Anthony Gordon believes England must stop trying to replicate Spain and instead play to their own strengths if they want to win major international tournaments.
The Barcelona winger said England have different qualities from Spain and should embrace their own style rather than trying to reproduce the possession-based approach of the world champions.
Gordon was speaking at St George’s Park ahead of England’s meeting with Spain at Wembley on Saturday, their first game together since the World Cup.
England reached the semi-finals before losing 2-1 to Argentina, then beat France 6-4 in the bronze medal match to record their best World Cup finish since 1966.
Gordon wants England to play their own way
Gordon believes the defeat by Argentina could leave a lasting mark on the squad but said that experience could ultimately help England in future tournaments.
“[The] scar doesn’t have to be a negative one because it might lead us to victory in the next tournaments,” Gordon said.
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“We can’t keep looking at other countries and trying to be like them, because we’re not them – we’re English and we have our own strengths which they don’t have, so maybe we start playing the way we’re good at.”
Gordon, who joined Barcelona from Newcastle for £69.3m in the summer, said his experience of playing in Spain had given him a better understanding of the differences between the two footballing cultures.
“I’m speaking from a point of view where I feel like we are trying to replicate Spain,” he said.
“Because I’m in Spain, I know we have just as good players, but they have different qualities, so why are you trying to make those players the same as the Spanish players? Because the Spanish players lack the things that we have and vice versa.”
‘It’s not in the English DNA’
Gordon also questioned whether England could simply adopt Spain’s approach to controlling possession.
“It’s not in the English DNA,” he said.
“I’m not sure it’s something that can be taught because now I think, playing in Spain, I can speak with an educated view on the way they keep the ball is different.
“I even look at some of the decisions they take on the ball sometimes and think I’m not sure how you’ve seen that.
“It’s the way they’re built. I don’t know whether it is something that maybe we can’t ever put a name to, but they’re definitely built different.”
Spain’s style will provide another test for England at Wembley, with Gordon insisting the Three Lions should not feel compelled to copy their opponents.
Gordon takes responsibility for Argentina defeat
Gordon scored England’s goal in the semi-final against Argentina and started five matches during the World Cup, while also providing four assists.
He was substituted 17 minutes after putting England ahead and admitted he was surprised to be taken off.
“Obviously that substitution was different but in that moment probably yeah, but in general as a winger I expect it a lot of the time,” he said.
Gordon said England’s players must accept collective responsibility for the way the semi-final ended after Argentina scored twice late in the game.
“We shouldn’t try and blame one man who’s obviously trying his best and trying to win the cup for us all,” he said.
“As players, we could have done more to take the initiative to control the [Argentina] game. I think if we do that the manager doesn’t make the decision [to use a back five].”
“For me, we had the best team, we had the best players on the pitch in that semi-final, and in the last 20 minutes we didn’t play the best football.
“That’s something the manager can’t really affect from the sideline, so I think as a group everyone together should take responsibility.”
