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.| Game | Left-wing | Centre Forward | Right-wing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 2022: Italy (A) L 1-0 | Sterling | Kane | Saka |
| Sep 26, 2022: Germany (H) D 3-3 | Foden | Kane | Sterling |
| Nov 21, 2022: Iran (N) W 6-2 | Sterling | Kane | Saka |
| Nov 25, 2022: USA (N) D 0-0 | Sterling | Kane | Saka |
| Nov 29, 2022: Wales (N) W 3-0 | Foden | Kane | Saka |
| Dec 4, 2022: Senegal (N) W 3-0 | Foden | Kane | Saka |
| Dec 10, 2022: France (N) L 2-1 | Foden | Kane | Saka |
| Mar 23, 2023: Italy (A) W 2-1 | Grealish | Kane | Saka |
| Mar 26, 2023: Ukraine (H) W 2-0 | Maddison | Kane | Saka |
| Jun 16, 2023: Malta (A) W 4-0 | Maddison | Kane | Saka |
| Jun 19, 2023: N Macedonia (H) W 7-0 | Rashford | Kane | Saka |
| Sep 9, 2023: Ukraine (A) | Maddison | Kane | Saka |
His influence grew when he dropped deeper, with Jude Bellingham taking on a more attacking role. England struggled to find their rhythm, as admitted by Southgate, but Maddison remained active and demonstrated bravery by continuously seeking possession despite a few mishandled touches and inaccurate passes.
Foden misses chance to stake starting spot claim
is always eager to get the ball, but on one occasion, his over-enthusiastic challenge resulted in a booking before he was substituted in the 66th minute. Despite this, Maddison appears confident and capable at this level, and it seems likely that he will continue to be a part of Southgate's plans leading up to next summer.
Image:
Phil Foden failed to grasp his chance for England
The stage was set for Phil Foden.
Bukayo Saka had a lackluster performance, despite showing occasional brilliance for Manchester City earlier in the season. This opportunity against Ukraine was crucial for him to make a case for earning a starting position in the England team. Although he only played for 24 minutes in a struggling England side, it raises the question of when the 23-year-old will live up to the reputation of being a 'generational talent' that has been attached to him throughout his career.
In his substitute appearance on Saturday, Foden only managed to make one pass in the attacking third, lost four duels, and failed to complete a dribble.
Apart from a short period of good performance during the World Cup, Southgate has shown very little faith in Foden's abilities while representing England. With performances like the one he had on Saturday, it is unlikely that this situation will change.
Walker gets off the mark
Image:
Kyle Walker celebrates his equaliser against Ukraine in Poland
Southgate unveiled England's plan to implement a dynamic system, and the Three Lions manager stayed true to his promise. Maddison and Bellingham harmonized effectively; Guehi and Maguire alternated in driving the team forward, a strategy evident in their equalizing goal.
After being deprived of opportunities for 41 minutes, Kane retreated deeper and cleverly utilized Henderson's movement as a distraction to find Walker, who was charging forward, for his inaugural international goal in his 77th appearance.
It was a veteran centre-forward's touch and finish, providing a well-timed boost for England as Ukraine gained momentum on the verge of half-time. However, the question remained: was Walker about to score his first goal ever?
Recently, the Manchester City defender signed a new contract at the Etihad and stunned his teammates with an incredible goal during training a few days ago.
Shared on England's Instagram account, the 33-year-old tactfully maneuvered the ball towards his right before delivering a powerful strike that found the back of the net, soaring past Aaron Ramsdale. Evidently driven to score, Walker arrived in Poland with a clear determination. He successfully shed the pressure, emerging as England's outstanding performer. Ben Grounds
Mudryk can't catch a break
Walker's Spectacular Goal Helps England Secure Victory
Image:
Despite facing challenges against Walker, Mykhailo Mudryk remains a crucial player for the national team of Ukraine, shouldering the hopes of the entire nation.
During the September international break, he had a chance to regain his form in front of his devoted fans on familiar ground. Mudryk demonstrated his immense potential while playing Champions League matches for Shakhtar Donetsk at Legia Stadium in Warsaw last season, which ultimately paved the way for his £88.5m transfer to Chelsea in January.
Playing on the left wing against Walker, there was always anticipation whenever he received the ball. However, he failed to make an impact and was clearly outperformed by the England right-back.
At one point, Ukraine had a promising counter-attack opportunity shortly before he was replaced. Unfortunately, Mudryk seemed to panic upon realizing that Walker was approaching and clumsily fell on the ball, seemingly injuring himself in the process.
Sheepishly, he exited. Here was further evidence of a young man with plenty of promise struggling with the weight of expectations.Ben Grounds
Henderson deals with pre-match pressure, but issues will remain
Image:
Jordan Henderson made his long-awaited return to the England national team after completing his controversial transfer to Saudi Arabia earlier this summer, concluding a hectic week for the talented midfielder.
The Athletic recently published a comprehensive interview in which he addressed the transfer for the first time, as well as the various issues surrounding it. These topics encompassed the emotional impact on the LGBTQ+ community and speculation regarding his future with the England team after joining Al Ettifaq.
However, Henderson's performance in Saturday's game suggests that he still has several years ahead of him representing the Three Lions. In spite of opposition from Three Lions Pride, a vocal LGBTQ+ supporters group for England, Southgate expressed his determination to not let external opinions hinder his decision to start the midfielder.
Despite facing off-field scrutiny, Henderson's performance remained unaffected. Despite Ukraine's early goal, the 33-year-old showed promise in creating opportunities for England. In the second half, he delivered two threatening crosses into the area. However, there were imperfections in his performance as he failed to track his runners effectively, contributing to Ukraine's goal. Nonetheless, Henderson's overall performance was commendable, defying the skeptics waiting for his failure.
Henderson's inclusion in Southgate's midfield plans seems to be a permanent fixture, but it is now a given that he will face constant criticism whenever he is selected.
Despite the pre-match pressure, Henderson managed to stay unfazed this time. However, the portion of England's fan base that is disappointed with the former Liverpool captain will not be quick to forgive him, regardless of his on-field performance.
What's next?
England will be facing Scotland in a friendly match at Hampden Park on Tuesday with kick-off at 7.45pm. Following this, Southgate's team will resume their matches in October during the next international break. They will have a friendly against Australia at Wembley on October 13, followed by a vital Euro qualifier against Italy four days later at the same venue.Ukraine's next game is a Euro 2024 Qualifier against Italy at San Siro on Tuesday - kick-off 7.45pm.
