A series of remarkable statistics, surrounding the recent struggles of Gareth Southgate’s England, have come to the fore on Friday evening.
The Three Lions, of course, were back in action a short time ago.
Amid a Nations League campaign to forget to date, England made the trip to San Siro, for a showdown with European champions Italy.
Southgate and co. headed into proceedings aware that nothing but three points would suffice, with a strong starting XI – featuring the talents of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and more – having therefore been trotted out.
When all was said and done in Milan, though, the visitors, once more, flattered to deceive.
A solitary strike on the part of Giacomo Raspadori, in turn, proved all that was required to guide Italy to all three points, and 2nd place in the Nations League Group 3 table.
Raspadori curler!
Italy takes the lead over England 1-0
@Fubotv pic.twitter.com/BPHSG5jDHW
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 23, 2022
With one of the greatest generations of talent in English football history at his disposal, it should therefore come as little surprise to hear of Gareth Southgate being singled out for heavy criticism on Friday evening.
Many of a Three Lions persuasion have even gone as far as to call for the former Middlesbrough boss’ head, with the following series of statistics a damning indictment of just how poor a stretch of form England look set to head to the World Cup in the midst of:
0 – England are one of only two nations yet to score a single non-penalty goal in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League. The other nation is San Marino. Gulp. pic.twitter.com/UqYk9u66eM
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 23, 2022
3 – England have failed to score in their last three matches, their longest run without a goal since November 2000. Blank. pic.twitter.com/KHE1nbesKr
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 23, 2022
5 – England have gone five matches without a win for the first time since 2014, and have gone five competitive matches without winning for the first time since 1992. Slump. pic.twitter.com/vKmGzZAmmi
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 23, 2022
– Relegated from their Nations League group
– Not scored from open play in 450+ minutes
– Worst run in 22 yearsGareth Southgate’s England
pic.twitter.com/67Z7sIwKTf
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) September 23, 2022
