Published 26 March 2022 4 min read
England Men's Senior Team
Southgate and Kane talk about Switzerland win
Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane discuss key points of their victory over Switzerland
England boss Gareth Southgate gave his thoughts on the 2-1 win over Switzerland in the Alzheimer's Society International at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The Three Lions showed their character to come back from behind to equalise though Luke Shaw before captain Harry Kane netted a winner from the penalty spot.
On the match itself
"I thought it was a really good test.
"We know that they’re a very good side and I thought that was a great challenge for us. We learned a lot about some new players and some relatively inexperienced players in an international shirt. I thought they all came through it very well.
"We know that the Swiss tactically are good. I think we got stronger all the time and the substitutes that came on made an impact. We had some experienced players come in and we thought it was right to try and manage the game that way. I thought Declan Rice was excellent when he came on. We're really pleased to win the game but I think some of the individual performances are more telling."
On the formation
"To a degree, we’re trying to work through the two games and manage the players through it because it’s been a bizarre week with everything going on. We felt that Mount and Gallagher are really good at pressing and are two attacking eights.
"We know that that system can leave you a bit vulnerable to the switch to the opposite fullback and the Swiss worked that out really well which is why we made the change of shape in the second half.
"We had an idea of what we wanted to do and although we would've liked to have had Bukayo and a couple of the other wingbacks as well to look at that, I still think it was worth seeing and it allowed Marc Guehi and Ben White to come into a back three, but there’s a little bit less responsibility and organisation with Conor Coady around them as well."
On the performance of Conor Gallagher
The Three Lions showed their character to come back from behind to equalise though Luke Shaw before captain Harry Kane netted a winner from the penalty spot.
On the match itself
"I thought it was a really good test.
"We know that they’re a very good side and I thought that was a great challenge for us. We learned a lot about some new players and some relatively inexperienced players in an international shirt. I thought they all came through it very well.
"We know that the Swiss tactically are good. I think we got stronger all the time and the substitutes that came on made an impact. We had some experienced players come in and we thought it was right to try and manage the game that way. I thought Declan Rice was excellent when he came on. We're really pleased to win the game but I think some of the individual performances are more telling."
On the formation
"To a degree, we’re trying to work through the two games and manage the players through it because it’s been a bizarre week with everything going on. We felt that Mount and Gallagher are really good at pressing and are two attacking eights.
"We know that that system can leave you a bit vulnerable to the switch to the opposite fullback and the Swiss worked that out really well which is why we made the change of shape in the second half.
"We had an idea of what we wanted to do and although we would've liked to have had Bukayo and a couple of the other wingbacks as well to look at that, I still think it was worth seeing and it allowed Marc Guehi and Ben White to come into a back three, but there’s a little bit less responsibility and organisation with Conor Coady around them as well."
On the performance of Conor Gallagher
"He’s infectious. He can set the tone for the rest of the team. We see that with his club every week. He presses with ambition, some players get close to people and don’t actually win the ball. He goes and he makes contact and he turns a lot of ball over.
"In the first half that was important, we actually didn’t use that ball well enough, we had three or four moments on an attacking transition when a better pass, a better decision - we should have capitalised before we did on the first goal."
"In the first half that was important, we actually didn’t use that ball well enough, we had three or four moments on an attacking transition when a better pass, a better decision - we should have capitalised before we did on the first goal."
And Three Lions captain Harry Kane also gave his thoughts on the game and performance following the match...
"Yeah, it was a tough game. It’s a big year ahead and it’s a chance for us to try some different systems, some different formations and see how we get on.
"We want to have as much availability in different games as possible. I think it was a good performance. There was plenty we can improve but overall a good win to start the year.
On the formation
"We want to have as much availability in different games as possible. I think it was a good performance. There was plenty we can improve but overall a good win to start the year.
On the formation
"It’s something that I think we played back in 2018 at the World Cup. There’s a chance here to try a different system. Obviously we rotated a bit with the squad, got some new faces in there. These are the games you need to try and clock off and we haven’t got a lot of time now to the World Cup. All this information is key and we’ll go away, dissect the game and see the areas we can improve.
On the debutants
"They did well. Obviously, Marc [Guehi] getting the penalty at the end there, Kyle [Walker-Peters] breaking up play for the first goal, Ty [Mitchell] coming on, Conor [Gallagher] was great. It’s good to see the young players coming in and feeling confident. You obviously want to start your England career with a win so we’ve done that.
The penalty decision for his winner
"Marc obviously got there first, headed it, and it’s one of them where the defender jumps up blind and put his arm up. You’ve got to appeal for those ones and it was the right decision. Thankfully I was able to put it away.
"It’s one of them games but I always know as a striker that you have to be ready for every chance that comes your way at any moment. Penalties are a great way of getting on the scoresheet. I practice on them a lot, work on them a lot."
REPORT: ENGLAND 2-1 SWITZERLAND