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England match analysis: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has the right role at last while Memphis Depay proves he’s deluded

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Jesse Lingard’s first international goal secured a positive start to the World Cup run-in for England as Gareth Southgate’s side ended their goal drought against the Netherlands.

Chances were in short supply at both ends but Holland located a gap in England's back three after 25 minutes, Spartak Moscow's Quincy Promes sneaking inside Maguire only for Pickford to charge from his line and smother the ball.

England captain Jordan Henderson glanced a header wide after meeting Kieran Trippier's curling free-kick first but the best chance yet came from a swift counter-attack in the 36th minute.

Holland started the second half at a brisker pace, forcing a couple of early corners.

But five minutes after the restart Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain spotted Rashford's run and slipped him through on goal.

Zoet and defender Matthijs de Ligt dived in riskily and the latter appeared to make contact, but the Manchester United forward's appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears.

With 59 minutes down England finally eventually ended their goal drought.

Lingard was the scorer, sweeping home from the edge of the box after a Rose break from the left ended with a low cross deflected back out from the six-yard box.

Standard Sport’s Simon Johnson was in Amsterdam…


England's drought is finally over - but they inevitably miss Harry Kane

It seemed that England had forgotten how to find the net after going over five hours without something to celebrate.

Kane's penalty in the 1-0 win against Slovenia in October had been followed by two goal-less friendlies in November.

:raised_hands: @JesseLingard strokes home for his first @England international goal pic.twitter.com/aVlVqZ1CDl

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) March 23, 2018

An unwelcome hat-trick looked certain as the Three Lions failed to provide any end product for just under 60 minutes here.

But a nice move was finished smartly by Jesse Lingard after Danny Rose's cross was only half cleared.

Kane wasn't here due to an ankle injury and that allowed Marcus Rashford to lead the line.

Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images

The Manchester United starlet doesn't play there at Old Trafford too often and it showed, despite some nice runs and burst of speed.

There were a number of promising moves that ended with a whimper due to a lack of presence in the area - barring any other injury issues, Kane will change that at the World Cup.

Rashford is still better off playing on the left where he tends to be selected for Manchester United or being used as an impact sub.


Memphis Depay is deluded

Depay still claims he can become one of the best players in the world but not on this evidence.

A move to Lyon from Manchester United in January last year has renewed his confidence and clearly provoked some wishful thinking too.

Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images

Depay failed to make an impact in the Premier League at Manchester United, scoring just seven goals in 53 appearances following a £31m switch from PSV Eindhoven.

He has already bettered that in the comforts of the French league with 10 in the competition.

England are hardly one of the great international teams so this was an opportunity for him to show why his claims should be taken seriously.

However he was anonymous for long periods and kept subdued comfortably by England's backline.


The right role for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at last?

It has felt like an international career full of false dawns, but maybe Oxlade-Chamberlain has finally found his position.

To be fair, the former Arsenal star has always insisted that midfield is his preferred role and he showed that at the Amsterdam Arena.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Photo: AFP/Getty Images

He may have benefited from a knee injury to former Arsenal team-mate Jack Wilshere to start here, yet he made the most of it.

Oxlade-Chamberlain linked up well with the defence and attack, spreading the ball nicely with neat passing.


Experimental back-three leaves England vulnerable to crosses

Gareth Southgate sprung a surprise by starting Kyle Walker and Joe Gomez this evening and it had mixed results.

For starters, Gomez's match was over inside 10 minutes as he picked up an injury and was replaced by Harry Maguire.

Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images

It still left wing back Walker as the right sided central defender - presumably so his pace could help on the counter as well as defensively.

However, it was no coincidence that England struggled to defend from crosses into the box and his presence there seemed to unsettle John Stones and Maguire.

Holland had a few half chances to capitalise on the uncertainty, but failed to take advantage.


England finally beat the Dutch - but it won't be remembered as fondly as last time

It is hard to believe that England's last victory over the Dutch was in the glorious summer of 1996.

That 4-1 triumph in the European Championships is still remembered fondly by their fans to this day and is regarded as the benchmark of the kind of football the nation wants to see the current generation play.

Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images

Southgate was part of the England side back then and is now on the sidelines trying to end the country's 22-year wait to reach the last four of a major championships.

While there is no such thing as a bad victory, this encounter showed just how the current teams don't have the same stars as they did back then.

Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images

England boasted the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham, with Holland calling upon Dennis Bergkamp, Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert.

The Netherlands, who have failed to even qualify for this year's World Cup, have suffered a particular fall from grace and their new coach Ronald Koeman has a tough job on his hands judging by his team's effort.