"Shut them up... shut them DOWN" Daily Mirror

Montenegro Team

England Team

This turned out to be another very comprehensive victory for England, who continued to make the perfect start to their European Championship campaign.  From the shock of going a goal down, the visitors knuckled down and produced a totally dominant display, showcased by several excellent individual performances.

The match began slowly, with England keeping possession well but not really threatening the Montenegro goal.  The first meaningful attack saw Callum Hudson-Odoi centre from the right to the head of Harry Maguire.  The big Leicester defender headed the ball high over the bar.  During the first ten minutes or so, England passed the ball around, looking for ways to pierce a big, strong and determined defence.  Ross Barkley, who has showed up very well in the two games over the weekend, won a corner and then on 12 minutes Raheem Sterling burst into the game.  A wonderful tight dribble into the box beat three men before his cross was cleared by a defender, who just beat a lunging Deli Alli to the ball.

England were baffled by some strange decisions from the referee in the opening quarter of an hour, and they also suffered a little from wrong decisions being made from attackers looking for an opening. However, England were still dominant, so what happened next came as a severe shock.

In the 17th minute a long pass out to the left might have been cut out by Hudson-Odoi, but his ’challenge‘ was flattened by a firm header down that gave possession to Igor Vesivic. The lively forward attacked Michael Keane, who also really should have done better but he failed to stop Vesivic. A lucky rebound off Keane’s leg bounced kindly for the home forward and he was left with a clear shot at goal, which he executed perfectly, giving Jordan Pickford no chance. It was Montenegro’s first attack of the game, and it came as a big shock to all England fans, players and staff. How could that have happened?

Suddenly Montenegro grew in confidence from the goal and it was clear that England had to regroup and go again. To their credit they did, gradually regaining control, after clearing a couple of dangerous breaks and on the half-hour they scored a deserved equaliser. It came from a good old simple English ploy, a free-kick. From out on the right wing, Barkley centred perfectly to the far post and there was Keane to make up for his earlier blip to powerfully head home. Simples!

That settled England down again, although a speculative effort from about 35 yards by Stefan Mugosa, had to be watched all the way by Pickford, who gathered it well. The visitors were now back in their stride again and how Sterling didn’t score from one attack was baffling. It followed another fine run by the excellent Hudson-Odoi, who was growing confidently into his role. From his ball into the middle Sterling had several bites at the cherry, but couldn’t quite force the ball over the line. He need not have worried as three minutes later, and seven minutes from the break, England took the lead.

Again, Hudson-Odoi was at the hub of the goal. His run goalwards, cutting in from the left, ended with a shot across goal. It was probably going wide, but there was Barkley, in the right place at the right time, to side-foot home from close range. The young winger had been switched to the left and it really paid off as he shone brightly for the rest of the match.

After the break there was no let up from England and four minutes into the half a deep cross by Hudson-Odoi cleared the defence but Sterling mis-hit his attempted volley, probably caught out by the fact that it only just cleared the jumping defender in front of him. A minute later and Hudson-Odoi had another chance after a fine pass by Harry Kane. This time the youngster’s shot was pushed wide by the keeper, Danijel Petkovic.

The only way back for Montenegro was if the sometimes sloppy England defence blundered, and they did their best to oblige in one breakaway, although eventually the ball was cleared. No matter, as on 59 minutes the result was settled. Another good attack by England saw Sterling twisting and turning in the box, looking for the decisive ball into the middle. When his pull-back finally came it deflected off a defender straight into the path of the marauding Barkley who gleefully picked his spot to score his second and England’s third goal.

England brought on Jordan Henderson for Alli, to win his 50th cap and after that it was a question of how many England would score, as all the fight had gone from the home players by this time. In the 71st minute England scored again as Barkley, at the heart of so much of England’s good attacking play, fed a superb pass through to Sterling and the Manchester City star laid the ball across goal where Kane was able to coolly slot home unchallenged. Nine minutes later and the win was rounded off nicely with a lovely goal from the hard-working Sterling. A superb through pass from Henderson sent Sterling clear and the striking winger clipped the ball wide of the advancing Petkovic.

James Ward-Prowse came on for the brilliant Barkley and Callum Wilson replaced Kane for the final minutes, but the job was done by now, in another very efficient and comprehensive victory. Quite a bit of frustration was being shown by Montenegro in the final ten minutes and both Henderson and Danny Rose were booked as tempers became a little frayed. It was also not helped by some racial chanting from the home fans against the English players, and that is something that really needs to be addressed and sorted by the powers that be.

This was an exciting display by a young England side, with great contributions from Barkley, Hudson-Odoi and the impressive Declan Rice, making his first start for his country. The futures bright for this set of players at Gareth Southgate’s disposal and certainly the England fans will be delighted with these last two games.
  

Source Notes