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Netherlands 3-1 England: Gareth Southgate will not abandon style despite errors

Last updated on .From the section Englandcomments991

Southgate 'incredibly proud' of England after semi-final defeat

England boss Gareth Southgate says he will not abandon his playing principles despite the errors that cost his side a place in the Nations League final.

Mistakes by John Stones and Ross Barkley led to two extra-time goals for the Netherlands after the sides drew 1-1 in normal time in Guimaraes.

But Southgate was adamant his side are capable of playing possession football.

"I'm asking them to play a tough game at the back - if we didn't play that way we wouldn't be here," he said.

"We didn't lose because of how we wanted to play; we lost because of poor execution and fatigue.

"It wasn't just the two goals, we made errors and gave opportunities which should have been punished before that."

Stones and Barkley both gifted the Netherlands possession deep inside their own half and Southgate said his players can usually make those passes "no problem".

"Ross had gone down with cramp moments before [the third goal] and the Dutch pressed very well with a real intensity," he added.

"[We must] play out better. The last one there's an element of fatigue, and when you are fatigued errors happen.

"We were not quite as sharp on some of the decision-making but I think it's a really important game for us to reflect on, and the next few days will be painful having got to this stage."

England appeared to have taken the lead with five minutes remaining as Jesse Lingard beat Jasper Cillessen with a calm finish, but the goal was ruled out because the Manchester United forward was ruled offside following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, a decision Southgate described as "deflating".

'We were inches away'

England captain Harry Kane was introduced off the bench in the second half, after his involvement in Saturday's Champions League final, and the Tottenham striker says his side will take the defeat "on the chin".

"We scored what we thought was going to be the winner but that's the fine margins in games like this," Kane told Sky Sports. "It's part of learning as a team, we take that on the chin and that's the way we want to play.

"That's what VAR is there for. It's hard because you think you've won but we've got to get used to it. I'm sure they got it right.

"I don't think the Champions League final affected it tonight. As a squad we are good enough whoever plays and we were a few inches away from winning it."

Raheem Sterling, who won his 50th cap as captain in Kane's absence from the start, said the Three Lions were "punished" for their "silly mistakes".

"We made a few mistakes and I thought we tried to play at times but it didn't work," he told Sky Sports. "We have still made progress to get to this stage but it is about kicking on and making that last step now."

In a game of mistakes, 19-year-old Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt conceded a first-half penalty after bringing down Marcus Rashford once the Manchester United had dispossessed him.

However, De Ligt recovered to bring his side level with a powerful header after losing his marker Stones at a corner.

"We all make mistakes but he [De Ligt] responded superbly - straight away he beat a player," said Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman.

"I said nothing to him at half-time and was delighted that he scored."

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991 comments

  • Comment posted by Finkelstein, at 07:09 7 Jun 2019

    Southgate has got a huge task on his hands. The Dutch showed England up for what they are and thats very average. Defensively we are flawed as demonstrated by Stones and Walker. No idea of game management on how to close a game down when we are in a good position. Then we have certain English fans who disgrace our Country on D-Day of all days.

  • Comment posted by ODM, at 07:12 7 Jun 2019

    By all means stick to the system, just get rid of Stones until his club game time and form warrant a recall. Delph too.

  • Comment posted by lukewarm chilli, at 07:38 7 Jun 2019

    A starting midfield of delph/rice/Barkley is asking for trouble....they got schooled
    Seriously is delph our midfield general?....thought Gareth would pick the younger players like mount,foden.....
    Painful to watch just like old times....after 20 minutes I uttered words I never thought I'd say......'bring on Jordan Henderson'.....

  • Comment posted by Bellypork, at 07:12 7 Jun 2019

    First real chance of silverware and he leaves Henderson on the bench as if it was a friendly.

    An all-round embarrassing evening on and off the pitch with the morons in the stands booing Van Dyke. What was that all about?

  • Comment posted by cirenfox, at 07:20 7 Jun 2019

    Haven’t got a problem with playing out from the back, but we need the midfielders to want the ball. Stones is used to just rolling it to de bruyne silva gundojan, he looks up and sees rice and delph hiding behind somebody. I’d swap our entire midfield bar Henderson for the lads in 21’s. Choudhury maddison foden mount.

  • Comment posted by Mr T, at 07:09 7 Jun 2019

    Then we'll lose in the same way over and over again unless more technically gifted players are selected.

  • Comment posted by Welshmen, at 07:21 7 Jun 2019

    You play a style of football based on the players you have at your disposal, not based on HOW you think the game should be played.

  • Comment posted by Dave, at 07:10 7 Jun 2019

    Other than the Spain match, has Southgate actually beaten a decent team? This Dutch side are bang average and made England look terrible

  • Comment posted by Dave Lister, at 07:08 7 Jun 2019

    Playing out from the back is fine if you have players who can do it. Last night was embarrassing as they clearly couldn't cope with the Dutch pressing them. To persist with something that wasn't working was just madness. Stones doesn't need to be seen in an England shirt again after that performance.

  • Comment posted by Humpty Dumpty, at 07:05 7 Jun 2019

    That result should calm the hype.

  • Comment posted by U17703938, at 07:01 7 Jun 2019

    I wish Southgate would adopt a winning style, first decent opposition England face they lose. Every time.

  • Comment posted by bagseye, at 07:46 7 Jun 2019

    The media did their usual thing of acting like England only had to turn up and had already won this. Talking about the sides in there as if they weren't much to worry about. The funniest was TalkSport who went from England being on the verge of greatness pre-match, to utter failures post-match. The media overhypes a clearly average team every single time.

  • Comment posted by Hoppy, at 08:58 7 Jun 2019

    78. Posted by U15035760 on
    6 minutes ago
    Netherlands 3 - Neanderthals 1

    Now that's funny and I'm English .... keep'um coming U1

  • Comment posted by ScubaPuffin, at 07:36 7 Jun 2019

    Stones isn't on form, but even when he is, playing him isn't the biggest issue.

    Just like at the world cup we need midfielders who want to be on the ball. Defenders playing out gave no good options. Last summer we had maguire running 60 yards!

    And absolutely he shouldn't change his system. The FA has spent 10 years setting all levels up 'the england way'. Let's not panic at one game.

  • Comment posted by Mr Spock, at 07:21 7 Jun 2019

    Will not change game.

    Isn’t that the same thing as saying no Plan B?

  • Comment posted by maddestmax, at 09:34 7 Jun 2019

    I'm flying over to Porto in a few weeks time, I hope the locals forgive me being English while they sweep away the broken bottles and repair the damage my compatriots caused.

  • Comment posted by Mr Perkins, at 08:09 7 Jun 2019

    ...
    England gets the ball.
    "What shall I do with this then ?"

    Don't know.
    Pass it back to the goalkeeper.

    Far too much dithering and trying to be clever
    when challenged.

    Well done the Dutch.
    The Portuguese will be happy - no English hooligans
    cluttering up the streets.

    ...

  • Comment posted by fratsomrover, at 07:32 7 Jun 2019

    Stones has to be the worst centre half ever to play for England. Lost De Light for first goal, presented possession for second, and played suicide ball to Barkley for third. An absolutely dreadful display. I’d rather play Dunk.

  • Comment posted by Penelope Poopsalot, at 07:50 7 Jun 2019

    We've got a long way to go to recreate the halcyon days of Howard Wilkinson, Graham Taylor and Carlton Palmer. But last night showed Gareth Southgate is the man to lead us back to those heights

  • Comment posted by MERCEDES, at 09:08 7 Jun 2019

    I'm Dutch and there's a lot of confusion, some anger even, as to why Van Dijk was booed and jeered all the time by the English fans. The Dutch don't understand that. I'm not condemning it, nor do I take offence. You see, the Dutch fans would not do that to a foreign player playing against their national side, who at the same time plays in their domestic league. Feel free to discuss and elaborate!

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