There was a whole lot of doom and gloom heading into the World Cup in Qatar, with most England followers pessimistic about their probabilities of lifting the trophy for the primary time since 1966.
The panorama seems to have modified nonetheless because the Three Lions have been one of the crucial spectacular groups in Qatar, and confidence is rising that this would possibly really be the 12 months that soccer comes residence.
England shook off a sluggish begin to guide their place within the quarter finals on Sunday with a rampant 3-0 victory over Senegal.
England reached the quarter finals of the World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Senegal on Sunday
Now they gear up for the stage of the match the place many anticipated the Three Lions to crash out and have achieved so many instances previously – the quarter finals.
Standing in the way in which of a second consecutive semi finals look is among the match’s heavy favourites – reigning World Cup holders France.
Regardless of the huge problem that they face on Saturday, there’s loads of purpose for supporters to consider within the Three Lions – in what would arguably be their most spectacular win on paper in Southgate’s reign as supervisor.
Sportsmail seems on the the explanation why England followers must be cheerful, going into Saturday’s crunch quarter last match.
The Three Lions now gear up for his or her hardest check in Qatar, as they face in-form reigning World Cup holders France who’re led by the match’s prime scorer Kylian Mbappe
England have scored extra objectives than anybody
One criticism of Gareth Southgate’s time in England is that they do not rating sufficient objectives.
There had been some concern over this going into Qatar after a dire Nations League marketing campaign the place England scored 4 objectives in six matches – three of which got here in a 3-3 draw with Germany.
Nevertheless, England have stood up the place it counts most with Bukayo Saka’s purpose in opposition to Senegal their twelfth in 4 matches.
Ignoring the blip that was the goalless draw in opposition to the USA, England have scored atleast three objectives in each match (6-2 vs Iran, 3-0 vs Wales and 3-0 vs Senegal).
Additionally it is the joint-most objectives they’ve scored at World Cup – tied with the 12 additionally they scored below Southgate in Russia 4 years in the past.
Granted more durable opposition is to come back, however the objectives are coming from all sources.
France have scored the second most objectives within the match with 9, with Les Bleus additionally but to face prime opposition.
England have scored as many objectives as anybody within the match with 12, with Jordan Henderson and Jude Bellingham among the many eight gamers to seek out the again of the online
They’ve additionally stored probably the most clear sheets
The most important fear for a lot of an England fan going into the World Cup was the state of the defence.
Their primary trigger for concern was the truth that Gareth Southgate would begin Harry Maguire – a participant who has been out-of-form for Manchester United for greater than a 12 months and has not often performed this season.
It was even prompt that England must play 5 on the again to negate their defensive woes. That has but to occur and will probably be fascinating to see if Southgate decides to modify it up on Saturday.
Jordan Pickford and Harry Maguire have each impressed as a part of a defensively sound staff
However for now, the Three Lions have stored extra clear sheets than anybody at this match with three.
They’ve additionally solely conceded twice – one in all which was a doubtful penalty within the opener in opposition to Iran – with solely Brazil, Croatia, Morocco and the eradicated Tunisia conceding much less.
Maguire has justified his inclusion within the staff by Southgate and like earlier tournaments and has been one of many star performers.
Jordan Pickford is one other participant who all the time appears to ship for the Three Lions and he made an important save at 0-0 in opposition to Senegal.
Southgate has received as many knockout video games in three tournaments as England did from 1968 to 2016
Nearly unbelievably, England have received extra knockout video games at main tournaments within the final 4 as they did in a 48-year interval from 1968 to 2016.
After lifting the trophy on residence soil in 1966, the Three Lions didn’t win a knockout sport once more till 1986 with a 3-0 victory over Paraguay.
England then defeated Belgium and Cameroon in 1990, Denmark in 2002, Ecuador in 2006, and their solely knockout victory within the European Championships in opposition to in opposition to Spain at Euro 96 at Wembley.
Underneath Southgate, England have seen off Colombia and Sweden on the 2018 World Cup Germany, Ukraine and Denmark at Euro 2020, and now Senegal in Qatar.
Southgate but to lose a knockout sport in 90 minutes
The earlier stat just isn’t the one spectacular stat for the generally maligned England supervisor.
Southgate grew to become the primary supervisor in England’s historical past to win ten video games at main tournaments.
He’s additionally but to lose a knockout sport in 90 minutes, together with his exits within the earlier two tournaments coming in further time to Croatia in 2018 and on penalties on the Euro 2020 last to Italy.
Gareth Southgate’s England have as many knockout victories in three competitions since he took the job as England have within the 48-year-period between Euro 1968 and Euro 2016
Harry Kane is England’s prime scorer in main tournaments
By scoring England’s second purpose in opposition to Senegal on Sunday, Harry Kane overtook Gary Lineker as England’s prime scorer at main tournaments.
He ended his purpose drought in Qatar to attain his seventh World Cup purpose in ten video games – after scoring six in Russia on his method to profitable the Golden Boot at that 12 months’s match.
Kane additionally has scored 4 objectives on the European Championships.
The 29-year-old is now one purpose in need of equalling Wayne Rooney (53) as England’s all-time report scorer.
Kane’s 52 objectives have are available in simply 79 caps – in comparison with Rooney who netted his 53 in 120 caps.
Harry Kane overtook Gary Lineker within the all-time scoring charts for England at tournaments
England have a gem in Jude Bellingham
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder put in an unbelievable efficiency in opposition to Senegal on Sunday.
Jude Bellingham has achieved a variety of spectacular feats throughout his time in Qatar
He arrange mentor Jordan Henderson for his opener earlier than his weaving run led to England’s second purpose in opposition to the African nation.
Jude Bellingham additionally damaged a variety of information and achieved a variety of spectacular feats in Qatar.
He grew to become the second teenager (19y 158d) to start out a knockout sport for England, after Michael Owen (18y 198d) in opposition to Argentina in 1998.
Bellingham additionally grew to become the youngest participant to help in a World Cup sport for England since 1966 when England lifted the trophy.
The 19-year-old grew to become the primary participant to attain a purpose and supply an help at a World Cup earlier than turning 20, since Lionel Messi did so in 2006.
He additionally has a 100% sort out success price with no participant making extra profitable tackles than the England midfielder (11).
Bellingham has acquired rave critiques from his team-mates, pundits and followers after his show in opposition to Senegal, and it is no marvel why most of Europe’s greatest golf equipment look like linked with him.
Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford’s double act
The Arsenal star’s purpose in opposition to Senegal put him on three objectives for this World Cup – tied with Marcus Rashford.
In doing so, they grew to become the primary England team-mates since David Platt and Gary Lineker at Italia’ 90 to each web at the least three objectives at a single World Cup.
Earlier than 1990, this accomplishment had solely been reached as soon as earlier than by England team-mates, with 1966 seeing Geoff Hurst web 4 objectives, whereas Roger Hunt and Bobby Charlton each discovered the online on three events.
It could be no shock to see a 3rd participant be a part of Rashford and Saka on three objectives – to match the feat of the 1966 winners.
The most certainly to take action is Kane now he has acquired off the mark in opposition to Senegal.
Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford have each scored three objectives on the World Cup in Qatar
England have EIGHT completely different scorers
Objectives are coming from all angles for England at this World Cup in Qatar.
The Three Lions have eight completely different gamers who’ve discovered the again of the online of their 4 video games to this point.
Saka and Rashford have scored three objectives, whereas Bellingham, Foden, Grealish, Henderson, Kane and Sterling all have discovered the online as soon as every.
Saturday’s opponents France have simply three – although two of these Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud, have each netted atleast 3 times with the PSG star topping the scoring charts on 5.
The closest that every other staff nonetheless within the match has to the variety of scorers England have is Spain and Holland who each have six.
France have simply three purpose scorers in Qatar in comparison with England’s eight although Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe have netted a powerful eight objectives between them in 4 video games
ITV curse has been partially lifted
The curse of ITV nonetheless stands whenever you examine it to video games proven on BBC, however England’s 3-0 victory over Senegal has made the stats much less depressing to have a look at.
England have now received seven out of 29 video games which have been proven on ITV – a 24% win price since 1998.
Earlier than the Senegal sport, since 1998, England had received simply two of their 15 World Cup matches on ITV – in contrast with an astounding 12 out of 16 on the BBC.
That can come as some aid for Three Lions as their subsequent sport in opposition to France can also be to be proven on ITV on Saturday.
ITV’s depressing England win share improved with Sunday’s victory in opposition to Senegal
Semi-finals in 2018, finalists final 12 months… winners in 2022?
Southgate’s facet misplaced within the semi-finals in Russia 2018, misplaced within the last ultimately 12 months’s European Championships, so any additional step ahead and they are going to be lifting the trophy in Qatar come December 18.
The England supervisor has been making all the correct calls to this point at this match and the Three Lions have one of the crucial stacked groups by way of squad depth in comparison with any of their challengers this winter.
Although England drew with the USA, the opposite favourites for this match have all suffered shock defeats – even when some had been closely modified squads.
France misplaced to Tunisia, Brazil to Cameroon, Argentina to Saudi Arabia, Portugal to South Korea and Spain to Japan.
If the Three Lions are to see off the powerful problem of France, then they are going to really feel like they will beat anybody else put of their path on the way in which to the ultimate on December 18.
Southgate’s facet are but to lose in Qatar whereas different match contenders together with France, Brazil, Spain and Portugal have all been on the top of shock defeats in the course of the match
England can be hoping to go one higher than Euro 2020 by lifting the World Cup in Qatar
