England certified for the knockout stage of the European Championship with a 0-0 draw in opposition to Slovenia meaning they win Group C.
Gareth Southgate’s staff have been underwhelming of their opening two video games of the event and there was little signal of a revolution within the first half of their group finale on Tuesday night. England dominated possession however managed simply 4 photographs on track, and a Bukayo Saka objective that was disallowed for a Phil Foden offside.
Southgate took midfielder Conor Gallagher off at half-time for Kobbie Mainoo and that heralded a barely improved show however finally a goalless show in opposition to the facet ranked 57th on the planet (England are fifth) won’t encourage a lot confidence as they head into the knockout section.
Slovenia are additionally by means of as a third-placed staff, and must wait till the group stage is accomplished on Wednesday to see who they play within the spherical of 16. They completed with an similar document to group runners-up Denmark (together with receiving the identical variety of yellow playing cards within the three matches) however lose out as that they had a decrease place within the European qualifiers rankings in comparison with the Danes.
Danny Taylor, Oliver Kay, Mark Carey, Dan Sheldon and Will Jeanes analyse the important thing moments from the sport.
Why has Jude Bellingham gone off the boil? Sure, a sentence that didn’t appear vastly probably when he powered in that header, Bryan Robson-style, within the opening win in opposition to Serbia 9 days in the past.
The troublesome reality, nonetheless, is that we haven’t actually seen something of peak Bellingham since. We’re getting solely sporadic glimpses of his brilliance — as a result of it’s, fairly often, brilliance — and that appears like an issue when England are struggling for cohesion in assault.
Construct them as much as knock them down? Under no circumstances. In the event you love soccer, it’s important to admire the man’s expertise. But Bellingham was so erratic at occasions in opposition to Slovenia (and grumpy with it) that it wouldn’t have been a whole shock if Gareth Southgate had toyed with the concept of taking him off, placing Phil Foden within the center and introducing Anthony Gordon to the left-sided attacking function.
It by no means occurred nevertheless it have to be a priority for Southgate, particularly when Bellingham’s below-par efficiency for Actual Madrid within the Champions League remaining firstly of this month can also be recent within the thoughts.
Danny Taylor
Did England’s press look any livelier?
With England securing qualification on Monday evening with out kicking a ball because of remaining scores in different matches, the main focus right here was on a powerful efficiency as a lot in consequence — notably out of possession.
Their stodgy efficiency in opposition to Denmark on Thursday resulted in a particular admission from Gareth Southgate.
“We all know with the profile of the gamers we’ve obtained, we don’t really feel the best way to press is absolutely excessive up the pitch,” Southgate stated. “We don’t suppose that’s the bodily stage of the staff in the mean time.”
So, all eyes have been on England’s defensive strategy in opposition to Slovenia. The decision? Higher, however nonetheless not nice. Towards Denmark, England’s 26 passes allowed per defensive motion (PPDA) — a metric the place a decrease quantity denotes a extra energetic urgent strategy — was the joint-lowest urgent depth they’ve recorded throughout their video games at Euro 2020, World Cup 2022 and Euro 2024.
Tuesday’s group finale noticed an enchancment, with 11 passes allowed earlier than making a defensive motion. After all, the caveat being that England dominated possession for lengthy intervals — that means there have been fewer alternatives to win the ball again and show any defensive enchancment.
The intent was clear from the primary minute, when Harry Kane hared in the direction of goalkeeper Jan Oblak, supported by Phil Foden, to pin their opponents in. There have been a couple of extra events within the first half the place England roused their followers within the stands with some much-needed aggression to win the ball excessive up, however the coordination of particular person runs was nonetheless missing at occasions.
You may give some credit score to Southgate’s facet for enhancing on Thursday’s out-of-possession efficiency however, in fact, it may barely have gotten a lot worse.
Mark Carey
The Conor Gallagher experiment falls flat
Southgate dropped Trent Alexander-Arnold in favour of Conor Gallagher, solely to switch the Chelsea midfielder at half-time with Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo.
Gallagher made subsequent to no influence subsequent to Declan Rice, taking part in the ball ahead seven occasions out of 20 passes in his 45 minutes. It was hardly something to shout about, and maybe dispels the notion Alexander-Arnold was holding the staff again in opposition to Serbia and Denmark.
Gallagher’s half ended with out him finishing a dribble, creating an opportunity, successful a deal with or taking a shot. He did, although, lose possession 4 occasions.
Southgate experimented with Alexander-Arnold, and that didn’t work. He then turned to Gallagher, and that didn’t work, both.
Each gamers will little question really feel laborious accomplished by, with there being an argument that Gallager has been frolicked to dry by the England supervisor after solely being given 45 minutes right here, so it will be fascinating to see who Southgate performs alongside Rice within the final 16 tie in opposition to a to-be-determined third-place facet on Sunday.
Dan Sheldon
England’s left-side downside: A overview
A lot was mentioned about England’s left flank inflicting them points out and in of possession in opposition to Denmark, with their proper facet trying comparably extra energetic — and stronger — with Bukayo Saka supported by the overlapping Kyle Walker.
Against this, the left facet was the flank England focused probably the most in opposition to Slovenia, with 42 per cent of their attacking touches coming down that third of the pitch — their highest share throughout the three group video games.
Phil Foden was floating throughout the pitch as soon as extra, however there have been some respectable rotations as he, Kieran Trippier and Declan Rice seemed to create some triangles and mix. When Foden tucked in, Jude Bellingham would pull out to the left facet and attempt to construct some momentum.
Total, there weren’t too many thrilling moments to shout about, nevertheless it was telling that Southgate’s facet made way more of a beeline for that facet of the pitch after such disappointment of their earlier sport.
Mark Carey
England booed off once more
For the second time in three matches at Euro 2024, England have been booed by their supporters on the remaining whistle having produced a really underwhelming efficiency. Gareth Southgate and the gamers tried to applaud the followers however have been greeted with catcalls and jeers.
However this depressing draw in opposition to Slovenia was sufficient to substantiate first place in Group C with one win and two attracts (and simply two objectives scored) in three matches. A gaggle that featured 5 attracts in its six video games equalled the all-time low for objectives scored (seven) within the first section at a European Championship.
England’s reward will likely be to face a third-placed staff in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday (5pm UK time, midday ET). That might properly be the Netherlands, after their 3-2 defeat in opposition to Austria earlier within the day, however the draw won’t be confirmed till the ultimate two teams are accomplished tomorrow (Wednesday). Get by means of that, and they’re going to face the winners of Saturday’s encounter between Switzerland and defending champions Italy.
The checklist of potential semi-final opponents doesn’t look too daunting both. And with Spain, Germany, Portugal and France all within the different half of the draw, there’s a sense that the bracket for the knockout stage appears beneficial for England, simply because it did on the 2018 World Cup, once they reached the semi-finals by beating Colombia (on penalties) and Sweden whereas one heavyweight after one other fell on the opposite facet of the draw.
However let’s be blunt about this: England have been turgid up to now at Euro 2024. Worldwide tournaments are not often gained by groups taking part in free-flowing soccer from begin to end, however Gareth Southgate and his staff have an terrible lot of labor to do if they’re to reap the benefits of the alternatives the draw has thrown up.
Oliver Kay
A phrase, maybe, for Jordan Pickford, who has now stored extra clear sheets in main tournaments than one other England goalkeeper in historical past.
This was his eleventh, taking him one above Peter Shilton, and it’s important to marvel typically whether or not the Everton man deserves a bit extra popularity of his worldwide document.
There are solely 4 goalkeepers — Shilton (125), David Seaman (75), Joe Hart (75) and Gordon Banks (73) — with extra England caps. And, although there are higher methods to evaluate a goalkeeper than merely totting up their clear sheets, it’s nonetheless some feat that Pickford has taken a document off a real nice comparable to Shilton.
Danny Taylor
Group C won’t be remembered fondly
There have been simply seven objectives scored within the six matches in Group C — equalling the document for the lowest-scoring group within the historical past of the European Championship.
The one different time there had been as few objectives as this scored in a bunch got here in 2016 when Germany, Poland, Northern Eire and Ukraine served up a snoozefest in what was additionally Group C. Only one sport in that group completed 0-0 (Germany vs Poland), however there have been two on this yr’s group (tonight’s matches).
Will Jeanes
Advisable studying
(High photograph: Getty Photographs)