the only thing that would make this a wise decision is if you're subbing in some kind of penalty specialist with a long and storied career of making the penalty count, each time, every time
Arguably, he was doing just that - they both have excellent PK records. Rashford in particular. ...But bringing them on so late in the game, they really had no chance to get 'in the zone', and they'd never taken PK's at anything like this level of a tournament before, with this much pressure on them. Rashford's fakeout was golden, but he fumbled the kick. The pressure got to him. 'Cause he's a young kid.
Analysts and pundits were skeptical about the decision the moment it was made, in cluding former England strike and captain Alan Shearer, who played alongside Southgate in Euro '96.
I can't say for certain that this was a deliberate virtue signal plan, but because of the kneeling, the rainbow armband, the 'this is the England team without immigrants' leftist propaganda, I can't trust that it wasn't.
Arguably, he was doing just that - they both have excellent PK records. Rashford in particular. ...But bringing them on so late in the game, they really had no chance to get 'in the zone', and they'd never taken PK's at anything like this level of a tournament before, with this much pressure on them. Rashford's fakeout was golden, but he fumbled the kick. The pressure got to him. 'Cause he's a young kid.
Analysts and pundits were skeptical about the decision the moment it was made, in cluding former England strike and captain Alan Shearer, who played alongside Southgate in Euro '96.
I can't say for certain that this was a deliberate virtue signal plan, but because of the kneeling, the rainbow armband, the 'this is the England team without immigrants' leftist propaganda, I can't trust that it wasn't.