Lee Carsley proud of England’s control in crucial Nations League win over Greece
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Lee Carsley expressed pride in how England seized control of their future in the Nations League and commended Harry Kane as a “great example” after making the unexpected decision to bench the captain for the crucial game in Greece.
The temporary coach's daring choice didn't pay off in the earlier match at Wembley. The visitors secured a notable 2-1 victory, which put them in a commanding position in Group B2 as they prepared for the upcoming game at the Olympic Stadium on Thursday.
Greece was aware that by not losing their upcoming match, they would secure automatic promotion to the top level of the Nations League with one game left. This result would also push England into the playoffs during Thomas Tuchel's initial coaching stint.
Carsley surprised many again with his lineup choice by placing Kane on the bench. However, substitute Ollie Watkins scored shortly after coming on, helping secure a victory that was further sealed by an own goal from Odysseas Vlachodimos and a lovely flick from Curtis Jones.
With a decisive 3-0 win, England now surpasses Greece due to a better head-to-head record. This means that if they secure a win against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley in Carsley's last game, they will be promoted.
"The temporary manager expressed, 'I believe the victory was significant. We discussed yesterday the need to match their level of energy and excitement.'"
"We anticipated that the match would be challenging. We witnessed that at Wembley, so it was crucial, as I mentioned earlier, to go on the offensive and to be as inventive as possible."
The highlight of tonight's game was how well we controlled the match. Our team's formation was solid, and we dominated possession while generating plenty of scoring opportunities.
Ollie scoring a goal was fantastic. I believe it's crucial that if we want to prepare these players for a chance to win the World Cup, they need to gain as much experience as possible.
"It wasn't a reflection on Harry at all. He'll be in the starting lineup for the next match, and I believe there are plenty of good points to draw from his performance."
When asked how Kane felt about being placed on the bench, Carsley replied, “He took it well. It’s reasonable to say that he wants to be on the field for every match, just like any top player would.”
“I believe he realizes how crucial it is for other players to go through the kind of experience we had tonight.”
"He serves as an excellent role model for the other players, and I anticipate that he will begin the game on Sunday and perform effectively."
Kane will be eager to prove himself against the Republic on Sunday, but the England captain recognized the larger significance following the victory in Athens.
“What a change from the boys! It’s a huge victory to have the group under our control,” he shared on X. “Congratulations to Lewis (Hall), Morgan (Rogers), and Curtis on making their debuts.”
It was a strong overall performance on what could have been a challenging evening in Greece. Carsley mentioned that he didn’t feel any personal pride in his choices to start Watkins and give Jones his first appearance, but those decisions turned out well.
"Not at all, if I'm being honest," the temporary manager replied. "Not a bit."
"I recognize the talent the players possess. It's clear, especially with the younger ones, that they have the right mindset and skills to perform well in situations like tonight."
"I was really impressed with how everyone played tonight, especially the younger players. In fact, all the players showcased a high level of quality."
Consider the two wide players, Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke. They are both very aggressive and straight to the point in their play. Then you've got Lewis Hall coming in at the start of the second half, along with Rico Lewis. Just think about how young these players are.
"There are so many positives to take away from this. Curtis really shone tonight. I believe he demonstrated a lot of skill and showed a maturity that I have noticed."
"We observed this during the summer when we positioned him in a more defensive role. Now, he's playing a different position for Liverpool, demonstrating his ability to adapt. He has the intelligence to recognize where the open spaces are."
I believe Jude (Bellingham) played exceptionally well tonight. He, along with Conor (Gallagher) and Curtis, created a great synergy by exploiting the spaces we anticipated we could utilize.
"We performed well during the match, which gave Greece some trouble, so there were many good things to take away from tonight."
