Hungary became the first team to score four goals in an away match against England since they also won 6-3 at Wembley in 1953.
While Gareth Southgate will digest England’s worst home defeat in more than 90 years, he will be forced to face an unwanted rewriting of history books, but also to consider whether his League of Nations experiment has pushed the Three Lions back with a World Cup on the horizon.
Since Scotland’s 5-1 defeat in 1928, England have not been as heavily defeated at home, while this is only their second home defeat to Hungary since the Magical Magyars’ famous 6-3 victory. at Wembley in 1953.
An international break has seen Southgate score just once in four games, and this was a Harry Kane penalty in the 1-1 draw with Germany, while England have gone four games without a win in the first round. time since then. 2014.
Now the second most successful coach in the history of England’s men’s team – one that led his team to a World Cup semi-final and a round of penalties after winning the European Championship last summer – he only has two games in September to regain that confidence in front of him. the team is heading to Qatar.
“It’s a punishing night,” Southgate said. “We haven’t lost many football games and when you lose so much, especially at home, with England, it will be very painful.
“I’m very clear about what works for us as a group and what doesn’t work as a group: tonight is a difficult night.
“My predecessors have spent nights like this, I’ve looked at them from the couch as a kid and seen them as a player #, and I recognize those difficult times. But you can’t be in the lead when things go well you have difficult experiences. This is part of football, this is part of life. “
The nature of this schedule – playing four games in 10 days after a long season – meant that Southgate had to rotate a lot between games and made nine more changes after the goalless draw against Italy.
But the former England defender has also wanted to take advantage of this period to learn more about the players at his disposal beyond the usual starting eleven and has played with different formations during all four games.
“It’s a difficult night for the players,” he added. “I feel for them because the two games in Hungary, in particular, I chose teams where I tried to balance the squad and give young players opportunities, and I didn’t get the right balance to be able to perform at the level they needed to be able. to win these matches.
“The players have been fantastic. They have been totally committed throughout this period. It has been a very difficult period for them because of the volume of matches they have had.
“It’s my responsibility for that. But it was also difficult to get the strongest team in every game, so we used it to prepare for Qatar.
“Of course, a night like this is very difficult and it’s important that I get them off my shoulders, because that’s totally up to me.”
“We have to look at the big picture”
Boos echoed around Molineux after the defeat and questions were raised about the future of Southgate, but captain Harry Kane insisted the coach’s tenure should be put into perspective.
“It’s a really disappointing question to ask. Let’s not forget where we come from,” Kane told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Gareth has been a key player in transforming this England team into one of the most successful teams we’ve had in the last 50 years.
“I know it’s disappointing for the fans. It’s been a disappointing camp, every now and then football brings a surprise. We have to look at the big picture.
“It’s the first low point I’ve had in five years, a very disappointing night. We hope to win these games, but it wasn’t our night. We have to keep calm and learn.
“We’ve played two fantastic tournaments in a row. It’s not the time to panic. It’s a defeat we’re disappointed with, but we have to stay calm and know we have things to work on.”
England have only scored one goal in a four-match period for the first time since October 2006 and March 2007.
Speaking to 5 Live, former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock said England were now without time to address any issues ahead of the World Cup.
“What if this happens in September and you have two performances where the team seems lost?” he asked.
“Then you have to change it and you won’t give the coach time to implement his style. I haven’t seen anything from England tonight and I haven’t seen any of them in the last four games.
“I’ve always been a person where I don’t want a coach to be sacked, but I’m not sure he’s the man. There are other candidates who will adapt more and Gareth Southgate will be under pressure tonight.
“This is the best group of players we have had in a long time and we will give up the chance to win the World Cup. I think this team can win a World Cup if it is managed in the right way.”
Southgate’s opposing number Marco Rossi will rest quietly after the performance, telling reporters he will go see the Red Hot Chilli Peppers on Wednesday, but also offering his support to the Head of England.
“They’re still absolutely on the first level,” he said. “I am convinced that they will give you a lot of joy in the next World Cup, I am sure.”
And as Southgate spends the summer pondering how to push his side forward, the 51-year-old remains committed to a process that began when he took over the role of three lions in 2016.
“The next period will be unpleasant and uncomfortable,” he added. “But this is life as a football coach: you will never spend six years like we did and you will not have difficult nights.”