Spain v England: Nations League – live!

0
23
- Advertisement -

So, Southgate makes three changes from the 0-0 draw in Rijeka as Joe Gomez and Harry Winks come in for the suspended John Stones and Jordan Henderson. Kieran Trippier replaces Kyle Walker at right-back in the only other change for the the visitors, with Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling again starting in support of captain Harry Kane in attack.

Spain, who are unbeaten under Luis Enrique, made wholesale changes from their 4-1 friendly win in Wales last week. Sergio Busquets, Saul Niguez, Thiago and Rodrigo have all been recalled while Wolves defender Jonny makes his first international start. Alvaro Morata will have to shank them wide from the bench.

Sid Lowe caught up with Rodrigo Moreno last week, who spent a season on loan at Bolton, and the interview is worth a read – not least for his comments on Gary Neville’s time as a manager in Spain:

Maybe he found it hard to understand that very specific way of looking at football we have in Spain, especially Valencia. We’ve got some of the most demanding fans, intense, emotional. Maybe you see that and think: ‘Wow.’ Valencia’s demanding anyway and he came at a difficult time. We started badly, the manager was sacked, and he tried to implement his ideas, turn it around, but it wasn’t a good moment.

“It’s hard to say what might have been because what happened happened. But maybe if he’d taken over at the start of the season and had time to prepare the team, his way he’d have had better results. You can argue if he’s a good coach or a bad one but the situation conditioned everything. And the language is a handicap, without doubt. You have a translator but it’s never the same: you always lose the impact, the message you’re trying to transmit.”

Related: Rodrigo Moreno: ‘England was good to me … I had no choice but to adapt’

Continue reading…

Written by Tom Bryant
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/oct/15/spain-v-england-nations-league-live under the title “Spain v England: Nations League – live!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.