ROB DRAPER’S TACTICAL BREAKDOWN: Jude Bellingham might be the BEST midfielder at the World Cup

If a certain beer company with catchy lines made World Cup knockout games, they might look like this.

England won the game by 55 minutes, wiping out Senegal in a 16-minute period either side of half time.

Not only that, all of Gareth Southgate’s selections paid off and England are top scorers.

This is uncharted territory for England fans and media – we literally have nothing to complain about. And if it weren’t for Kylian Mbappe, you might be tempted not to say anything to worry about.

Sportsmail has broken down the tactics behind England’s 3-0 win.

Bellingham could be the best midfielder in the final

Was that a young Bryan Robson in an England shirt? He certainly felt that way. Seeing Jude Bellingham made you wonder: ‘What were you doing at 19?’

Even if he wasn’t a world-class soccer player, you suspect he would be the president of the Student Union or some high-flying merchant in town. It is quite rare to see a teenager leading such a seasoned group of professionals.

But Bellingham’s performance was just that. His run into space to free Jordan Henderson for the first goal was excellent. But his feat was the second goal in the 45th minute.

Senegal were on the attack when Pathé Ciss miscontrolled on the edge of the box, which shouldn’t have been much of a drama. But Bellingham, or was it Robson? He – pounced, hit the ball and walked away. The strength he displayed in pushing Youssouf Sabaly away was astounding for a 19-year-old.

He ran again and again, with Foden matching him step for step. He blasted the ball into space perfectly for Foden, over Kane and it made it 2-0.

However, it was much more than goal interventions. He is the boss in midfield, sets the pace, shows the ball, runs from behind and leads the press. The best midfielder in the World Cup? He could be at the top.

Foden and Saka will join Bellingham to build England’s future

What kind of donut does the man who was the top scorer in the World Cup, before Kylian Mbappe’s double just before this game, drop? Southgate is that man.

But Marcus Rashford was weak on possession against Wales, despite his goals. Foden is anything but that. Saka, although he had an early aberration, is also very neat and just as fast.

Foden absolutely justified his retention: for the first goal, it was his back heel that opened up Senegal and allowed Kane to play Bellingham. And it was his run that complemented Bellingham and provided the cross for Kane to make it 2-0. And there he was again on 55 minutes, jumping over a loose ball to get past Sabaly and then slipping through Koulibaly’s legs to set up Saka for the goal. third.

End not easy either, that goal from Saka, his third in the World Cup. Foden gives you speed and complexity; Saka even more speed, directness and the ability to outmaneuver his man from him.

Both link the game, exceptionally Foden. The two look like England’s first-choice wide players in a deep pool of talent.

This Kane is BETTER than the Golden Boot version

This Harry Kane is significantly better than the 2018 Golden Boot winner. And yet he won’t come close to winning the Golden Boot here. Because Kane is a better all-around player than he was four years ago.

His reading of the game to drop deep, his strength in holding the ball and his delivery, as seen in releasing Bellingham for the opener, make him a nightmare to score.

Do you put your containment midfielder on him? Or does half come out of the center? But would that leave room for Bellingham to find himself? Or Saka? Or Foden? Kane is much more useful to England than ever. And he’s apparently still a good finisher too.

Southgate’s bold picks pay off again

A coach could not wish for better examples of textbook goals. There have been tournaments in the past, as recently as 2018, where a lack of goals in open play has been a weakness in England’s arsenal. Not here.

Playing from behind can take time. Sometimes it can look like John Stones and Harry Maguire are having a private party. But every once in a while, England break in from behind and create an overload that confuses the opposition. In the 39th minute, it was Harry Maguire to Luke Shaw, as they moved along the line.

But it’s the next moment that the coaches want beyond anything and that showed why Foden is in it. His back heel for Harry Kane is what he confused Senegal with. It was too fast for them, a pass they hadn’t anticipated. Kane had dropped into midfield and it was he who sent the next quick pass to Jude Bellingham down the left.

Now Senegal was exposed. Bellingham’s run and cross was perfect but Johan Cruyff himself would have approved of the move from behind. With Kane deep, Jordan Henderson charged into uncharted center forward territory.

Then there was the perfect counter-attacking goal, Bellingham rushing past Senegal’s midfield, leaving them outnumbered. That’s what a coach works for, taking advantage of moments to create an overload of players. Both came straight from the coaches manual.

Steve Holland and Gareth Southgate should have been in the celebratory group: that’s why you spend long, boring hours on the training ground, repeatedly rehearsing patterns of play. Apparently Southgate isn’t good at that sort of thing. He looks like he is.

How Henderson brings Liverpool’s balance to England

This team has evolved in this World Cup. Southgate has realized that playing in a number 10, as he did with Mason Mount against the USA, is too much and leaves you short in midfield.

The mount naturally hits attack areas. Bellingham too. Also the extremes, whoever they are, leaves Declan Rice exposed.

So England is much more like Jurgen Klopp now with a proper 4-3-3 instead of a 4-2-3-1. You reinforce the midfield solidly (Henderson enters) and make sure the wingers get enough of the ball to be the creators.

Much like Kane playing a No 9/No 10 hybrid, you don’t need a midfielder there. And with the Bellingham bombings, there is enough intent to attack.

As in 1966, 1990 and 1996, England found their formation during the tournament.

England advance: what could go wrong?

If he wanted to get the bones out of the flat opening 35 minutes, he could point to Harry Maguire’s loss of possession on a couple of key occasions, one of which led to Ismaila Sarr’s fantastic chance on 23 minutes.

Maguire, again, is having a great tournament, after all doubts. But you suspect that Antoine Griezmann will not be so forgiving. And then there was Kyle Walker, a true lionheart, England’s world-class defender.

Remember this was only his second game since early October and his first 90 minutes. But there were some worrying lapses of possession and early nerves.

Next week’s opponent? That man Mbappé, the player of the tournament. Walker tends to take on big challenges — right now, no bigger ones are coming.