England came very close to securing qualification for the next round of Euro 2024 after their 1-1 draw with Denmark on the morning of June 21st. However, watching England play, fans couldn't help but worry about the team that is a contender for the Euro title.
Coach Southgate is having trouble utilizing England's star players - Photo: Reuters
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Gareth Southgate's players played without spirit, lacked vigor, and were completely disproportionate to the quality of the players they currently have. England is the most expensive team at Euro 2024. Under Southgate's command are the top scorer in the German Bundesliga (Harry Kane), the best player in the Premier League 2023-2024 (Phil Foden), and one of the best midfielders in the Champions League (Jude Bellingham)… But Southgate has turned them into mediocre players in their team's colors at Euro 2024...
Coach Southgate's confusion
What England fans need is for them to play like the number one contender for the championship. With a squad full of quality players, England should have had convincing wins, similar to hosts Germany. However, the "Three Lions" played sluggishly, surprisingly below their usual level. The players were indifferent and lacked fighting spirit in most challenges. Former legend Rio Ferdinand told the BBC: "The current balance of the England team doesn't allow the players to reach the level they used to achieve at their clubs. Phil Foden isn't in the right position and isn't playing his best. Jude Bellingham would probably play better in the number 8 position. That's a big problem for England." Rio Ferdinand is right. Coach Southgate seems confused because he has too many stars and doesn't know how to use them properly. Coach Southgate doesn't have tactical options that suit each player. Instead, he crammed the best players into one squad to avoid wasting them. However, this led to a situation where stars weren't playing in their preferred positions and their talents couldn't be showcased. In this chaotic situation, Southgate even experimented by putting full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield. This experiment quickly failed as Alexander-Arnold was completely stifled by the Serbian and Danish midfielders. The failure of using Alexander-Arnold completely destroyed England's playing style. The Three Lions couldn't retain possession, attack, or contain the explosive performances of other stars. Perhaps things would have been better if Southgate had simply returned the players to their preferred positions.
Phil Foden was the top striker in the Premier League while playing for Manchester City, but he underperformed for the England national team - Photo: REUTERS
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The England team is a collection of outstanding players, and therefore their egos are very large. However, to succeed, the English players must learn to sacrifice for each other. Top stars must accept being benched or playing out of position for teammates who are more capable. For example, if Phil Forden and Bellingham are too similar, one of them must be left out. Or, depending on the match, Coach Southgate will use whichever player is most effective. The players must work together, play more aggressively, and have a high sense of responsibility. In the two matches played so far, the cohesion between the England stars has been almost non-existent. Every player wants to shine and prove themselves. That's not advisable because no team succeeds without working together. Euro 2024 has only gone through two matches for England, and it's not too late. Coach Southgate still has plenty of time to make changes and help England get back on track. In a way, it's a welcome development that England are revealing their weaknesses so early. The key for the "Three Lions," therefore, lies in whether manager Southgate is willing to make changes!
Báo Tuổi Trẻ•22/06/2024
