Word filtered through of Thomas Tuchel’s imminent appointment just as England’s Under 21s rolled up to Ashton Gate. And they promptly started with a false nine. Lee Carsley – sat in the stands watching – approves this message.
With no Liam Delap, it was Friday night’s hero James McAtee who led England from the front, doing so excellently. Quick, nimble, sharp brain – the hallmarks of this age group before the seniors borrowed their coach for a couple of camps.
England have qualified for next summer’s European Championship as group winners during Carsley’s placement and are likely to have the man who masterminded last year’s success back in situ before long.
‘We wanted to continue with Lee’s style and he is delighted,’ interim coach Ben Futcher said. ‘I don’t think there’s is a rule that it has to be an English manager. Thomas is a world-class coach, won some of the biggest trophies. You’d be daft if you didn’t learn from him.’
There are things to look at before the tournament and this group, as yet, have not gelled quite as nicely as their predecessors. There is still time for that and this represented the most complete performance of Futcher’s four-match reign, operating with more zip and control against Azerbaijani opposition who couldn’t cope.
James McAtee for England’s youth side on an evening straight out of Lee Carsley’s playbook
The Young Lions have already qualified for next year’s European Championship tournament
Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens produced his best-ever display in an England shirt
McAtee knitted the Young Lions together, with Morgan Rogers a menace in behind. The substitutes further livened England later on and it became a matter of how many they’d score. Seven in the end.
Encouraging signs, with Jamie Gittens, the Borussia Dortmund winger, producing his best game in an England shirt, crossing for Charlie Cresswell to head home just two minutes in.
The defenders took on the goalscoring responsibility in lieu of a striker and Callum Doyle effectively put this beyond the visitors after only 26 minutes. A sumptuous arching freekick by Alex Scott begged to be thumped in and Doyle obliged.
Sam Illing-Junior, Rogers and McAtee all ought to have added a third before the latter added to his brace down in Bournemouth. Illing-Junior made use of the oodles of time afforded to him, floating across for McAtee to crank his neck and power beyond Khayal Farzullayev. Gittens rattled the bar before Jalal Huseynov sliced into his own net.
Elliot Anderson added a fifth, his maiden Under-21 goal, Dane Scarlett pounced on a goalkeeping error and Omari Hutchinson finished off the night.
