Godfrey makes England bow in win over Austria

Tuesday, 02 June, 2021 15comments | Jump to most recent

England played Austria tonight in a warm-up for the upcoming European Championships and it afforded Gareth Southgate the opportunity to hand Ben Godfrey his first England cap.

The Everton defender came on with half an hour to go to replace Tyrone Mings and was swiftly followed onto the pitch by his club-mate, Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Jordan Pickford, the Blues' other representative, had started the friendly.

Godfrey has already been informed by Southgate that he won't be among the final squad of 26 that will participate in Euro 2020 for England but used the occasion to get his first taste of senior international action.

England won the game narrowly thanks to Bakayo Saka's solo strike.

Reader Comments (15)

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Rob Halligan
1 Posted 02/06/2021 at 21:20:03

Ben Godfrey on for England! Come on Ben!!

Calvert-Lewin has just come on as well. Come on DCL!

Rob Halligan
2 Posted 02/06/2021 at 21:24:01

DCL yellow card. Ridiculous! He was about 15 feet in the air and one of his feet caught an opponent's head. No way he could have avoided it.

Mike Doyle
3 Posted 02/06/2021 at 21:31:47

Rob are you watching the England game to distract you from managerial musings?

Rob Halligan
4 Posted 02/06/2021 at 21:34:29

Mike, I'll watch any shite, except the shite!!

Rob Halligan
5 Posted 02/06/2021 at 21:44:54

Hahaha Trent Arnold done a hammy!!!

Rob Halligan
6 Posted 02/06/2021 at 22:00:49

Poor Trent. Looks like he's fucked. Pickfords fault!

Jack Convery
7 Posted 02/06/2021 at 23:12:05

So our shite team formed three quarters of the England Spine for the last 30 odd minutes.

Congratulations to Ben Godfrey - a well deserved international cap after a really good season.

Andy Finigan
8 Posted 02/06/2021 at 23:26:26

Here here Jack and I think although he is a bit raw if England had a norther pacey back as well then they could play a higher back line and have more possesion in midfield but becuase we haven't Southgate is now looking at at back 5 or sitting deeper with a back 4.i wish he had picked Godfrey coss I think his attitude is infectious. And I love him.

Colin Glassar
9 Posted 02/06/2021 at 23:30:08

Ben looked nervous and almost scored an oggie with his first touch of the ball.
Pickers looked safe until the last 10 minutes when his bipolar took over.
DCL made no impression whatsoever.

John Atkins
10 Posted 02/06/2021 at 23:40:23

Why bother with England - as bad as watching us. The fact that we had 3 players on display is an indication

Rob shame on you for being happy about a player getting injured, you've obviously never played the game, probably picked last or went in goal

Kim Vivian
11 Posted 03/06/2021 at 08:54:25

England ---- football ---- Yaaawwn

Charles Brewer
12 Posted 03/06/2021 at 10:18:48

A pretty dreadful match. Poor Ben Godfrey should certainly be buying Jordan Pickford a pint for saving his "Everton, that" "don't bother to look first" passback and I think DCL was booked for jumping incredibly (and I mean that in its original sense, not the modern sense of something bang average) high such that one of the remarkably dirty Austrian team ran into his feet.

Alexander-Arnold's game improved after he went off, he was terrible.

Rob Halligan
13 Posted 03/06/2021 at 10:29:40

John # 10. Hahahahahahahaha Hahahahahahaha Hahahahahahaha Hahahahahahaha Hahahahahahaha.

Wanna come round and see my medal collection!!

Stick to netball, lad!!

Brian Williams
14 Posted 03/06/2021 at 10:56:14

Rob are you still using that line "Wanna see my medals" to entice people back to yours?? ðŸ¤£ðŸ¤£ðŸ¤£

Do you wanna sign TAA's get well card by the way? ðŸ˜‰

Justin Doone
18 Posted 03/06/2021 at 23:23:04

Really pleased for Godfrey after a good season but he still has a lot to learn. I'm not sure a first international cap is warrented but I hope it helps him develop and understand how much he still needs to work on.

Let's start with stopping the passing backwards and look to take a touch and move the ball forward quickly. It was a very Everton moment, get ball, take time deciding what to do with ball, play an awful back pass and encourage the opposition to move forward and press after an error.

I can try and understand Dom giving a few kick away for jumping so high he endangers another player, high foot to face, but it should not be a yellow card. The defender didn't make an effort and turned away. I thought he did OK but at the end a 'real out and out striker' would take the shot. Not dribble backwards and try and pass to a team mate. Again, learn to go forward, be positive and shoot. Stop passing backwards!

England do remind me of Everton, own fans over rate their chances believing their better than they are. Some good players but defensively suspect and hit and miss going forwards.

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