Tunisia 1-2 England: Five things we learned

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VOLGOGRAD, RUSSIA – JUNE 18: Gareth Southgate, Manager of England celebrates victory following the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group G match between Tunisia and England at Volgograd Arena on June 18, 2018 in Volgograd, Russia. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) /

Gareth Southgate has certainly got the team playing

Any doubts concerning Gareth Southgate have for now been put into the closet and should ideally be not brought out anytime soon. From the build-up to the game the other night, he has got everything right so far. The more credit you give him for it, the less it would be.

The best that can be said of England under Southgate is that they are much more certain than ever before. There’s a system in place, there are players with defined roles for that system, and there are alternative options readily available if things don’t work.

This is the reason why England weren’t subdued at all when they began the campaign against Tunisia. Every player knew what was required of him, and therefore the side as a whole was a joy to watch in the first half. There’s a lot that still needs to be done, yes, but there’s a lot that has already been done – and it has all worked.