Why England Were SO Bad Against Denmark 

Feels ridiculous that you play trent in midfield when kane kept dropping deep and not making runs in behind then ollie watkins who constantly makes those runs in behind comes on after trent is off

Ivory Coast sacked their manager mid-AFCON, then went on to win it.

Gareth Southgate should get credit for finding new ways to disappoint an entire nation

Gareth Southgate should be proud. He's the first European manager to uncoach a team for an international tournament.

I don't even need to watch this to know why we were so bad, lemme guess: 1) Foden on the left 2) No width on that left side as a result of Foden being on the left 3) Trent has no runners to find, defeating the purpose of playing him in midfield 4) Kane dropping back to scratch Pickford's arse & not playing as a striker How'd I do?

What sums up Southgate’s inability to make the correct substitutes is him taking off our best long-ball passer, and then bringing on three players who like to run in behind

My friend plays walking football. He's 68. He wouldn't have looked out of place in that match.

I've watched every match of the tournament so far and the England games have been the two most boring by several country miles.

First mistake was calling only one natural left back who is injured that position crucial in every team unless you are Pep

As a German I can feel you. Looks like England have the same problem we had with Flick. A mixture of different tactics combined with players not playing on their preferred position. I highly doubt England gets this fixed in this tournament.

Dear Mr Southgate, please find out how much Adam Cleary gets paid, then double it, double it again, put him on a plane to Germany and sack whoever is your tactics coach

This time last summer England under 21s won the euros. They did so playing dynamic, inventive football. England youth teams have in fact been extremely successful over the last 8 years being proactive in press, comfortable in possession, playing through the thirds. England have been putting a system in place with English players that are more than just comfortable at international level: they’ve been beating Germany, Spain, France convincingly at these levels. So then, how the utter f*ck has this team now suddenly regressed back to 2010, after all the foundations were being put into place to NEVER approach a tournament like that again? That is what is so depressing and upsetting as an England fan. It is completely unacceptable to claim “this is tournament football”, “the opposition were so good” or whatever the excuses are for playing brainless, one dimensional, turgid football that we’ve seen in these two games. No other serious nation is playing like this or making excuses for it. The English youth teams are proving it’s not tournament football, at all. Despicable and unacceptable.

3 right backs. 2 number 10s. No left back.

1. One of England's biggest problems over the last 5 years or so is that Kane can't run, so he can't press and he can't stretch defences. But he's undroppable because of his goals, hold up play, and lack of a serious challenger. The likes of Wilson, Calvert-Lewin, Abraham have all had injuries disrupt their progress. Watkins is good at pressing and running but can't hold it up half as good as Kane and despite all his goals this season his finishing isn't elite. Toney looked great in his one match but his form dipped. 2. One of England's strengths was the ability to switch between a back 3 and a back 4, but they haven't played a with a back 3 in so long they've lost that. I (perhaps naively) feel that a back 3 *might* have helped them both beat the opposition press and commit more players higher up the pitch for our press. Could also allow Stones to step into midfield a la Man City, and get the best out of TAA at RWB. 3. Side point. As great as Bellingham is, I really don't like the way he takes ages to get up when he hits the deck for whatever reason, it puts such a burden on his teammates. Pep rightly talks about body language being so important, and he just wouldn't have this. You just hope they're trying to conserve energy because at the moment there is none.

As a Middlesbrough man I've seen all this before. Southgate came into the job with good credit as he was a good well loved player for us. He seemed smart, well spoken and informed. He had this idea for a young, dynamic squad focused on quick attacking play and then done nothing but sit back with players who didn't know how to sit back... That's all he knows, he's a defender and naturally reserved but tries to be something else. He's not evolved as a manager in one aspect and I don't think he can. Ultimately we got relegated and he destroyed us, we went from Premier league regulares, cup finalists including Europe to a bog standard championship team. Him being a yes man, a company man moved onwards and upwards. Notice he always makes sure his starters match the ones who are front and centre in all the posters for sponsorship etc.... He only knows one way of doing things and we've basically lucked our way into the places we got in the last few competitions. We will get to the final 8 no doubt then get knocked out in a limp, tired display with zero effort or heart. His way of playing ensures that at a minimum and offers zero risk of injury and creates media hype which sponsors love. More money in that than winning. The system loves him....

What you say about Rice is very similar to Southgate's comment about missing a replacement for Kalvin Phillips. The answer has to be to play Wharton

Could’ve just put a photo of Southgate for 15 mins and it’s still the same reason .

Glad you highlighted the danish press in contrast with the English one. Kind of shocking how much England struggled to do anything with the ball under pressure. Southgate isn't the sort of manager to throw kids in the deep end but Mainoo and Wharton need to figure in the plans for the rest of the tournament.

Yeah but if we had a direct replacement for Kelvin Phillips, all would be fine 😂😂😂

The main two issues sort themselves out: Wharton for TAA and Gordon for Foden (or Saka - with Foden on the right and the RB playing up the line) so the team is not predictable and lopsided. TAA can sub in RB if attack required, and Tripier can invert as LB in attack, utilizing his right leg rather than hug the line all twisted in knots.

After the fist game, Southgate literally complained about the amount of energy the players expended in the fist half. Southgate's tactics are the deadweight stopping this team.

Adam Wharton unlocks this team by fixing the main problem in the middle of the pitch. He will receive the ball from the defenders on the half turn and look to play forward. It's a lot to put on a young player's shoulders, but he's happily stepped up to meet every challenge so far and his attitude seems unflappable. Play him in the 6 and allow Rice to do what he does further up the pitch. And put Gordon wide left and tell him to hold the width since we don't have a left footed fullback who can overlap. The issue with our press is not so easily solved and requires work on the training pitch, but playing players in their positions will help.

Wharton to save England? He is exactly the player to make incisive passes forward out of the midfield. He’s also young and has no international experience. I doubt Southgate has the balls to start Wharton.

I think the England players have finally seen through Southgate's lack of ability, they look like they have no confidence in the tactics.

Great analysis, as always! Thank you! If I can make a suggestion: when you are showing heat maps and pass maps on the field, it would be helpful to have some indication of the direction the team is playing. I get lost sometimes.

This was the best piece of analysis I have seen since the game. Actually breaking it all down and highlighting the key problems. Not just point the finger and say 'look at him, he's not running enough'.

Either the coaching is criminally poor, or the players don’t care. Either way, it’s unacceptable. And it won’t be solved this tournament, so it’s another write-off.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If we want most of our best players on the pitch in their most effective areas, we should play the set-up Glasner has introduced at Palace: Pickford Walker Stones Guehi Trent Wharton Rice Saka (I know, but he can do it well, at least til Shaw comes back) Foden Bellingham Kane Wharton is the key. He plays one and two-touch better than anyone else except perhaps Foden. He sees and plays an early forward ball and will find Foden and Bellingham in their best positions (Foden right pocket, Bellingham left pocket) early. You have Saka, Eze, Gordon and Palmer who can come into those pockets in this system. You have wing-backs who can overlap or underlap to great effect and even the opportunity for Stones to carry the ball forward. It's the system that makes a team as limited as Palace look like world beaters and it would work wonders with the players we have.

I’m so so grateful i decided to watch this you get it !!! And your analysis is fantastic !!! My biggest thing has been not criticising the team in a harsh way nor the coaching staff , like you said Southgate has done tremendous changes in culture for the English national team, and you nailed that as well as the understanding of attitude in that there’s a balance between finding the right system and choosing the stars that fit a system !!! And I cannot possibly express the genius behind your analyses and how you found your way into displaying the heat-diagrams and passes that worked so well in helping understand where and how they lacked game , particularly enjoyed your takes on Harry Kane not being mostly up top and needing to recover on lacking areas of press, and how Declan wasn’t in his most comfortable game clearly seen by passes, and the amount of missed passes because again left side wasn’t top form and the press was not being made and not concise, the lack of team chemistry showed from a few angles and i think you tackled a really good analysis as to why that might’ve been! To answer your question, and I loved your analysis on each individuals brilliance from individuals like Declan Trent Harry and Foden , Understanding as well that We’re not sure if any manager could match the brilliance of Pep’s tactical strategic mind, I’m a fan and have been so wonderous as to his 3-2-4-1 formation tactics and IF ENGLAND COULD INTEGRATE THAT I KNOW THEY WOULD WIN THIS TOURNAMENT! So with that , again to answer your question, i think if the right players and or general team/staff figures could find leadership !!! I also came to the realisation that Prem influences are always part of what make these players, and ofc when they mingle into the national team from that raised talent, they’re not quite as confident as their confidence is removed from them into a national performance structure, and so logically they might lose a lot of that but again im hoping that their individuals characters step up and lead their brilliance by helping this team gather confidence in a system and a game they can all rely on and build team chemistry around ! I believe in this team !

I find it crazy that years later, in a different era of football, the problem is still that we have loads of Gerrard/Lampard/Scholes type players, and really the answer is Michael Carrick, but now we don’t have one of those. Like genuinely, tell me who you play in our midfield that’s actually best as a 6? Because Foden, Bellingham, Maddison are all obviously 10s. Rice, Gallagher, Mainoo, Loftus Cheek, Curtis Jones, Henderson, Ward Prowse, they’re all “combative 8s” at best, they’ll try but they’re more about energy and box to box than actual defending. Trent is obviously not a midfielder. Like I know people laughed, but when Southgate says “there’s no natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips”, he’s kinda got a point. Unless you’re going to give a chance to Wharton, or a Yates, or a Sheaf, England really don’t have a natural 6. This is why I could always understand him playing 3 at the back, because in lieu of a natural 6, it just makes an already below par defence even more exposed. They either have to go all in on pressing, with Gallagher and Rice, Foden and Palmer. Be really aggressive with players who suit that style and “attack is the best form of defence”. Or go all in on defence, play 3 at the back (Walker, Stones, Guehi), Trent and Saka on the wings, put Watkins on with Kane, play 3 aggressive bastards in midfield (Rice, Gallagher, Bellingham). Be rock solid defensively and hard to break down, with a wicked counter, set piece play and physicality.

Denmark just straight up played better. England was so lucky to crawl away with a point this game.

This squad needed a proper true left back as backup to an unfit Shaw... someone like a Tyrick Mitchell

This is so Villa under Gerrard, Emery comes in and changes it instantly. It’s the coach that’s the problem.

Shaw hasn’t even had 10 minutes wtf, not picking Chilwell or Doughty is perhaps his biggest mistake.

Even the cameraman knew that palmer should be playing.

Play Trent but have Kane walk around and Foden going narrow. Just brilliant, Southgate. It's none of those players' faults, they aren't being used correctly. Bring TAA off the bench with Watkins and other runners if that's what you want to do.

You want a midfielder to make great forward passes? Wharton. A forward that can always find space? Palmer.

Watching this game I couldn't work out what the hell we were doing but I could see how easily Denmark were exploiting our stand off nature of closing down, the room that their players had was absolutely incredible.

Love this analysis. It makes such a difference when you actually see, with 'in game' examples, the impact of what everyone is talking about (not pressing, backing off, players out of position etc.) . . let's hope Southgate and his coaching staff are coming to the same conclusions and we get big changes in game 3.

Sadly spot on Adam, can’t believe history is repeating itself like this, and after playing favourites and teams that play like teams for so long Southgate suddenly try’s to the fit everyone in without a system. Gomez, Guehi, Stones, Walker….Bellingham, Rice, Wharton, Mainoo…. Saka, Foden

Adam, once again you prove to me why you are the best analyst for games. Declan Rice is a huge point of contention so good job getting that across without upsetting the status quo. When I saw your Arsenal breakdown video I was vindicated, and on the note of playing the best balance of system and talent you are 100 percent right. There is a lack of fundamental understanding in English football of what makes teams work and give your talented players opportunity to shine. Unfortunately, people genuinely believe they just make it happen by themselves. Outside of some astounding players (i.e. Messi, Ronaldo, Hazard), virtually no-one strives in a team set up wrong, doesn't matter how good Foden is, he isn't THAT good to play beyond the players around him. Create an environment for him to thrive and he'll do the business, but this England team isn't it, and I'd rather build my team around Bellingham. We have so much potential and always will have, but hopefully the next England manager (I'm hoping Dychey) will understand this and create a way to score goals rather than just aimlessly trying to walk through defences with "talent".

Great dissection and comprehensive explanation. The talent within the team is almost an embarrassment of riches, it's the deployment that clearly needs a re-work.

This shows you how bad Southgate is and I can remember he was linked to Manchester united

Cracking video Adam. Lots of people just criticise but you criticise and explain how to resolve it and have a balanced spin on it.

As a german i like southgate because with him england isnt as great as possible Stop talking about wars in a football analysis

Snoozegate the kind of guy to drive a Ferrari at 15mph

Can't help but feel like were missing someone like Hendo sitting in front of the defence. Rice seems to be uncomfortable having that much defensive work to do.

That was excellent. You're actually very good at this.

This guy is a legend, keep up the vids!

Also, with regarding that England squad with Rooney, Beckham, Gerrard etc. is, it was a very golden generation, but if you look at other international lineups, they were absolutely insane as well. Football had many iconic stars back then. Right now, there’s a generational shift, and the general average level of football players are better than back then, but back then there were more superstars. It’s like the upper class got cut, so there’s more quality in the middle class on a broader scale.

There is more wrong than right with England at the moment. Short of several miracles, this will be a disaster. Expectations have been too high, putting too much pressure on the players. This video summed up exactly how I feel also being old enough to remember the golden generation. Southgate took credit for being bold in his selection based on form, but also was limited by fitness issues and bad form of stalwarts like Maguire, Henderson, Philips- who do a lot of heavy lifting and fit his system. He now has to throw it all at the wall and see what sticks, in one final group game, when he can't risk our place in the group. Unless Adam Wharton starts and somehow becomes Andrea Pirlo for the rest of the tournament, we are going out and it's not coming home. Maybe a new manager and 60 years of hurt will help next WC.

just watched world cup 86 highlights and a memory and look at the intensity and pace enlgand were playing at in the heat! so slow nowadays!

Excellent analysis. For me, you have to get Wharton in midfield if he wants to insist with this double pivot, but really Wharton should be sitting in the middle alongside Rice and Bellingham I reckon. I’d like to see Trent play at RB over Walker. Haven’t been impressed by Walker in recent games and think Trent’s “defensive liability” is a lazy clutch that belies reality. He’s a decent defender AND has the ability to produce world class quarter back passes. Meanwhile Walker is just a decent defender who used to be insanely fast but is now just kind of fast. Also; Foden is a good player alongside Rodri and all the rest. I have never seen him play well for England. He’s a good squad player but I would much prefer to see Antony Gordon on the left. Can’t see anyone other than Kane playing as our number 9 though.

There’s two glaring issues in the team structure. It sucks, but there are solutions that are right there for Southgate to use. Even multiple solutions. 1. Drop Trippier. Play a back 3. Guehi-Stones-Walker Then you can push Trent into that wide position he thrives in further forward. Gordon-Jude-Rice-Trent Then you can have Gordon providing width on the other side. Jude as a box-to-box taking pressure off Rice to progress and break lines and still Trent’s influence of passing across lines. Foden-Kane-Saka It could work if there’s someone overlapping and genuinely providing a threat on the left. More aggressive shape and keeps numbers high to press defences. 2. Alternative option you could drop Walker, move Trent to RB. So you still have a deep lying passing threat and someone who know how to also overlap and invert when needed. Double pivot of Jude and Rice. Foden as CAM and Eze/Gordon LW. More like for like change. But I think a back 3 would make passing out from the back a lot easier. I’m not a fan of 2 CBs and 2 DMs sitting right in front, it doesn’t create any advantage in possession or passing from the back.

Hit the nail on the head at the end when you said it’s not the best position to suit Rice. Story of this whole team. Trent sitting back as a DM when they have been doing all their warm up matches with him as an 8 - why? Not every midfielder can play in a double pivot so why put a player who is learning in a double pivot? Stifling everything he’s good at and magnifying the things he isn’t. The brief moments he was able to go forward, he was able to create. Pure player mismanagement from Southgate as usual. And also just poor planning. Why even bother doing warm up games when you aren’t going to bother even trying to play that same way at the tournament? Might as well have given them an extra couple weeks off in that case.

No mention of the total inability of the WBs to attack + offer width. Denmark were playing so narrow, had to attack the wings.

Crying out for game changer Grealish on the left. Bosnia perfect example. Changed the game, then told to go home. Madness.

For me out go TAA and Bellingham (who was completely Hollywood against Denmark) and looks knackered. Gordon on left to hold the width and Wharton comes into midfield to free up Rice a bit and hopefully is good enough with and without the ball. Then use your subs. Bellingham, Watkins and Trent use them early

Watching England feels like watching the worse version of United under Ten Hag (i.e. not the FA cup winning version)

Gallagher needs to be starting ahead of Alexander Arnold. He gives that pressing work rate and can actually hold possession when pressed

Well Southgate did make a point after the Serbia game saying he wanted them to conserve energy and that is what they did, in spades. So for next games they have energy, but 0 confidence

Great analysis. Another issue is that we have no leadership on the pitch. Kane is mute on the pitch and not a leader. I want to be positive too but I am reminded of our performances in 2010, which had the same talk about it’s just the group stage, just to get hammered by Germany in the first knockout game.

Southgate

Gareth Southgate has the rarest talent of producing the worst possible football with the best possible bunch of players. I have been watching his teams ever since he took over. Here is a summery how his teams play - from a football non-pundit. 1. None of his players run, change position continuously, or create space while passing. They all stand still, except (sometimes) the one with the ball. 2. Four or five defenders aimlessly pass between each other, thereby driving up possession stats. 3. When eventually they pass the ball to a midfielder, nothing changes . As soon the midfielders see an oncoming opposition player, they pass back to defenders or better still - the goalkeeper. Now Go back to no 2. 4. In case of the other teams - you’ll see one or two back passes and the third player moves the ball forward, and the whole team runs forward. In the England team - it is banned. 5. The England players almost never win one-to-one battles for the ball, or regain possession- which they (are forced to) do for their clubs. 6. Southgate is always green with envy for other managers. So he wants to show off his ‘originality’ by playing players out of their positions and just hopes for something to happen. When it doesn’t work, he has pre - rehearsed answers ready for the Press . I am waiting for the day the England team wins freedom from this man.

That analysis was amazing. Ive never seen this guy before. I feel very educated as to what is going wrong with england but it also feels like I might be better off not knowing there is actually a logical fix to the rubbish we saw again Denmark. Why isn't this guy running England. Awesome show. Thanks.

Nobody has said a word about Bellingham's performance in the Denmark game. He was invisible. What happened to him? Was it the pitch? Was he out of position? Was he not interested?

it doesn't matter who plays, Southgate has to go asap, he's too inept.

That space outside the box is the reason why you see so many exquisite long range goals in the premier league. PL defenders don't close the attacker down early enough, allowing too much space ...

You can't play Kane alone up front - he needs runners round him That's why it looks so slow

Totally agree with your analysis..I can remember watching my sons play in under 14s etc.. And pub teams.. Playing well.. Just because they were organised.. And closing down the opposition. Screaming at various players.."close him down!!!"

A) Thoughts on the game: worst England performance since Algeria in 2010. It was that bad. B) Thoughts on chances for the rest of the tournament: Is it possible to be that bad and recover to go on and do well? I don’t know. Not convinced. Any confidence got extinguished by that…whatever it was supposed to be. C) Structurally, Southgate either goes back to the previous Euros and abandons the press, and centres the game around fast vertical direct players running behind Kane on the counter l, while playing two deep holding midfielders. Or he goes full in and picks players who are going to be proactive and front foot press (so no Kane, no Foden) and counter press, and uses that as the new blueprint. Right now the players look utterly confused as to what type of team they’re supposed to be

Declan Rice’s two best seasons for West Ham were 20/21 and 21/22, when we finished 6th and 7th respectively and reached the Europa League semis. In both seasons, he played the 6, Soucek was the CM partner getting forward, and we played low possession counter-attacking Moyesball. Rice CAN play the 6. The difference now is that he spent 22/23 trying to get forward more to prove that he could do it, leaving Soucek sitting deep and struggling. He then moved to Arsenal whose 6 operates differently because they play a different system - they don’t play counter attack. Thus far, this England team don’t appear to have a coherent system, they are playing a bit like 22/23 West Ham when we spent most of the season battling relegation. Moyes had us still defending deep and sitting off, but tried slow possession based progression up the field instead of more rapid counter attack, which is a horrible combination - you get pressed into oblivion, rely on individual brilliance to score, and have to slowly move the length of the field to get any opportunities because possession is regained so deep and you’re not trying rapid breaks when the opposition have pushed forward to press you high. Lots of passes back around the defensive line, players ambling around on the ball looking for options, and an opposition defence that has completely reset by the time you’ve got anywhere near their goal. Horrible horrible horrible football.

There are two options for better line up the first is to put Bellingham in the 2 pivots instead of Arnold and foden in cam and eze or Gordon in left wing. The 2 option is to change the role of the players. Kane playing as deep lying forward and Bellingham makes runs in behind. walker join the 2 CBs and create back 3. Foden invert to the middle. Saka and trippier provide the width. Rice Play as box to box alongside Arnold who's playing as deep lying playmaker

Anyone who watches the clips should have a really hard time blaming anything on Foden, he's clearly a workhorse in all of these. He's basically the only one pressing consistently and covering a tremendous amount of ground. I enjoyed you giving disclaimers about your criticism of any players individual performance because that's the correct way to do it, some of these guys are executing the game plan thats been given to them perfectly others are being put into positions to struggle. The real question is why does England run a 4-2-3-1? Even keeping the exact same lineup it really looked from their positioning on the field they wanted to run a 4-3-2-1 and honestly should probably just run a 4-4-2/ 4-4-1-1. 4-2-3-1 is a pressing heavy setup and they didnt really press at all. If they all want to make runs from the back then you need to have more guys starting in the back to rotate in the defensive positions to make up for the missing man. The game plan not matching the execution was one big issue of course but at least set them up to take advantage of their strengths, you have an amazing group of players. But i'm an American so who cares what I think. Also Rice and Alexander-Arnold should platoon with a better classic 6. Put them in tell them to run like hell for one half because that's all they're gonna get and let them run wild up high while a better distributor takes the low role.

I played subuteo in the sixties there were 6 of us in a league.

The only channel I actually look for / wait for their analysis. If a channel from a magazine can get this insightful and technical, what are the coaching staff doing? And what are the TV channels doing with former strikers desperately trying to form a thought about 'dropping short, then going long"...

Hi from Canada. I just subscribed. Huge England fan. I’ve been watching England since 1982. I feel they’ve got a fantastic squad. Are they going to piss it away?! They look lost.

Trent out, Mainoo in. Withdraw Bellingham, reign him in a little bit, give him a left-sided 8 role, move Foden into right-sided(ish) 10 role. Play Gordon on left wing to hold width. Left channel opens up for Bellingham to get forward on occasion, Gordon works like mad to attack and support Trippier, Foden plays in his most recent, most effective roll, and Mainoo helps Rice and can receive ball from defence and move it forward effectively via pass/dribble. Or swap Mainoo to 6 and play Rice at right-sided 8. Feels like it solves some issues, provides balance.

When I watched that game, I couldn't wait for this video from you. Honestly, baffled by how bad we are, even at the world cup when we got pressed by USA we didn't have an answer.

I’m not sure why we haven’t discussed Bukayo Saka being swapped to the left, whether it be via LW or LWB. It’s hard to score goals when the threat of your LB whipping a ball in is non-existent. Trippier is a good man but he’s out of position & it’s hurting the team.

Brilliant analysis. But an equally large problem is when Southgate makes substitutions. How does anyone is their right mind overlook Palmer and Gordon? Two of the most dangerous players in the PL, both with REAL intensity.

Explains why Moises Caicedo is a gem of a player and so multi-faceted, Kante-esque if you will. Arsenal actually wanted him a year prior. We now see where Rice is lacking in his game; whereas Caicedo bases his game off receiving the ball from the defence, back-turned, beating the press and playing line breaking passes. Has agility, pace and touch over Rice. His games for Ecuador also highlight his playmaking ability and runs from deep. Sure Rice has his swashbuckling forays which gets the crowd hyped but in the long run Caicedo will turn out to be the better signing as he's able to play in a variety of systems...tiki-taka, low block, gegenpressing.

Finally some good analysis! Imo you're spot on, and I'm so bored of pundits pretending there's easy solutions to have all the best players in a functioning system

The quality of the punditry on this channel is next level. It puts the TV channels to shame.

My setup would be: Pickford Walker Stones Guehi Trippier rice. Wharton Saka Bellingham Foden Kane Ive watched a lot of arsenal and rice struggles in possession as a no.6 (hence zinchenko as inverted fb/jorghino/partey) but is superb defensively/turnovers. I'm not sure how the front four work tbh. But at this level you want match winners playing. Mainly Id want a bit more positional discipline from Foden on the left, Bellingham in more of an odegaard position on the right mid (or swap them round even?!) and Kane staying high. Then rice is up higher and helping with the press/interceptions and Wharton as tempo setter/moving the ball forward. You can have a RB as LB - Tomayasu does it at arsenal. And four at back is solid.

Yeah, that was bad. I also have been a staunch Southgate defender, because I remember the McClaren/Capello/Hodgson years and I think anyone suggesting Southgate is a fool or doesn’t know what he’s doing needs to reckon with how bad England were before. But this was the worst performance I’ve seen under Southgate at a tournament, we were lucky to come out with a draw. We’ll get out of the group now, but unless there’s radical improvement we’re going home in the last 16, whoever the opponents are. My suggestions would be: 1. Take out Alexander-Arnold and bring in Wharton, which might help us keep the ball, and pass through the press 2. With regret, drop Foden for Gordon, who can stretch the play on left and give opposition defences something different to think about

Really appreicated, thanks!

Palmer needs minutes

Here’s my XI (very open to changing this): GK: Pickford RB: Alexander-Arnold CB: Stones CB: Guéhi LB: Trippier, I guess DM: Wharton/Mainoo CM: Gallagher CM/AM: Foden LW: Gordon ST: Bellinghan RW: Saka Reasons: - Get people who can press well (Gallagher is key to this). - Get Alexander-Arnold the things he needs to succeed if you play him from deep: space, which is generated by a deeper starting point as a right back, the ability to play in the half-space between the center and the wing, and runners. - As such, that fills the hole by Saka. - Put in a 6 who is actually able to pivot. - Capitalize on the fact that Bellingham is world class in these striker-ish areas - this also replaces Kane with someone who can press. - Bellingham wants to drop in sometimes? No problem! Play someone like Foden or Palmer who, yes, can create from midfield when Bellingham is up, but who also likes making runs in behind centrally for when he’s vacated those spots. - Provide width on the left, both in possession and in the press.

You should give more credit to the danes. - They had great pressure and re-pressure. They also had better energy.

Southgate has turned into David Moyes with all of these players being played out of position whilst also getting them to play this negative style of football ... prehistoric football ... come back Graham Taylor as all is forgiven 🤣🤣🤣

This might be mad, but what about going to a hybrid 4-3-3/W-M formation as Manchester City have sometimes done over the last 2 years? Walker and Shaw could play on the outside of the back 3/4, with Trippier dropping out. Stones could play right-half, joining Rice in midfield to help beat the press; and if Bellingham moves to inside-right, this will enable Foden to play the inside-left position which is probably his best. Gordon or Watkins could play as a proper left-winger, with Alexander-Arnold going to the bench. This would give Kane two speedy raiders to pass to instead of one, meaning that his tendency to drop into midfield could be better accomodated. Oh, and if you're not fit enough to play a full-court press, or not sufficiently trained in the system to do it right, don't bother trying.

Credits to Andreas Christensen taking Bellingham out of this game. Leaving the backline pushing up on him every time he's about to get the ball not letting him turn. At the same time leaving Kane alone against two defenders. This breaking momentum and not letting the playmaker play freely

Adam absolutely love the channel and by far the best football channel on RU-vid and a great video. But this is a great England team that has arrived at a tournament without any preparation or tactics. You cannot pick 11 players and send them out to play without instruction. We have 3 glaring problems, playing out from the back, our pressing (defensive shape) and attacking shape. Stones like Saliba can bring the ball out of defensive not Rice, Walker and Saka need to work better like Ben White and Saka, Foden and Rodri took teams apart in the middle when KDB was injured. Foden is our KBD. And Bellingham needs to play as an 8 on the left hand side like he has done at RM. Trent inverted for Liverpool and can play that Pirlo role if every player has clear responsibility he can be brilliant in that position. We have the players but no organisation or tactical instruction on or of the ball and that my friend is the problem. Southgate is sending these boys out to fail, he will not out think Deshamps or Nagelsmann and that my friend is where we will fail.

It’s a classic problem england have, we have players with great attributes and niches (Kane dropping in deep, Trent pinging balls about etc) but all their styles kind of nullify each other. When Kane drops deep like he did for spurs we relied on width and runners like Son, which he didn’t have, not even sure what happened as expected Eze to stretch the play but some reason was told to play in the centre - very odd.

Cracking. How about 3-5-2 formation for the last group game? A back three of Walker, Stones and Guehi; Gordon and Saka as wingbacks, Wharton sat in behind Rice and Bellingham, leaving Foden tucked in behind Harry Kane, or my preferred choice Olly Watkins to run the channels all day long.

Excellent review. I was there and couldn‘t understand why England were so bad. The players looked like they had no idea what to do. Are the players also too tired?

Good explanation as to why Southgate said "We don't have a natural replacement for a Kalvin Phillips"

Mrs. R says: - Foden off, Gordon on left wing - Trent not in defence but in midfield pumping killer balls forward - Gomez, solid brick 💩-house in defence She says that would be a start. 😊

Putting TAA in midfield reminds of when they used to play Gerrard at LM. Just trying to squeeze in as many big names as possible. Southgate seems to have created a good team atmosphere but he remains tactically inept.