Dave Sarachan admits USA were far from their best in England loss | OneFootball

Dave Sarachan was quick to admit that England were deserved winners after they ran away 3-0 winners over the USA in Wayne Rooney’s farewell match.

Soon after Jordan Pickford denied Christian Pulisic on a breakaway, Jesse Lingard and Trent Alexander-Arnold scored two minutes apart as England showed no mercy in the first half.

“We allowed too much space,” Sarachan said. “Their spacing, their movement, was very challenging for our group.

“As much as we watched and scouted England, it’s still on the players to sort through that.

“We just didn’t get around on the ball enough, didn’t get in on enough plays, makes for a tough half.”

Though the USA looked a little better in the second half, they still allowed Callum Wilson to score England’s third in his England debut.

“We talked about some things at half-time,” he said. “I think there were some stretches where we had some confidence to play a little bit, get better numbers centrally, the ball could go from one to the next and we are going to take some positives, that’s the point of these games.”

The United States struggled to keep hold of the ball and finished the game with just 39 per cent possession.

It’s a weakness that Dave Sarachan was aware of, yet he wasn’t able to make the necessary adjustments against a strong England side.

“Some of it is the technical ability of players,” he said. “I also think a big part of possession and doing better with the ball is what our spacing and movement allows us.

“You saw it at times when we were able to play a little bit, there were options for players on the ball.

“With a team like England, where we got stretched, there aren’t a lot of options so now you force things.

“When you get better numbers around the ball, the ball can move a little bit more.

“A combo of some guys need to be better technically, but I think our combinations and movements need to have better options.”

Christian Pulisic started the match on the right wing and created a few decent chances. However, his performance did nothing to end the debate on whether or not he should be used as a number 10.

“[Pulisic] is arguably our best player, and so most would think he should be in the middle of the field,” Sarachan said.

“I’m not saying that won’t happen. But also know when you watch him play for his club in his position, he is very dangerous and can find space, our thinking tonight was put him in a comfortable spot, have the freedom to come inside and make the game.”