Carsball A Hit So Far
After a convincing 2-0 win against the Republic Of Ireland at the weekend, Lee Carsley will be looking for another solid performance. The line-up he chose seemed to give England more attacking freedom, even though it wasn’t against quality opposition. In that game he played the likes of Jack Grealish in the number 10 role, and he was able to dictate the play through him. Moreover, you had the likes of Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka on the wing, running in behind and causing defenders problems. It was very much a different England than what we saw at the Euros.
Centurion Kane
One of the biggest talking points for tonight’s game will be Harry Kane. He is due to receive his 100th cap for England. There has been much debate by some over the summer if he should start for England or perhaps call it a day.
Though he wasn’t involved in the play as much, he was still able to chip and contribute with goals. As long as he keeps doing his job and scoring, I think he should still lead England’s forward line.
Finland’s Frenetic Defence
Their opponents, Finland, on the other hand, will have a point to prove as they were beaten by Greece 3-0 at the weekend. The Finns had a few of their key players missing, and they lost the experienced Rasmus Schuller to injury during their last match.
Since they qualified for Euro 2020, Finland has seemed to struggle on the international stage, especially at the back. They’ve conceded 13 goals in their last four games, and I don’t see that record looking any better after tonight.
Time For A Gordon Goal
It should be a fairly straightforward game for England, and I do expect them to win comfortably. When it comes to looking at an angle for a bet, I think Anthony Gordon, to be the first goal scorer, looks a bit of value at 11/2 with Rhino. The Newcastle United winger looked very sharp against the Republic Of Ireland; he had some good chances, including in the first half when he was one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
The 23-year-old is yet to score for The Three Lions, but I think his turn is near. My only concern is to just wait for the starting lineup to see if Carsley picks him. If he does, then maybe this could be the night where he stakes a claim to be a regular starter for England.
England v Finland selection
Anthony Gordon To Score First (11/2)