Gareth Southgate has already proved why axing Wayne Rooney was right move

After one eye-opening performance from Gareth Southgate’s new-look England, Wayne Rooney’s axing has already been validated.

For anybody doubting Gareth Southgate’s decision to drop Wayne Rooney from the England squad, that doubt has now been removed after Wednesday’s game against Germany. For anybody not too hot on Rooney right now, but still believing the striker to be integral to the England team, that doubt, too, has been removed.

The biggest call Southgate made ahead of his first game in charge of England was axing Manchester United striker Rooney. But the biggest call Southgate made regarding the game itself was to send his England team out in a new system and with a completely different style of play.

If the tactics would have gone wrong, the Rooney axe would have backfired. The first headlines would inevitably have been touting Rooney’s return. Crucially, despite the 1-0 defeat, things went perfectly for Southgate performance-wise.

England played in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with a triangle front three of Dele Alli, Jamie Vardy and Adam Lallana pressing high and forcing mistakes out of the German defense. The trio also provided a dangerous attack when England had possession of the ball.

This is a new-age way of playing. Certainly for an old-fashioned England, anyway. Gone is the 4-4-2 or the 4-2-3-1. Gone is the deep-lying, counter attacking team. In has come a youthful, energetic team that plays on the front foot.

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A team Wayne Rooney simply does not fit in to at this point. Playing this way, you can’t afford even one link in the front three to not press consistently with pace. It’s a young man’s system. To play it, you need young, fresh, energetic legs.

The performance against Germany was good enough that this way of playing has to now be persisted with. The formation suited perfectly Dele Alli, and that is a player who Southgate has to try and accommodate.

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Alli is a player who needs to play high up the pitch and this system allows him to do that. Add Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling alongside him, and England have a young, vibrant attack to move forward with.

Even the rest of the team looks to be a good fit for this system. Michael Keane looked assured in possession when the team were playing out from the back. John Stones is still to enter the team, and is also comfortable in possession of the ball.

With a Gary Cahill or a Chris Smalling in between Keane and Stones, Southgate has his back three to play out from deep with. The wing-backs, Kyle Walker and Ryan Bertrand, played well. Danny Rose will likely return when fit on the left side, and Rose and Walker have both played as wing-backs for Tottenham this season.

Central midfield is the only position that is still to be worked out, with Eric Dier and Jake Livermore playing against Germany. That pairing will change, with Southgate still having to decide which way he wants to go in that area of the team.

But overall, the system fits the players that Southgate has, and that is the most important thing. The performance showed as much. The performance also showed that Southgate is not afraid to make bold decisions. So the message that dropping Rooney sent was loud and clear.

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Not only does Rooney’s axing help the team to play this way, but it also now gives Southgate some authority in the locker room. Southgate, in just one bold move, made the change he needed to make for his England team, and also sent out the message he needed to, also.

All-in-all, Wayne Rooney’s axing has already been proved to be the right decision by Southgate and his new-look England.

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