Furious Fans Slam Gareth Southgate as England Lose Their 100 Percent Record in World Cup Qualifiers

© REUTERS / CARL RECINESoccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group I - Poland v England - PGE Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland - September 8, 2021 England manager Gareth Southgate
Soccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group I - Poland v England - PGE Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland - September 8, 2021 England manager Gareth Southgate - Sputnik International, 1920, 09.09.2021
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England's 100 percent winning record in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers ended on Wednesday night after Gareth Southgate's side drew 1-1 with Poland, thanks to a 92nd minute strike from Damian Szymanski. Harry Kane and his men had nearly won the match, but Szymanski's equaliser left them stunned as it came minutes before the close of play.
England fans blasted Gareth Southgate after the Three Lions boss defended his strategy of not making any substitutions in their World Cup qualifying clash against Poland.
Southgate's team was left stunned right at the end after Polish midfielder Damian Szymanski produced a breathtaking header in stoppage time to level proceedings at 1-1.
Several English supporters, though, didn't believe that it was Szymanski's goal which cost them the match, instead calling Southgate's decision not to replace footballers from his playing XI as the main reason behind their side's draw against Poland.
A few Three Lions admirers even went as far as to say that Southgate had "no clue" whatsoever about how to employ England's bench in such contests. Others termed his tactics as "poor game management".
On Wednesday, Southgate made a staggering 11 changes to his team, which annihilated Andorra 4-0 during the weekend. But the visitors failed to stamp their authority like they have done in recent times.
While Kane's thumping long range goal in the 72nd minute gave them a 1-0 advantage, the Polish attack led by Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski, subsequently kept them on tenterhooks as they continued to target their goal post while pinning them in their penalty area.
But Southgate insisted he was right not to call players from the bench, even after the match ended in a 1-1 draw for England.

"We were in total control and to bring players into that moment when everyone was performing to a good level and we were controlling possession, that can put players in who have had to sit in stands and not so easy", the England manager said after the game.

"There were a couple of times when we looked at it but we were doing well, no problems. We were going to refresh the wide players to run the clock down but we conceded before we could get them on. That is not a good moment then to make changes", he added.
The good news for Southgate, however, is that England are still on top of Group I with 16 points, followed by Albania in second place with 12 points. On the other hand, Poland are third with 11 points.
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