England need creativity from open play in order to win it all

Gareth Southgate and his coaching staff have made England a real threat from set pieces, but they need to improve in open play.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a football fan; you’ve probably seen “it’s coming home,” somewhere on social media. Thank the England fans for that.

This might be England’s best chance to bring football home.

But not even the most optimistic of English fans could have predicted the trajectory of this team.

Yes, they’ve had a very settled, young squad for a while now, and yes they have a manager who has taken control of the team on every level. Yes, there’s the link between the country Pep Guardiola manages in and who wins the World Cup that year, but nobody would have predicted this.

England won a penalty shootout for the first time in a knockout tournament against Colombia in the round of 16, and they have a clear path to the final on what is undoubtedly the easier side of the draw.

Sweden stand in front of them for a place in the semifinals, and England will be confident of advancing. As they should be.

But amidst the wave of social media ecstasy, pundits losing their minds on live television and the rise in the sale of waistcoats, there’s a tiny concern that needs to be dealt with.

England have struggled to create clear-cut chances from open play. A team that boasts arguably the best striker in the world in Harry Kane has scored only two goals from open play so far. That might not cut it if the Three Lions are going to win it all.

In Jesse Lingard, Dele Alli, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and even Fabian Delph, England have got four midfielders that are excellent in their link up play. Their ability to gather the ball between the lines and run at defenses is extraordinary. Lingard and Alli have done it all season long for Manchester United and Tottenham, and Loftus-Cheek’s form for Crystal Palace was sensational toward the end of the season. Raheem Sterling and Lingard have used their movement to drag defenders away from their natural positions, but Sterling has been wasteful with his finishing all tournament.

Next: 5 key matchups: England vs. Sweden

Gareth Southgate has been masterful in the use of these players’ talents.

But despite having smashed Panama 6-1 and running Tunisia ragged in their opening two games, England didn’t really look like they would follow through on the threat of their movement.

And the fact that there isn’t a player in the side who is a traditional number 10 is concerning. The absence of a player like David Silva or Toni Kroos is a huge hole for this team.

Sure, against a Colombia side that were giving away fouls for fun, England had no problem using set-pieces to their advantage.

But in Sweden, England are coming up against a stoic, compact team that love defending. Coach Janne Anderson said Sweden have “earned their success,” and he’s right. Team after team have underestimated the Swedes to their own peril; just ask the Dutch and the Italians, who are sitting this tournament out thanks to the Scandinavians.

Sweden themselves have flown well under the radar this tournament, and have used this invisibility to their advantage. They coasted past Mexico and frustrated Switzerland, and will be relishing the challenge against England.

Sweden will be up for it against England — another big nation in their crosshairs — and England must be wary.

England will be up against a vastly more disciplined side than the rash Colombian team they just beat.

They won’t have much space to work in behind the Swedish defence. Sweden themselves will be a threat from set-pieces. They’ll play deep and defend as a unit until they find a chance to break. Emil Forsberg and Viktor Claesson are the Swedes’ most skillful players and will need to be marshaled well.  Additionally, Ola Toivonen and Marcus Berg can’t be underestimated.

This is a big Swedish side that know their game plan better than most. They have an identity, and have used Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s retirement as a uniting factor.

England are still the fancied team for this game. More fans are turning up in Russia as expectations rise. Southgate’s team will have to use possession to their advantage. They have to create chances, and use their strengths well to reach the semis. He has to use this match to set a blueprint for the rest of the tournament. England face probably their biggest test in the upcoming match, and need to be ready for it.

Sweden will allow England possession of the ball, and England have to be creative in their use of it. The quality of teams England will face after this game (should they go through), are much better than Sweden and Colombia. Set pieces alone can’t be their saving grace.

England may have broken the penalty-hoodoo that has haunted their nation forever, but against their neighbours from the north, they’ll have to be at their very best.