Let's not pretend this friendly carries any real weight. It is a World Cup warm up, a chance for Gareth Southgate to run the rule over his squad witho...
Let's not pretend this friendly carries any real weight. It is a World Cup warm up, a chance for Gareth Southgate to run the rule over his squad without the threat of a hamstring tear ruining the summer. England face New Zealand at Wembley tonight, and if history is any guide, the result is as predictable as a Harry Kane penalty. The All Whites, for all their charm, have lost eight of their last ten matches. Their most recent outing was a 4. 0 drubbing at the hands of Haiti. That is not the sort of form that strikes fear into a side ranked among the world's elite.England go into the tournament as third favourites, sitting behind only Spain and France in the bookmakers' eyes. That alone tells you everything about the gap in quality tonight. Southgate will likely rotate his side, perhaps giving minutes to fringe players who need to stake a claim for a starting berth in the group stage. The real test, of course, remains whether this squad possesses the tactical flexibility to overcome a low block in the knockout rounds. But against New Zealand, the question is not if England will win, but by how many.New Zealand's route to the finals was a procession through Oceania, with wins over Tahiti, Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and New Caledonia. A cumulative score of 29. 1 in qualifying sounds impressive until you realise the opposition are part time accountants and students. Their one credible result, a 4. 1 victory over Chile, came with a massive asterisk: the Chileans had a man sent off after 27 minutes. Outside of that, the All Whites have been woeful. They will set up deep, they will try to frustrate, and they will likely concede.For England, this is about sharpening the edge. It is about finding rhythm in transitional play and ensuring the defensive unit is not caught napping. Southgate will be looking for clinical finishing from his forwards and composure from his midfield. If the likes of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice dictate the tempo, this could be a long night for the visitors. But let's be honest: nobody will remember this scoreline come July. The only thing that truly matters is that England emerge without injury, ready for the real battles ahead.So what can we take from a game that feels like a rehearsal no one asked for Perhaps a glimpse of the squad depth, or a chance to see if the backup goalkeeper can handle a cross. Beyond that, this is pure filler. The World Cup looms, and England have bigger fish to fry. New Zealand are here to make up the numbers, and they know it. There is no shame in that, but there is also no mystery about the outcome. Enjoy the football, but do not read too much into it.
