England manager Gareth Southgate adopted a ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach to England’s second game at Euro 2024 against Denmark, but 90 minutes later his side looked utterly kaput and quick fixes are now needed to put things right in their last Group C game against Slovenia.
The Three Lions may still be top of the group and almost certainly heading into the knockout stages, but their ragged performance against Denmark suggested they will not be going very far in Germany unless they drastically improve. And they will need to beat Slovenia to ensure they finish top of the pack and ensure what is likely to be a more favourable draw towards the latter stages.
Southgate fell into a familiar trap of cramming the best players in his squad on to the pitch without thinking of how they actually work together in Frankfurt, and now he must make big calls. That means dropping Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold while resting other key players who looked jaded after playing two games in quick succession.
Footballblogzz picks the team Southgate should put out to ensure they finish the group strongly and to avoid an angry backlash from fans who are already voicing their frustrations…
GK: Jordan Pickford
Pickford is one of few England players to have escaped criticism so far as he kept a clean sheet against Serbia while there was nothing he could do to stop Morten Hjulmand’s rocket for Denmark.
RB: Kyle Walker
Walker has been top-class so far in Germany, contributing to both of England’s goals and limiting the damage at the back. He is also showing few signs of tiredness despite recently turning 34.
CB: Lewis Dunk
John Stones has been showing signs of tiredness in both matches and is due a rest. Brighton centre-back Dunk is good on the ball and is adept at baiting the press. Although he has not always performed at his best in an England shirt, he is due another chance to put things right.
CB: Marc Guehi
Guehi has had a very good tournament, looking solid in both matches, save for one moment when he lost the ball in a dangerous position against Denmark. He compensated with a perfectly-timed tackle and England will need his calm presence on the ball to ensure they navigate their way out of their final Group C game.
LB: Joe Gomez
Southgate has shown a lot of loyalty to Kieran Trippier by playing him in both games, but it is Gomez’s turn to get the nod. Unlike his Newcastle counterpart, he has played in the left-back role plenty of times for Liverpool, and England badly need to improve their presence down that flank.
CM: Adam Wharton
Southgate left many people baffled after the Denmark game when he lamented the fact that England had struggled to replace Kalvin Phillips, one of their key men at the last European Championship but whose career has nosedived since.
Wharton could certainly fill Phillips’ boots after having a stunning finish to the season with Crystal Palace as a screening midfielder with an excellent passing range. He also impressed in his only England appearance so far against Bosnia & Herzegovina, so why not give him his tournament bow here?
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CM: Declan Rice
Arsenal midfielder Rice had an usually poor game against Denmark, although Roy Keane claimed that his rusty display was partly because he had to ‘babysit’ Alexander-Arnold. With Wharton alongside him, he should be able to have a greater influence on the game and recover the level he showed in the opening match.
AM: Jude Bellingham
Bellingham’s display against Denmark was like the difficult second album for a band after his explosive opener against Serbia, but he still looked like being England’s best chance of winning the match. And with Foden out of the way, he would have more room to express himself.
RW: Cole Palmer
England were severely lacking confidence against Denmark and for parts of the opening game. So who better to put that right than the swaggering Palmer? The Chelsea forward, who is so assured of himself he makes Liam Gallagher look shy, must be baffled as to why he has not played a minute in Germany after his stunning season at Stamford Bridge and his impressive showings in the warm-up matches.
Slovenia would be ideal opponents for him to make an impression against at his first major tournament. It would also allow Bukayo Saka a chance to get some rest before the knockout stages, as against Denmark he looked as if he was still feeling the effects of his lively performance against Serbia.
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ST: Harry Kane
There have been some calls for Kane to be dropped after his drab performance against Denmark, which followed him touching the ball just twice in the first half against Serbia. It is also true that Ollie Watkins looked more dangerous when he replaced the captain in the second half.
But the Bayern Munich star also scored against Denmark and hit the woodwork against Serbia, demonstrating his enduring prowess in the box. Even though Southgate has plenty of changes to make, dropping England’s all-time top scorer and arguably the best striker at the Euros would be a step too far.
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LW: Anthony Gordon
Dropping Foden might sound crazy given the season he has just had for Manchester City, but he is playing in a very different side now and him coming off the left is not working, for him or the team in general. He has not done enough, either, to take the No.10 role away from Bellingham.
England’s need to have a proper left-winger is more pronounced due to the absence of Luke Shaw, and Gordon is the best man for the job right now. He has explosive pace and contributed to 21 Premier League goals for Newcastle last term. The Three Lions need a fearless player who is willing to run at opponents and stretch them, out and Gordon is their best bet.
