Premier League

Rating the players as England hit back to draw 1-1 in Germany

Jack Grealish and Harry Kane celebrate after England equalise in a 1-1 Nations League draw against Germany

England weren’t very good and then Jack Grealish came on and they were much better. A decent point in the end, all things considered. Here are some ratings if you want some (very slightly) more in-depth thoughts…

 

JORDAN PICKFORD
Made one fine save but will be disappointed by the way he almost veered out of the way for Hofmann’s goal to conclude a catalogue of errors that led to Germany taking an admittedly fully-deserved lead.

 

KYLE WALKER
Struggled with Jamal Musiala specifically and the intensity of Germany’s press generally during a first half in which he specifically and England generally struggled to match the vim and verve of their hosts.

 

JOHN STONES
Did neither one thing nor the other as Joshua Kimmich worked the opening beautifully for Jonas Hofmann to rattle home the first goal of the game on 50 minutes, and it was a goal that had been coming pretty much since the first whistle. Seemed to spend the entire match half a step off the pace

 

HARRY MAGUIRE
Got in a mess trying to bully Kai Havertz and was lucky the offside flag rescued him. Made a better job of being a nuisance around Manuel Neuer to set up a chance Harry Kane blazed over but would surely have been disallowed anyway under the long-standing Goalkeeper Protection Law. For right or wrong, Maguire’s generally clumsy-looking manner in all such duels means keepers will if anything get even more protection than normal which is a very large amount of protection indeed. Stepped out injudiciously in the build-up to the opening German goal and his most significant contribution was an injury-time clearance off the back of his head. He’s just not having a great time.

 

KIERAN TRIPPIER
Like Walker, struggled with the German press and was forced into the sort of errors that decent right-backs would probably make rather more of when playing at left-back if international football weren’t generally played at quite a low standard. Set-piece delivery wasn’t at its best either.

 

KALVIN PHILLIPS
Injured again inside eight minutes on his return to the England starting XI after an injury-ravaged season. Tried to continue but it was quickly clear that wasn’t going to work. Poor sod.

 

DECLAN RICE
Almost played Pickford into terrible trouble with a no-look backpass in the slightly confused period immediately after Phillips made way for Bellingham and German tails were entirely up. Not his usual composed and imposing self. Stepped forward to leave Havertz free in the build-up to the…

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