Six winners and losers from Lee Carsley’s first England win against Ireland

DUBLIN – There was no national anthem, but Lee Carsley already has his English players singing from the same hymn book.

“Have fun,” was Declan Rice’s verdict after scoring for England in their 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League.

Fellow goalscorer Jack Grealish couldn’t stop smiling as he spoke of his huge relief to be back in the England shirt after the toughest summer of his life.

But perhaps the last word should go to Anthony Gordon, who said it felt as if the national team had been liberated under their interim coach.

“We had the freedom to pick up the ball in the spaces and attack,” he told ITV, barely able to hide his criticism of Gareth Southgate and his tried and tested structures.

Here are the winners and losers from Carsley’s encouraging debut.

winner

Anthony Gordon

What a message the Newcastle United striker sent this week.

A midweek TV interview in which he spoke of being a “nightmare” for defenders demanded a performance to match. He stood higher up the pitch in Dublin than Southgate could have ever imagined and he certainly delivered.

Of all Southgate’s decisions at Euro 2024, the most puzzling is that he barely played Gordon or Cole Palmer. Both were in top form, both travelled to Germany full of confidence, but neither started a single game. Gordon played just a few minutes in a dull draw with Slovakia.

That will almost certainly change under Carsley, who as England Under-21 coach saw what Newcastle fans see every week. Gordon is that rare combination of pace, determination and composure – his ability to run straight at defenders is exactly the kind of disruption that England have been lacking during their Euro 2016 journey.

By using him rather than forcing someone else into an unfamiliar position on the left, England automatically have more balance. There will be tougher opponents on the international stage than an ageing and visibly weakening Seamus Coleman, but Gordon has made a statement.

He faded in the second half but he is not yet fully fit either – the result of the strange lack of game time this summer. He is feeling his way back at St James’ Park but will return to Tyneside later this week and looks a guaranteed starter under Carsley.

Jack Grealish

Grealish, who the former England coach had little confidence in, brought momentum to the team’s game in Dublin as number 10.

The tactical expectations are different at Manchester City, where he is used as a receiver in Pep Guardiola’s relentless, rhythmic passing game, but he thrived in that role at Aston Villa and it was great fun to watch him again.

He was booed mercilessly by fans who have not forgiven him for his perceived betrayal of leaving the country where he was voted Under-21 Player of the Year, but Grealish revelled in it. Rice’s respectful, slightly ridiculous gesture was not for him: he relished his goal and celebrated it with gusto.

It feels like Grealish is set for a big season.

Jordan Pickford

The England goalkeeper’s long ball count noticeably dropped in Dublin. 49 percent of the passes he played during the Euros were considered “long balls” – perhaps a result of England’s nervousness, fatigue and lack of composure – compared to 19 percent here. The low number of passes from the opposition probably contributed to this, but it felt like a concerted effort not to bypass the midfield with long passes.

Pickford’s distribution is good, but as an attacking weapon he should only be a last resort.

Trent Alexander Arnold

Alexander-Arnold increasingly sees the future as a right-back for England. After Kyle Walker slowly got back into the City game, he excelled in his position at Liverpool.

There will be tougher tests defensively, but his mobility and passing range give England the ability to break through lines that was lacking at the Euros. It would be foolish to write Walker off, but it increasingly feels like Alexander-Arnold’s last chance is just around the corner.

loser

Harry Kane

It was lost in the noise of the national anthem, but Kane spoke on Friday about wanting to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable longevity in the national team.

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The prospect of a third World Cup – and a home European Championship in four years – is clear motivation for a striker who will win his 100th international cap on Tuesday if Carsley continues to keep him as an attacking pivot.

But this performance should not silence the critics of his performances in the summer. At times he seemed leggy and was not quite able to cope with the fluid and positive style of play around him in attack.

He has also wasted a few good chances, which is not his style. Carsley will hope to find his form again at Bayern Munich, otherwise he may face a big decision when the tougher tasks begin.

Hymn absolutists

Carsley looks set to be the first England manager to face calls for his sacking before a ball has even been kicked. For those who always seem to be up for a fight, the national anthem was a nice little weekend fight to get involved in.

Carsley, true to form, didn’t sing it before the game and guess what? The world didn’t end. Instead, his team played well and Rice, who was in the mixed zone afterward, reacted with slight disbelief when asked about it, asking for it to be explained to him slowly before dismissing the idea that the players were interested in it.

The sooner we realise that the job of England manager is just that – a football job – and stop projecting our own ideas of national consciousness, the better. And if Carsley improves this team without belting out the national anthem, it will be a slap in the face to those who buy into this nonsense.