England enter era of Total Gazball with merciless measure of control

O ver on the left, Marcus Rashford was busy softening North Macedonia up with his direct running and mazy dribbles. Further back, Declan Rice was holding his position in defensive midfield, maintaining his discipline and making sure to keep possession ticking over. Meanwhile Jordan Henderson was in ultra-pest mode, all boundless energy as he charged down every lost cause, a one-man pressing machine who appeared to be on a mission to prove that meaning can be found even in a facile mid-June Euro 2024 qualifier played on a Monday night in Manchester.

This was England at their most merciless. There is a remorselessness to the way they squeeze lesser teams, control territory and shut down space now. It was as if they knew there would come a point when Trent Alexander-Arnold, revelling in his new midfield role, would be sweeping a wonderful first-time pass over a ragged North Macedonian defence and Bukayo Saka, cutting in from the right and letting fly with his left foot, would be making it 4-0 by crashing in a stunning shot from 25 yards.

It would soon be five before long, Harry Kane sliding a rampant Saka through to complete his joyous hat-trick, and at that stage it was interesting to consider the difference between this England side and past, choked generations. After all there was a time when England would have panicked when, to the naked eye, it seemed they were struggling to break down limited but stubborn opposition. The passing would have been in unimaginative straight lines and the runs down the flanks would have been too predictable. Everything would have become angry and frustrated, and the night would have ended into another lament about England’s technical failings.

The danger was clear. England have come