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Qualifying top of the group, avoiding the more difficult side of the draw and only conceding one goal in three games. You’d be forgiven for thinking that things must be looking good for England and their manager Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024. But you’d be wrong, very wrong.
Having come into the European Championships as one of the favorites to lift the trophy, England have underwhelmed hugely, showing very little signs of improvement across their three group fixtures and even fewer reasons to fancy their chances later in the tournament.
Throughout Each game – a 1-0 victory over Serbia followed by dull draws against Denmark and Slovenia – there has been a worrying lack of progress for a team that contains the wealth of talent that this England side do and clear signs that this is a team – and a manager – without a clear plan for success.
Best players unrecognizable
They have made it through to the last 16 with the fewest shots and lowest expected goals (XG) of any other nation. This is from a team containing the Premier League’s best player, Phil Foden, the Bundesliga’s top scorer, Harry Kane and La Liga’s Player of the Year, Jude Bellingham, who, before the tournament was a favorite to receive the Ballon d’Or.
To not get the best out of these players is an abject failure and one that has ominous echoes of England teams of old, equally unable to see the best of their former greats.
But that isn’t the only issue here. Over the three games, England has been flat, pedestrian in possession, undynamic and wholly unbalanced. Players have been shoehorned into positions they are either unfamiliar with or uncomfortable in. Kieran Trippier is a fine right back. Yet, he has spent months on the sidelines with injury. Additionally, he must play on the left. He repeatedly turns back inside and offers no forward progression on that side of the pitch. Trent Alexander-Arnold is another fine right back but has been used ineffectively as a…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/uefa-euro/southgates-england-failing-wildly-to-live-up-to-hype/
Author : Matthew Walsh
Publish date : 2024-06-27 21:16:00
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