Bukayo Saka, the England winger, scored a hat-trick in a 6-4 victory over France, securing third place for England at the World Cup. Following the match, Saka admitted he had wished for more playing time during the tournament, despite being available for the semi-final loss to Argentina.
The decision by coach Thomas Tuchel to start Morgan Rogers instead of Saka in the semi-final had raised questions. Saka‘s performance against France, which included two notable first-half goals, showcased a stark contrast to England‘s more defensive approach in the previous match. This display led many to question why Saka was not featured against Argentina.
Saka’s fitness and Tuchel’s tactical call
When asked about his desire for more minutes, Saka told the BBC, “Of course, I would love to have played more. But of course, it’s not the time to talk about out that now. I try to do my talking on the pitch. It’s done now. Move on.” He also confirmed his fitness, stating, “Yeah. I’m fit. I’m fit.”
Despite Saka‘s declared fitness, Tuchel explained his decision regarding the semi-final. He stated he had a “feeling” that Rogers would contribute something special against Argentina. Tuchel acknowledged Saka‘s importance, saying, “He did everything right. I had just a feeling in the semi-final for Morgan Rogers that he would be involved in something special. That was it.” He added, “Bukayo showed he was a key player, that was never a doubt.”
Saka had entered the tournament as a prominent player for England on the right wing. Although he had been dealing with injury issues from his club season with Arsenal, which led to him not starting the first two games of the tournament, he still demonstrated quality in his brief appearances. By the quarter-finals, Saka had recorded three assists in 192 minutes of play.
The semi-final against Argentina saw England forced into changes due to cramps and the flow of the game. Rogers did provide an assist for Anthony Gordon‘s goal in that match. However, some observers suggested that Saka‘s ball-carrying and counter-attacking abilities, honed during a season with Arsenal known for its defensive resilience, could have been beneficial in that challenging context.
Tuchel admitted he was not even aware Saka had scored a hat-trick against France, stating, “I lost the overview of the goalscorers.” Saka concluded the tournament with three goals and three assists.
England’s World Cup performance and future outlook
England‘s third-place finish marks their best World Cup performance since 1966. Tuchel expressed satisfaction with the team’s effort, noting, “I have said it before, this team has created something very special, and they showed it again.”
Reflecting on the gap between England and top teams like France, Tuchel acknowledged, “Eight years ago they [France] were the champions, four years ago they were in the final and they were the Nations League final. There is a slight gap, but we want to close it.” He viewed the victory over France as a step in that direction, stating, “I said [on Saturday, this game] is the first step to close it. We did it. We beat them. The next one is Spain in the Nations League.”
Despite questions about his future, Tuchel affirmed his energy for the England job. He commented, “Matches and seeing a team fight like this gives you energy. Sadness will come after.” He added, “We will still feel the pain when we know that [Sunday] is the final. This will take a while. Overall, it gives you more energy than it takes.”
The match against France was a high-scoring affair, with England securing a 6-4 win in the third-place play-off.
The England team’s performance against France, particularly their attacking display, contrasted sharply with their semi-final outing. The team showed quality in possession, threat on the counter, and ruthlessness in attack during the third-place play-off.
Prior to the World Cup, Saka had an anonymous performance in the Champions League final following a bruising season with Arsenal. He did not start the first two games of the tournament due to an issue that had affected him in the final two months of his club season.
Tuchel‘s tactical decisions at the end of the tournament have led to ongoing discussions, even with the bronze medal achievement. For the second consecutive World Cup game, England found themselves in a precarious position with 15 minutes remaining, having nearly squandered a 4-0 lead to 4-3 against France.
The next fixture for England will be against Spain in the Nations League.
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Source: skysports.com
