DELE'S DECLINE

ROBERT J WILSON EXAMINES WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE TOTTENHAM AND ENGLAND MAN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS...

- ROBERT J WILSON

CAST your mind back to July 2018 and life before Cov-id-19. The sun was shining in the UK and England were actually making some real progress in a major tournament.

Under the waist-coated one, Gareth Southgate’s England were on a crest of a wave in Russia. Many pundits, journalists and so-called experts predicted that after conquering our penalty demons in the round of 16 against Colombia, England had every chance of reaching their first final since the one on home soil back in 1966.

It was certainly a presentable proposition, with England emerging as a major threat from set-pieces and Tottenham’s Harry Kane chasing the Golden Boot award after helping himself to a hat-trick against hapless Panama in a group of relative ease (He would proudly achieve that accolade with six goals in the tournament).

Meanwhile, his club-mate, Dele Alli, was also producing the goods in his first World Cup after a slow start. He was withdrawn in a lacklustre opening game against Tunisia and then left out totally against Panama and Belgium (when England had already qualified).

He regained his place for the Colombia showdown but was replaced by another Spurs team-mate Erik Dier late in normal time. In the event, it was left to Dier to convert the decisive spot-kick in Moscow and exorcise the Three Lions’ penalty demons.

It was against Sweden in the quarter-final that Alli finally showed the world what he is all about. Along with Jesse Lingard, the two attack-minded midfielders were selected by Southgate to offer a goal threat as the more disciplined, Jordan Henderson, patrolled the danger behind them.

On the day, England were far superior to Sweden.