England 0-1 Denmark | Player ratings

After a significant win against a star-studded Belgian team, England welcomed a determined Danish side to Wembley on Wednesday. In stark contrast to their previous mission, however, the men of Gareth Southgate looked without ideas against an organized Danish defense.

It didn’t help when Harry Maguire decided to ruthlessly send himself off after 31 minutes. Four minutes later, three disabled Lions received a dubious penalty that Cristian Eriksen later converted. The goal line would stay the same, earning the Danes valuable three points that would allow them to overtake England in Group A of Group A.

Here are the player ratings of England’s 1-0 loss to Denmark.

GK: Jordan Pickford – 5,5 / 10

He might not have had much to do all night, but Jordan Pickford failed at the crucial moments. For the penalty England conceded, it was the excitement it caused when it fell off his line that put Kyle Walker under pressure. And once the sentence was imposed, there was always no chance for the 26-year-old to save her.

RWB: Reece James – 6.5 / 10

The Chelsea full-back, who made his first senior start for England, was one of the few sparks for Southgate tonight. His willingness to hit his opponent full back and whip the ball into the box was England’s main source of creating opportunities for much of the game. His performance today may have cemented his place as the team’s first choice right-back.

RCB: Kyle Walker – 6/10

He started out as a right-side central defender, but had to switch to the left-back in a tactical reorganization. Aside from one moment when he lost his husband on the cross, Walker had a solid game despite being in an unfamiliar position. England’s insistence on changing games and willingness to overlap enabled Denmark to worry about the vast areas.

CB: Conor Coady – 6/10

As the central center-back of the three defenders, Southgate trusted the Wolves defender Conor Coady very much. In return, the 27-year-old hardly made a mistake with 47 passes, four clearances, two interceptions and one tackle.

LCB: Harry Maguire – 1/10

It has been a hot few weeks for the Manchester United captain. From jail to the sad start to the league and now a red card at Wembley. Many have questioned Gareth Southgate’s decision to even include him on that roster, and now those questions are about to come back. The 27-year-old’s 30-minute cameo was one of the worst you’ll see. He lost three duels, lost possession five times and committed two fouls in quick succession.

LWB: Ainsley Maitland-Niles – N / A.

It is fair to say that the ascent of Ainsley Maitland-Niles was downright meteoric. From an unused midfielder for Arsenal to a starting left-back for the national team. Unfortunately, his night was cut short as he was the man who was sacrificed in response to the red card.

RCM: Declan Reis – 6/10

Tasked to be the pivot’s box-to-box midfielder, Declan Rice used his physical traits both defensively and in the final third. In a solid effort, Rice completed 92% of his passes, blocked two shots, and intercepted two passes.

LCM: Kalvin Phillips – 6/10

As England midfielder, it was Kalvin Phillips’ job to determine the team’s passing game. This became all the more the case when England fell to 10 men and needed someone to keep the property as much as possible. Although he lost his cool towards the end, the 24-year-old had 71 touches, completed 40 passes, won six duels and made three important passes.

RW: Mason Mount – 5/10

For the second straight year, Gareth Southgate pushed Mason Mount into the team by placing him in an unfamiliar position on the right flank. As a result, he was only able to make 16 passes while losing the ball nine times.

LW: Marcus Rashford – 5/10

No disrespect to Marcus Rashford, but England really missed Raheem Sterling’s straightforwardness on the left. Sterling has often been the difference maker for Gareth Southgate’s men with his mazy runs and intelligent final third set. Rashford’s portrayal was exactly the opposite, as he was passive in his final third actions.

ST: Harry Kane – 5,5 / 10

Back in the starting XI, Harry Kane didn’t look anything like his best for England tonight. He was starved and when he got the ball his touches were sloppy. Overall, it was a frustrating night for the Nation’s Talisman as it could only attempt one shot on goal.

England substitute

Tyrone Mings – 6/10

Mings was brought in to fill the gaping hole Harry Maguire had left. He was a reassuring presence in a stormy situation. During the course of the game, Mings won five duels, made two clearances and completed 23 passes.

Jadon Sancho: N / A.

The conspicuous winger had no time or space to influence the game.

Jordan Henderson: N / A.

Aside from the yellow card, Henderson added nothing to England’s performance in his brief cameo.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin: N / A.

The worst thing about Calvert-Lewin’s cameo is the fact that Southgate found it acceptable to play him as the left winger.

Published October 15, 2020, 3:24 am IST