NO permanent manager, no captain in the starting line-up and precious few senior players bothering to turn up.
And yet it was no sweat for England to regain control of their Nations League group and gain revenge for last month’s Wembley embarrassment.
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It was a night when interim boss Lee Carsley placed his trust in several of his own Under-21 European champions – and gave Thomas Tuchel plenty of food for thought.
Why Tuchel wasn’t in the dug-out heaven alone knows, and why he wasn’t in the Greek capital to watch is also a mystery.
But while the German enjoys his sabbatical, Carsley enjoyed the best night of his brief reign – just when the cards all seemed stacked against him.
He made a major call in starting skipper Harry Kane on the bench, then watched his replacement Ollie Watkins bag an early opener before an own goal from keeper Odysseas Valshodimos and a sweet strike from debutant Curtis Jones earned a convincing victory.
And all this after a dozen members of his squad were ruled out through injuries, genuine or otherwise.
That third goal created by Morgan Gibbs-White and finished by Liverpool midfielder Jones had Carsley’s signature stamped all over it.
And another member of Carsley’s triumphant Under-21s from last year – Noni Madueke – was the best player on the pitch, creating Watkins’s opener with pace and intelligence.
A few weeks ago, we were wondering whether ‘Carsball’ was England’s answer. Now that it’s been discarded, we started wondering again.
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England need only to beat Ireland at Wembley on Sunday to win the group and secure promotion to the Nations League top tier.
And Tuchel now has plenty of choices to make between Gareth Southgate’s old guard and Carsley’s young thrusters.
Kane had netted 86 per cent of the goals scored by this entire England squad – 68 from a total of 79 – so it was certainly a bold call from Carsley to bench him.
And this had looked like probably the weakest starting XI England had fielded for a competitive fixture in living memory.
Facing Greece seems to bring out the unconventional in England’s interim manager.
Carsley appeared to lose his Elgin marbles with the tactical brainstorm which led to last month’s embarrassing 2-1 home defeat against the same opposition.
On that night, Kane was injured and Carsley played without an authentic centre-forward – here he simply preferred the pace of Watkins to the nous and class of Kane.
England ratings vs Greece as Madueke and Jones steal the show after Kane benched
IT IS difficult to remember an England starting XI which, on paper at least, looked as totally underwhelming as this one.
Yet manager-in-waiting Thomas Tuchel, presumably watching the game at his home in Bavaria, will have been hugely encouraged by this performance from what appeared to be a complete mish-mash of a team – and one which was awfully short of experience.
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated England’s stars…
Jordan Pickford – 8
Back in after being dropped for Finland last month – and showed a good response. Great stop to deny Kostas Tsimikas at the near post and alive to danger throughout.
Earned his first-ever booking in 72 England caps for time wasting in the first half.
Kyle Walker – 7
Captain in Harry Kane’s absence and passionately conveyed his side’s frustration to ref Daniel Siebert when Pickford was booked.
Moved to centre-back after the break when Ezri Konsa went off.
Marc Guehi – 7
Another solid performance from the Crystal Palace man who you would think would be a first-choice starter for Thomas Tuchel when the German begins work.
Ezri Konsa – 7
One of several players targeted by a laser in the crowd, along with Pickford and Belligham.
Limped off just before half-time and was replaced by Lewis Hall at the break.
Rico Lewis – 7
Filled in at left-back over newbie Hall, before moving to the right when the Newcastle man came on.
Almost had his first England goal early in the second half but was denied by a fine stop from Hall’s club-mate Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Curtis Jones – 9
Sparkled on debut in the heart of midfield, not looking overawed in the slightest. Played deeper than he does for Liverpool, but in the same position where he shone for Lee Carsley in England’s triumphant Under-21 Euros last summer.
Gorgeous backheel to cap his bow with the third goal.
Conor Gallagher – 7
Started brightly next to Jones, though gave the ball away a few times after the break. Booked for stopping a quick free-kick early on.
Arrived just too late to poke in the rebound from Bellingham’s strike as it had already crossed the line for an own goal.
Noni Madueke – 9
A blistering first start from the Chelsea man who put real pressure on Bukayo Saka’s place with this performance.
He took on his man at every opportunity, at pace, and had excellent end product too, setting up Watkins’ opener and a header for Bellingham which hit the post.
Jude Bellingham – 8
Some sublime touches and passes from the talisman, including a wonderful ball round the corner to release Madueke in the build-up to the opener.
Seemed to thrive with pace all around him and killed off the game with his late strike which hit the post and bounced in off the keeper.
Anthony Gordon – 7
Provided a threat down the left with his pace and trickery, even if he was outshone by Madueke. A decent display but not one that demanded he start at left wing every game.
Ollie Watkins – 7
The surprise starter over Harry Kane. He took his early chance well, converting from the edge of the six-yard box.
Could have had another when sent clean through but the ball got stuck under his feet.
Subs
Lewis Hall (for Ezri Konsa half-time) – 7
Came on at half-time for his debut and did not put a foot wrong.
Harry Kane (for Ollie Watkins, 66) – 6
Had a curling effort well stopped after exchanging passes with fellow sub Morgan Rogers.
Morgan Rogers (for Anthony Gordon, 66) – 8
Some exciting touches from the Villa debutant, including one to release Bellingham in the lead-up to the second goal.
Jarrod Bowen (for Noni Madueke, 66) – 7
Clever nutmeg to free Morgan Gibbs-White, who then teed up Jones.
Morgan Gibbs-White (for Gallagher, 79) – 7
Cutback for Jones was on the money.
And within seven minutes, his boldness was rewarded with an excellent team goal.
Madueke was the architect, first with a back-heel which took out left-back Kostas Tsimikas, then after he’d collected a return pass from Jude Bellingham, the Chelsea man reached the byline and cut back with his right foot for Watkins to slot home.
Carsley had fielded a front three blessed with express pace and Anthony Gordon was also causing bother for the Greeks early on, cutting inside and having a powerful shot deflected wide for a corner.
German ref Daniel Siebert – a convicted match-fixer – got busy, booking Bellingham and Conor Gallagher in quick succession then handing Jordan Pickford the first yellow card of his England career for wasting an extraordinarily short amount of time at a goal-kick.
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This was the first sell-out for an international football match at the 70,000-capacity Olympic Stadium but a crowd which had started off in good voice was being lulled by the composed control exerted by this patchwork England side.
Finally, the Greeks began to threaten and, after a rapid break down the left, Tsimikas had a fierce shot beaten away by Pickford at his near post.
There was plenty of neat midfield play from Bellingham and Gallagher but England were less of a menace as the first half progressed – although, in injury-time, Rico Lewis released Watkins, who lost his footing when he’d looked a good bet to score.
Ezri Konsa was limping heavily at the end of the half and was replaced at half-time by debutant Lewis Hall – Walker switching to central defence and Lewis moving to right-back.
England were soon back on the front foot with Madueke full of devilment.
The Chelsea winger toasted Tsimikas and cut back for Lewis to have a shot blocked by keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Then after the resulting corner, Madueke centred for Bellingham to head against the back stick.
Greece retained a threat, though, and when Gallagher lost possession, Fotos Ionnidis forced a decent save from Pickford.
Carsley then withdrew his front three, introducing Kane, Jarrord Bowen and debutant Morgan Rogers. Madueke’s withdrawal was a strange decision, as he had shown little sign of easing up.
Still, Kane soon had a long-ranger saved by Vlachodimos and then Rogers played a key role in England’s second goal.
The Villa man played a cool pass on the turn to release Bellingham, who charged forward and pinged a shot against the inside of the post which cannoned in off the prone Greek keeper, crossing the line before Gallagher could claim a touch.
The third was a peach – a nutmeg pass from Bowen, a cut-back from Gibbs-White and a cute finish from Jones with a flick of his heel.
Suddenly, it felt as if Carsball wasn’t too bad at all.
