England’s Greece horror show was a stark reminder World Cup 2026 is out of reach with so little quality at the back
ALTHOUGH this was the night when England’s embarrassment of riches in attack was put on full show, here was a stark reminder that the nation remains unbelievably thin in quality at the back.
Central defenders, full-backs and even the goalkeeper. Right across the board, England have some major issues.
John Stones captained England for the first time in the absence of Harry Kane and this is not a night he will look back at with any fondness.
Stones was one of three players – along with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer – who could have done better for Greece’s opening goal through Vangelis Pavlidis.
Along with Levi Colwill, he was also lucky that Pavlidis’ strike towards the end was ruled offside as both players were at fault.
Yet right at the end, when Pavlidis struck again for the winner, Stones – along with Rico Lewis – could have done much better.
The options for Lee Carsley – and whoever takes this team forward over the next two years – are not exactly mind-blowing when it comes to strength in depth across the back.
Over the last couple of years, we should have seen this issue coming. But there has been too much focus on what we could do at the other end of the pitch.
This was Stones’ 82nd cap, meaning he has now overtaken former defender Rio Ferdinand in England appearances. He is now joint 17th on the all-time list with Raheem Sterling.
The Yorkshireman is even more important to the England team than Ferdinand ever was purely because the former Manchester United defender had John Terry, Sol Campbell, Ledley King and Jamie Carragher as international colleagues.
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With Harry Maguire axed from the squad before suffering an injury, and Ezri Konsa also forced to withdraw with a knock, Stones played next to Chelsea’s Levi Colwill who did OK.
Yet Stones’ lack of games for Manchester City is a huge worry and this could harm England over the next two seasons.
He enjoyed a decent Euros in Germany even though this followed the most difficult season of his club career when form and injuries limited him to just 12 starts in the Premier League.
And this season, despite playing a part in other competitions for Pep Guardiola, Stones has only started one top-flight match this term.
There were times against the Greeks when Stones found himself exposed as England did their Harlem Globetrotters impression.
It was a mix-up between Stones and Jordan Pickford which presented a chance to Tasos Bakasetas yet Colwill dashed back to deliver a heroic goal-line clearance.
But as for the goals – along with the disallowed ones – Wembley witnessed some Car-crash.
Here was the proof, not that we needed it, that left-back is also a huge problem.
England player ratings vs Greece
By Tom Barclay
LEE CARSLEY’S tactical experiment of playing no strikers backfired as Vangelis Pavlidis’ double secured an emotional shock win for Greece at Wembley.
Interim England boss Carsley played all three of our nation’s gifted No10s – Phil Foden, Jue Bellingham and Cole Palmer – in varying positions.
But it did not work and the Greeks took a deserved lead thanks to Pavlidis’ belting second-half finish.
The visitors then held up a shirt in celebration bearing the name Baldock – in reference to their team-mate George Baldock, whose passing at the age of just 31 on Wednesday rocked the world of football.
Bellingham looked to have ensured the points were shared with a thunderous strike with three minutes to go.
But there was still time for Pavlidis to expose some woeful defending deep into injury time by firing past Jordan Pickford.
Here are SunSport’s player ratings from a dire night for England under the arch.
Jordan Pickford: 4
Wandered into no-man’s-land territory outside his box early on and lost the ball, allowing Greek skipper Tasos Baksetas a free shot at goal – only to be saved by Levi Colwill’s last-gasp clearance. Did not instil confidence, despite his experience.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 6
Some tasty passes – they are his speciality, after all – but not great at the back. He, John Stones and Cole Palmer were weak in their attempt to close down Vangelis Pavlidis before the Benfica man smashed home the opener.
John Stones: 5
Made captain for what was his 82nd cap, surpassing Rio Ferdinand’s haul. But it was a shaky display from his defence and Stones should have done better to stop Pavlidis.
Levi Colwill: 7
Greece would have been ahead far sooner were it not for Colwill’s athletic hack away to deny Bakasetas. Replays showed it would have crossed the line had the Chelsea man been a split second later with his incredible intervention.
Rico Lewis: 6
Tried to bomb up the left flank where he could but, just like Kieran Trippier at the Euros, was hamstrung by constantly having to cut back onto his favoured right foot.
Declan Rice: 6
Played as England’s only holding midfielder, as fans had been imploring Gareth Southgate to use him for years. It was not like he was overrun but his side did look vulnerable on the counter.
Phil Foden: 4
Spent most of the game pressing the Greek backline as a false nine without really getting on the ball and causing any damage. Ineffective.
Cole Palmer: 6
Deployed in a deeper, central-midfield role which at least meant he saw plenty of the ball, though he blazed England’s best chance of the first half over the bar. Remarkably, his first competitive England start, despite being named on Tuesday as Three Lions player of the 2023-24 season.
Bukayo Saka: 5
Struggled to get into the game and then was forced out of it, worryingly limping off early in the second half. The last thing Arsenal fans wanted to see.
Jude Bellingham: 7 STAR MAN
Played in a false nine position and had a belting early shot well saved. The system did not work but Bellingham still so nearly emerged as the saviour by banging in his first goal of the season for club and country.
Anthony Gordon: 5
Caused Greece few problems and his touch looked off it. Had a decent chance from Alexander-Arnold’s peach of a delivery but headed over.
SUBS:
Noni Madueke (for Saka 52): Played out on the left, rather than his natural right, when coming on. Went down in the box deep into injury time but no penalty was given. 6
Ollie Watkins (for Gordon 60): Almost scored with his first touch when played through by Palmer, but smashed just over. 7
Dominic Solanke (for Foden 72): Grabbed an assist when laying the ball back to Bellingham who thumped in the leveller. 7
Manager Lee Carsley: 4
Seemed to gamble unnecessarily with this experimental system instead of playing it safe to add another win to boost his case to earn the job full-time. Carsley played without a natural centre-forward when winning the Under-21 Euros because he had to after Flo Balogun switched the USA and Rhian Brewster got injured, but here he did it by choice and it did not work. Bellingham looked to have saved his bacon – but then Pavlidis struck again.
Although happy to play there, Lewis considers himself as a midfielder. Colwill can also play in that spot but he is more comfortable in central defence.
Even at right-back, where we seemed to be spoilt for choice, there are concerns.
Carsley clearly considers Alexander-Arnold as the team’s first-choice right-back even though Gareth Southgate listed him as a midfielder.
Alexander-Arnold, though, was guilty of allowing Pavlidis to brush past him too easily for the opening goal and it was not the only time he was caught out.
Kyle Walker, who did not make the England squad last month, will probably start against Finland but he will be 36 at the next World Cup.
While Pickford has been England’s best keeper by some distance over the years, he was properly dodgy in this Greek humiliation.
Yet the alternatives are Dean Henderson and Nick Pope, along with Aaron Ramsdale. All are decent keepers but neither are going to challenge the Everton keeper.
Now, there is a real chance England might have to go into a Nations League play-off in March as they might not win the group.