England boss Gareth Southgate reveals why he felt 'fed up' following 6-2 win over Iran
- Planet Sport writer
- 21 November 2022
England kicked off their World Cup campaign with an emphatic 6-2 victory over Iran, though manager Gareth Southgate believes there's plenty of room for improvement.
The Three Lions boss was pleased with the win, but admitted he was annoyed to concede two goals, with the second coming from the penalty spot in the last seconds.
"I'm a bit fed up with the end of it," Southgate told the BBC. "To win by that margin, to play as we did for the majority of the game, we've got to be really happy - that's the way the players have prepared, they looked ready and they dealt with the game really well.
"It was a sticky first half, lots of stoppages, but we were a threat throughout that, our pressing was really good, and our movement was really good, so I've got to be happy but we shouldn't be conceding two goals at that stage of the game.
"We'll have to be right on our game against the States. It's a great start but we're going to have to be better."
He added: "I'm a miserable so and so, I should be more excited but I've got to keep the team on the right track and we will have to be better."
On conceding the two goals, Southgate said: "It's a consequence of the scoreline and we had 24 minutes of added time across the game - that's a long time to focus.
"We lost concentration and when we play at a slower tempo, we're not anywhere near as effective."
Despite being unable to keep a clean sheet, England put on an impressive performance where a number of their younger players shone.
When asked about the level of quality in his squad, Southgate said: "We've got some good players and today they really delivered.
"Our attacking players looked a threat throughout the game, I thought our defence for the first hour or so really controlled the game and were patient with their build-up.
"The midfield was excellent, both Declan and Jude, and our forwards looked a threat. That's a great marker to put down."
Bukayo Saka was named player of the match for his two goals as he looks to erase the memories of his penalty miss during England's shoot-out defeat in the European Championship final in 2021.
"I feel like I'm in a good place, I have the support from the fans," Saka said. "I really feel the love from the fans, the coaching staff and my team-mates.
"I feel good, that's all I need. I'm ready to give 100 per cent and I'll continue to do that every time I put the shirt on."
