{"id":1170351,"date":"2020-10-09T14:16:33","date_gmt":"2020-10-09T13:16:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1170351"},"modified":"2022-12-05T13:52:31","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T13:52:31","slug":"england-gareth-southgate-second-string","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/england-gareth-southgate-second-string\/","title":{"rendered":"Gareth Southgate’s second string answered England depth doubters on night of firsts"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was a night of milestones and celebrations for England as Wembley bore witness to three new international goalscorers \u2014 and a whole host of debutants.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With one eye on more pressing matters this weekend and beyond, Gareth Southgate opted to shuffle his pack and deployed an experimental XI against neighbours Wales in a friendly that offered domestic bragging rights, but little else.<\/p>\n

However, tell that to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Danny Ings and Conor Coady, who all scored their first international goals to sink Ryan Giggs\u2019 side in a 3-0 win. With the likes of Harry Kane and Tammy Abraham out of action, the alternatives attacking options certainly seized their chance to give Southgate a managerial quandary.<\/p>\n

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READ MORE:<\/span> \u201cHe could be the x-factor they need\u201d \u2013 Five things learned as new faces help England beat Wales<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

But, that was exactly the context of this game. With the chance to experiment, Southgate wanted to see how his second string unit would fare, and they duly responded. Jack Grealish was the standout performer with his repertoire of jinks, pirouettes and shuffles.<\/p>\n

His impressive showing culminated in a pinpoint delivery to tee up Calvert-Lewin’s opener before drawing the decisive foul which led to Coady doubling England’s advantage. That foul drawn was just one of five, a match high, and over double the next England player.<\/p>\n

The Aston Villa captain has long been on the periphery of first-team action at international level but proved on Thursday night that he can be the player to offer England something a bit different; something the nation has been lacking for years, and something Southgate can surely no longer ignore.<\/p>\n

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Up until his substitution, Jack Grealish was fouled more times than any other player on the pitch (5).<\/p>\n

An impressive first start for the Three Lions. pic.twitter.com\/QLBGRqDTDr<\/a><\/p>\n

— Squawka (@Squawka) October 8, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n