England suffered their worst home defeat since 1928 as Hungary left Molineux with a 4-0 Nations League win
2-0 up, the boos ringing out, and it was at that point that everything fell apart for Southgate and his team.had lacked inspiration, coming to look more and more unnerved as the chuntering from the home support rose inexorably. Now Hungary put them to the sword, their substitutes rushing on to the pitch as two more goals went in. At full time, they would dance in front of the visiting enclosure, wreathed in smiles, barely able to believe it.
Southgate responded by introducing Harry Maguire for Bukayo Saka, which prompted yet more boos. Poor Maguire. “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” came the cry from the stands for the manager. Southgate had seen nothing go right from start to finish – not his 4-3-3 system in the first half, nor the 3-5-2 after the interval. Too often his players were bullied in the one-on-ones, particularly by the big Hungary No 9, Adam Szalai, and, too often, their decision-making or end product was poor. Too often, moves ran into dead ends; the inspiration absent, the tempo ponderous.
It will be a long summer of introspection for Southgate and, thereafter, he has only two more matches before the opening tie in Qatar – against Italy and Germany in the Nations League in late September. Things can unravel pretty quickly in football, particularly in volatile environments such as that which England inhabit. Southgate had promised last Friday not to overstay his welcome in the job. Those words hung heavy in the Wolverhampton air.
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