DGermany’s penultimate World Cup test in football’s motherland England should also reach the “peak of uncertainty”. Because after their 0: 1 (0: 1) at European champions Italy, the hosts are not only relegated from the top Nations League category in the prestige duel on Monday (8.45 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Nations League and on RTL) in London with the German team, but also contest their dress rehearsal for the World Cup tournament in Qatar (November 20 to December 18) with the burden of now five competitive games in a row without a win and goals played.
“We had a bad run of results and again didn’t get the result we needed and wanted. But it’s up to us to put things right again,” said England team manager Gareth Southgate in the catacombs of Milan’s stadium on the Three Lions’ third bankruptcy in the current Nations League series.
Southgate: “Have to believe in it”
However, given his team’s continued lack of goals, hopes of at least some tailwind for the World Cup appear limited. Mainly because Southgate continues to grope in the dark when it comes to researching the causes: “It’s difficult to give an exact reason why we don’t hit. We’re getting into the right zones, but if we had to deliver, that last bit of quality is missing.”
But the coach didn’t want his team’s failed revenge for the lost EM final in 2021 to be rated too badly either. “There were a lot of positive signals from us as a team,” said Southgate defiantly and despite only few good chances, obviously with his protégés as the main addressees, “it was a step in the right direction. We have to believe in what has made us strong and also brought us success in past tournaments.”
At least the fans who traveled from the island still lack faith. In any case, the whistles of the English supporters before the World Cup group games against Iran (November 21), the USA (November 25) and Wales (November 29) audible doubts about a return to the road to success.
But at least Declan Rice spread confidence for the ultimate World Cup test in Wembley against Germany and even more so for the World Cup tournament: “We fell short of our potential in the Nations League, but it wasn’t all bad. It’s getting better, we were stronger than in the summer games,” said the West Ham United midfielder, adding demonstratively: “We’ll still be good before the World Cup.”
