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By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) – In recent times, when expectations of England ceased to grow, it was more based on blind trust and hope than on tangible evidence in the field. .
This time, however, after an electrifying start to the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, Gareth Southgate's young lions seem to be performing well at next year's tournament.
None of the leading nations has been as impressive as England who, for the first time since 1984, had scored five goals in successive matches – defeating the Czech Republic 5-0 at home and then destroying Montenegro 5-1 on the outside.
More difficult tests are waiting, but there is a plethora of reasons why English fans should not feel embarrbaded when they talk about the chances of their teams becoming champions of Europe next year.
Fear of youth
When 18-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi came into play against the Czech Republic to join Jadon Sancho who started the match, it meant that England had two 18-year-old players who were playing an international match for the first time in 138 years.
Hudson-Odoi then started for the first time against Montenegro, like Declan Rice, 20, and played with refreshing freedom and lack of inhibition, just like Sancho against the Czechs a few days earlier.
England's average starting age for each match was 24 and it was easy to forget that Captain Harry Kane was only 25 years old and that Raheem Sterling, another "senior" player, had one year less.
Gareth Southgate clearly trusts his generation of young people and they trust him, which means that when they go on the pitch, they do not feel too impressed and their talent shines through.
PEACE TO BURN
It is an old cliché that even the best defenders fear and England has on the whole field, from side defenders to the attackers to the avant-garde.
Sancho terrorized the Czechs and Hudson-Odoi did the same with Montenegro, while Sterling has now added a consistent end product to his high-heeled approach game.
Add Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard, the Manchester United duo who missed an injury, Southgate has enviable options to support his skipper Kane.
SOUTHGATE INSTILS CLUB ATMOSPHERE
No more cloakroom factions that were well documented in previous installations in England. The manager Gareth Southgate seems to have accomplished the master trick of ensuring that his well paid players leave their ego at home.
"Having such an attacker who has such humility and ego has a great impression on the whole group because he is currently the star player," Southgate told skipper Kane in preparation for Monday's game.
MOMENTUM
The dynamic that began with England under-17, a team comprising Sancho and Hudson-Odoi, became world champions in 2017 and the under-19s winning the European Championship the same year, She is pursuing under 21 and now at the senior level.
England's surprise run to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia was followed by the final of this year's League of Nations and the chance to score a point before 2020.
ADVANTAGE AT HOME
When England was withdrawn from Euro 2016 in Iceland, the confidence of the fans was at its lowest.
Less than three years later, English fans no longer consider watching the team a chore. The enthusiasm and goodwill towards the friendly Southgate team is exciting.
With the end of next year's tournament business at Wembley and a dynamic team brimming with potential, the stars could finally line up for the Three Lions.
(Report by Martyn Herman, edited by Christian Radnedge)
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