October 10th 2024.
It was a disappointing night for England as they suffered a shocking defeat at Wembley. The team, under the leadership of interim boss Lee Carsley, had been off to a promising start but it all came crashing down as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Greece. Despite deploying a highly offensive lineup, England found themselves vulnerable on the break and were ultimately punished when Vangelis Pavlidis scored in the second half.
There was a glimmer of hope when Jude Bellingham thought he had scored a late equaliser, but it was short-lived as Pavlidis struck again in injury time to secure the victory for Greece. This was England's first competitive loss at Wembley in four years and their first ever defeat against Greece. Needless to say, the team was left reeling from this unexpected outcome.
Let's take a look at how The Agency rated the performances of each England player. Jordan Pickford, who had been hailed as a reliable goalkeeper, had a less than stellar night with a rating of 4. He made a costly mistake in the first half and was lucky to have his error forgiven when the goal was later ruled out. Trent Alexander-Arnold, on the other hand, had a decent game with a rating of 6. He showed off his impressive passing skills but was at fault for allowing Pavlidis to score the opening goal.
John Stones, who was captaining the team for the first time, was given a rating of 6. Unfortunately, the result was not what he had hoped for as he struggled to contain the Greek attacks. Levi Colwill, who had a crucial goal-line clearance in the first half, also received a rating of 6 for his efforts. He was constantly tested by the dynamic Greek forwards and used his speed to bail out the defense on multiple occasions.
Rico Lewis, the young Manchester City player, had a solid performance for most of the game but was at fault for the late winner scored by Greece. He was given a rating of 5 and will have more opportunities to prove himself in the future. In midfield, Declan Rice was given a rating of 5 as he struggled to control the game without a partner and was caught out a few times when Greece counterattacked.
Cole Palmer, who had the best chance for England in the first half, was given a rating of 6. However, he found it difficult to make an impact on the game while playing in a deeper position. Phil Foden, who has yet to reach his full potential in an England shirt, received a rating of 5. Despite being given a more central role, he failed to make an impact with only two touches in the Greek penalty area before being substituted.
Bukayo Saka, unfortunately, had an off night with a rating of 4. He only managed one shot on goal before being taken off in the second half due to injury. It was a tough game for him to make an impact with so many other attacking players on the pitch. But there was one bright spot for England - Jude Bellingham. He was given a rating of 7 for his performance, which included a late equaliser. He had a more free role as the attacking players rotated and managed to test the Greek keeper with a fierce shot early on before scoring the equaliser.
Anthony Gordon, who came on as a substitute, was given a rating of 5. He had a chance with a looping header in the first half, but apart from that, he struggled to make an impact. Noni Madueke and Ollie Watkins, who also came on as substitutes, received ratings of 6 while Dominic Solanke was given a rating of 5. Overall, it was a disappointing night for England, but there were some positives to take away from the game.
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