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A and so on in Moscow. At an underpowered and somewhat strange evening in Kaliningrad, England has qualified for the Round of 32 World Cup, an event worthy of celebration in itself. "There is a note of regret that is the way of their progress, which came with the first minor step of what has been a positive and safe campaign of the World Cup.
The Kaliningrad stadium is one of the smaller arenas in Russia 2018, a generic white bowl, as the bathroom suite of a three-star hotel aging but perfectly respectable. At the time of sending, his bleachers were filled with the usual blocks of red and white, the playing surface bathed in a soft and pleasant light.
At what point, in a city that is not actually in Russia, England and Belgium played a World Cup shootout that was not a shootout and that was a bit confusing at in many ways.
After losing 1-0, England will face Colombia at Spartak stadium in Moscow. It's a great World Cup match. It represents an indisputable progress after the horror, the stasis, the constipated style of the last tournaments. England is likely to beat Colombia. After which this side of the table would present some relatively favorable options – as well as Spain, the best team in Russia up here.
However, there were still elements of discomfort. Mainly it was a disappointment, a drop in the throttle that has proven confusing with the good vibrations so far. This was, without doubt, a misinterpretation of the draw.
In the accumulation, the idea had arisen that England would play its role in the football equivalent of a slow cycling race. This was based on the fact that the idea of finishing first or second in group G made little difference, Senegal or Colombia being probably opponents.
By a coup de send, it had changed. Japan was now the option of choice and Colombia the second. There was a significant difference here. Top group and play in Japan; or come in second place and play in Colombia, followed by a hypothetically easier team in this half of the table.
England could very easily still lose against a strong and talented Japanese team. But the fact is that Japan is ranked six places below Panama by Fifa and has arrived at this stage only on good behavior, while Colombia is No. 16 in the world and has reached the quarters final four years ago. Group H leads Japan, six places below Panama's world ranking. "src =" https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6d48801f0ac7235505580beed9f421008f01aeb9/0_0_3500_2191/master/3500.jpg?w=300&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=e70cb0dddc1e6f1ca03fe2bef04acd4d "/>
Despite the fact that England still made eight changes – in Belgium nine – and in the process sucked the life of their departure 11. From the outside field of England 10 only three were regulars in their Premier League teams. No matter how you run it, it was a scratch team.
It's not at all moralistic to suggest that so many changes on both sides are also a bit of the ruggedness of the tournament. There is no doubt that this has also been a disappointment for some of those who have traveled all the way. When tickets and hotels were booked, supporters who were investing their holiday funds imagined that they could see Harry Kane.
How to explain so many changes? There is understandable desire to keep all team members happy. On the other hand, it's not a game, or a game where everyone can try. This is, to be clear, the real World Cup.
We talked about Southgate's unfortunate experience of not having played a minute at a tournament. What the only serious answer is: who cares? This is not a therapy session. But Dr. Freud is not present among the staff of England. Do it differently. Do it best. But the personal scars, the bruises of the past, have nothing to do with the moment.
England had its moments in Kaliningrad. Eric Dier played nice passes behind the back of his pivot role. Ruben Loftus-Cheek received a knee in the thigh of the vigilante Marouane Fellaini, a tribute to a decent start. But the second-best 11 of Belgium deserved his victory, thanks to the goal of the second period of Adnan Januzaj.
At the end of which is a mark of confusion around this link, the idea is always there on one easy side the drawing. The same goes for the need to avoid Brazil in a hypothetical quarter-final. The reality is simpler. Brazil is always a good match for England. Brazil at the World Cup: it's a great opportunity, a career high, the reason we play and watch the game.
Plus, of course, those who saw Brazil at this tournament know that there are machines. The England of Brazil might have met in his hypothetical quarter-final some wonderful players but they are far from unbeatable.
For all that, England will travel to Moscow with optimism and with every chance to go further. It is a concern that they will face Colombia, which is a better team than Japan, and that they are participating in a knockout competition following a flabby, perhaps avoidable defeat.
But Southgate deserves all the grace and luck that he gets. Not to mention the chance that the rotation in Kaliningrad could still pay later. In one way or another, if England behaved as it could on Tuesday, the brand celebration uppercuts in Moscow air will probably have a little more sense now.
