Disaster! Having performed two video games, England are prime of their group, are virtually assured of qualification for the knockout stage, and are nonetheless to play maybe the weakest facet in Group C, Slovenia.
Half the edges within the competitors have performed twice — and, of these 12 groups, England have the bottom anticipated targets in opposition to determine (suggesting they don’t seem to be conceding many high-quality probabilities) and have solely been crushed by a wonderful Morten Hjulmand strike from 25 yards. It’s, all issues thought-about, not a foul state of affairs to be in.
GO DEEPER
The pattern of long-range Euro 2024 targets owes to good method – and a very good ball
And but the character of yesterday’s efficiency has despatched alarm bells ringing. England did their traditional factor of scoring comparatively early, then seemingly giving up on attacking any additional. They had been poor in each urgent and possession play, and the 2 clear downside areas of the facet — the second central midfield slot and the left flank — had been much more troubling than within the first sport.
Listed here are a few examples that present these two issues neatly. First, makeshift midfielder Trent Alexander-Arnold has the ball within the centre circle. His specialism is enjoying lengthy diagonal balls, and he sees makeshift left-winger Phil Foden making a run on the surface. However there’s no understanding right here — first, Alexander-Arnold delays the cross…
… then Foden has to examine his run to remain onside, at which level Alexander-Arnold does play the cross…
… after which it’s badly underhit anyway.
Right here’s an incident within the second half, with Alexander-Arnold amassing the ball with area to drive into. He does that half excellently…
… however then, relating to releasing Foden, performs the ball behind him. Was the cross poor, or was Foden angling his run inside too early reasonably than holding width?
That’s up for debate — however they’re the 2 quick points for Gareth Southgate. Alexander-Arnold was hooked shortly after half-time and appears unlikely to start out in opposition to Slovenia in midfield. Foden lasted slightly longer, however Southgate have to be contemplating whether or not he can proceed on the left.
The stunning factor about England’s left-sided downside final night time was that it brought on so many points out of possession, too. It’s clear England don’t have many gamers snug receiving possession out broad on that flank, however there’s no excuse for continually dropping form. Right here’s an instance of Foden and Jude Bellingham virtually on prime of one another, with Foden frantically attempting to dash again into place earlier than Denmark can play down ‘his’ facet…
… however he can’t get again in time, Declan Rice has to maneuver out to shut down, and Denmark can work the ball previous him.
Right here’s one other instance of the identical factor — Foden and Bellingham are each within the No 10 place, and Denmark have a easy job of working the ball out to Joakim Maehle…
… who had the liberty to push into the ultimate third, however obtained his cross incorrect.
Foden has the licence to float inside and interchange with Bellingham. We noticed that within the 1-0 win over Serbia and on this state of affairs early on in opposition to Denmark, he’s clearly telling Bellingham to carry his place out on the left whereas he wanders infield.
At occasions, although, that is taken to extremes. This motion inside from the flank is completely cheap, opening up area for Kieran Trippier to maneuver into…
… however that is most likely an excessive amount of. Right here now we have England’s nominal left-winger in a right-centre midfield place — the precise zone that Alexander-Arnold is maybe the perfect participant on this planet in.
Trippier, after all, shouldn’t be a pure overlapping left-back. However once more, whereas that may be tolerated, it’s obscure why England had such little sport plan by way of urgent Denmark. Right here, Trippier feels it’s his job to push as much as Maehle on the midway line, however he’s too late to close down and will get bypassed simply…
… once more, Denmark work the ball down that flank, with centre-back Marc Guehi and central midfielder Declan Rice shifting throughout to shut down.
In possession, England merely don’t need to use Trippier, who spent lengthy intervals fruitlessly calling for the ball. Right here, within the second half, he’s England’s freest participant, however Rice prefers to go ahead into Bellingham, who’s being marked…
… after which Guehi goes again to Jordan Pickford, with Trippier nonetheless asking for the ball.
Substitute Eberechi Eze didn’t enhance issues down that flank. When Rice performed him this ball, it appeared a possibility to dribble ahead to overload wing-back Maehle…
… however as a substitute, Eze turned again inside…
… performed a sideways cross and drifted into the center, identical to Foden had been doing.
And now, regardless of a good 4 factors from two matches, Southgate appears more likely to change his method considerably.
That may absolutely contain Conor Gallagher beginning in midfield as a substitute of Alexander-Arnold, though Kobbie Mainoo or Adam Wharton, each extra snug on the ball than Gallagher, are maybe what this facet wants. An alternative choice is shifting Bellingham deeper, enjoying Foden because the No 10 and introducing Anthony Gordon for some correct left-sided width. And when will Luke Shaw be match?
Primarily, these are the identical questions everybody was asking per week in the past, earlier than the match began. England stay on observe to achieve the knockout stage, however they’re no nearer to discovering the precise steadiness of their workforce.