England crawled to a 0-1 defeat at Wembley tonight, just nine days before their European Championships campaign kicks off.
After taking an hour to break down Bosnia and Herzegovina before running out 3-0 winners, England have now flattered to deceive a second time.
After a bright start from England, It was the visitors who took the lead in the 12th minute. Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson cut in from the left-hand side and lashed a powerful low strike past Aaron Ramsdale at his near post, silencing Wembley.
England enjoyed the lions’ share of the ball without ever really troubling Iceland as their final tune-up match ended with a whimper. Mirror Football pored over the main talking points…
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1. A case for the defence
England will have an abundance of attacking quality in their ranks in Germany next weekend, but there are already issues in defence. Some are beyond control, such as Harry Maguire’s absence through injury.
But the one area of the England squad could have done with producing a more convincing display against inferior opposition.
There will be question marks over whether or not Ramsdale should have done better with Iceland’s opener at his near post, but the bigger concern will be how Iceland cut their way through England to fashion the chance in the first place. It was all far, far too easy.
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A back four of Kyle Walker, John Stones, Marc Guehi and Kieran Trippier is likely to be England’s first-choice defence at the Euros. Both Stones and Guehi have missed time with injury during the second-half of last season and the former was replaced by Ezri Konsa at the break after twisting his ankle in the first-half.
Lewis Dunk is also yet to return to full fitness. It already feels like England’s defence could give Southgate – and fans – sleepless nights both in the build-up to and beyond next Sunday’s match against Serbia.
2. Iceland provide the perfect test
Although things didn’t go exactly to plan for England, Iceland were compact and challenged England to break them down after taking the lead. Given similar challenges are likely to await them in Germany, this was a useful exercise.
England struggled to get at Iceland down the middle but did find joy out wide with Anthony Gordon, who – like others – was sometimes let down by his end product.
The experience of a match like this may not give England much when they come up against the competition’s big guns but it should prove useful for the group stage – even if they didn’t manage to get a result on this occasion.
3. Gordon proves Southgate’s point
Seven players had their dreams of competing at Euro 2024 dashed this week, but it was the omission of Jack Grealish which really sent shockwaves through football – both inside and outside the England camp.
The Manchester City winger struggled for form last season but is a unique talent; a bonafide game-changer at the highest level on his day.
So all eyes were on Anthony Gordon at Wembley: the man that pipped Grealish to a spot in Southgate’s squad per the England boss himself.
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Gordon did his case no harm against Iceland; he was England’s most consistent outlet and looked the most likely to make something happen in the first-half, even if he did spurn a golden chance in the 14th minute after a slick move involving Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Kane.
It seems unlikely, given the number of quality options that England boast in the wide attacking areas, that Gordon will start next weekend’s Group C opener. But he showed enough at Wembley to back up his inclusion without setting the world alight.
4. The Alexander-Arnold conundrum
Declan Rice is a lock for England’s Euro 2024 team, but the jury is still out on who will partner him. Trent Alexander-Arnold started there alongside Conor Gallagher, while Mainoo and Adam Wharton could both be in with a shout with Jude Bellingham likely to play in a more advanced role.
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The debate over whether or not Alexander-Arnold is better suited to his previous right-back role or a spot in midfield has rumbled on for years. While he boasts the attributes to play well in either role, Southgate clearly now views him as a midfielder.
But he breathed some much-needed life into England on Friday night from right-back. What is apparent is that he needs to start for England – particularly in matches against nations like Iceland who will be content to sit in.
5. A Euros reality check
For those who did fancy England would waltz their way to glory in Germany to end 58 years of hurt, then this will have given them food for thought. For large parts of the evening England struggled to worry their visitors despite enjoying plenty of possession. The shot count finished in a resounding win for England but even that was a case of quantity over quality; just one found the target.
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The result – and other factors – should be put into context. This is unlikely to be the team which takes to the field against Serbia next weekend.
Jude Bellingham alone, off the back of a fairytale domestic season, will make the world of difference. But this was largely uninspiring and if anybody did need grounding ahead of the Euros, then they got it.