England v Japan - International Friendly
Cole Palmer’s mistake led to Japan’s opener against England (Picture: Getty)
Lee Dixon took aim at Cole Palmer after Japan’s breakthrough in a historic 1-0 victory over England, criticising the attacker for ‘putting on the brakes’ instead of tracking goalscorer Kaoru Mitoma.
England will have wanted to silence their doubters with a resurgent performance on the back of an uninspiring 1-1 draw with Uruguay on Friday night.
But it was more of the same from the Three Lions in another limp and rudderless display this evening, with Mitoma’s 23-minute strike proving the difference at Wembley.
The hosts, who were without their captain Harry Kane, offered very little in pursuit of an equaliser in front of an increasingly agitated crowd, leaving Thomas Tuchel with plenty of questions just 70 days out from the World Cup.
Remarkably, the result represents the first time that England have ever suffered defeat to an Asian Football Confederation nation. It is also the first time that Tuchel has been beaten at Wembley as manager of the national team.
England now have just two more warm-up matches – against New Zealand and Costa Rica in June – before attentions turn to this summer’s eagerly anticipated tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Palmer was robbed of possession deep inside Japan’s half for the decisive goal and it was Brighton’s Mitoma who both started and finished off a slick counter-attacking move, with Keito Nakamura providing a pinpoint assist from the left.
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Mitoma finished off a rapid counter-attack to make the breakthrough (Picture: Getty)
England v Japan - International Friendly
Tuchel cut a frustrated figure on the touchline at Wembley (Picture: Getty)
‘Cole Palmer is going to lose the ball because he takes chances… not enough tonight,’ ex-Arsenal and England defender Dixon said on ITV’s commentary of the match.
‘But when he loses it in midfield, he’s got another job and that’s the chase back.
‘He gets level with Mitoma, more or less, and then just puts the brakes on and lets Mitoma run away from him into the space.
‘The pull back is perfect and it’s a really, really good breakaway goal for Japan.’
England v Japan - International Friendly
Foden once again failed to impress in England colours (Picture: Getty)
Dixon was also less than impressed by Phil Foden’s display, with the Manchester City star playing as a false nine in the absence of skipper Kane.
‘I think Tuchel likes Nico O’Reilly, he’ll be on the plane,’ Dixon said before picking out England’s most disappointing performances.
‘The rest of them… I don’t know what to say, Palmer has not really done enough tonight, Phil Foden, again, the same.
‘They haven’t got many games left to experiment with, have we? This is the last one before the warm-up games just before the World Cup and the squad being announced.
‘It’s not worked [Foden as the false nine], there’s not doubt about that, so whether he preservers with it in his mind, that might be the case in the event that Harry Kane gets an injury.
‘But certainly, I don’t think there’s enough in there that you go, “Do you know what? Let’s have a go at that”.’
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