England at Euro 2024: Harry Kane and Phil Foden amongst considerations for Gareth Southgate forward of Denmark take a look at | Soccer Information

Declan Rice advised me he felt England’s opening win over Serbia was the archetypal “game of two halves”. He was proper.

England’s complete dominance within the first half contrasted with their disjointed and lacklustre second half. And so, understandably, there are a bunch of positives and negatives that Gareth Southgate will probably be reflecting on within the coming days.

The important thing situation now for the England supervisor is addressing the negatives in time for the second Group C sport towards Denmark on Thursday.

The positives: Sensible Bellingham and a clear sheet

Firstly, England received their opening sport of the Euros, as they’ve performed in every of the three different main tournaments during which Southgate has been in cost.

That shouldn’t be missed, or taken with no consideration. Actually, Southgate’s file bucks the development of historical past: the win in Gelsenkirchen was solely the second time in 9 makes an attempt England have received their first match at a Euros.

That offers the workforce a large increase, it provides momentum and now – with the expanded event – it makes it nearly not possible for England to fail to qualify for the knockout levels. Another level from two extra video games would nearly actually do it.

Secondly, Jude Bellingham. Jude Bellingham did what Jude Bellingham does – grabbed the sport by the scruff of the neck and demanded he be the lead actor within the spectacle.

A lot has been stated of his affect, and his significance, already. We will commit no extra column inches right here to England’s greatest and most necessary participant – besides to say that Southgate will hope he continues within the vein during which he began.

Thirdly, England saved a clear sheet. One thing they’d solely performed twice of their earlier seven internationals. And within the absence of Harry Maguire, and with Luke Shaw nonetheless injured, there have been actual considerations in regards to the defence.

There nonetheless are, for me, however England’s back-line did handle to finally repel the formidable entrance two of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic. Albeit with some luck at instances, and with because of a few glorious saves from Jordan Pickford.

The best way that Serbia’s entrance pairing was marshalled by Marc Guehi – taking part in his first sport at a significant event – was the fourth large plus.

The Crystal Palace man began the sport with 41 straight passes accomplished, and ended the sport with a 96 per cent completion charge. Wow. Euros debuts do not get a lot better than that. He regarded composed and assured. Precisely what Southgate ordered.

Fifthly, there have been no new damage considerations. Kieran Trippier advised me after the sport that his drawback within the sport was cramp-related, however he stated he was happy to really feel it as a result of he wanted the sport time.

That leads me to my sixth constructive – there have been important minutes for a lot of England gamers who’ve come into this event desperately undercooked.

Trippier, Harry Kane, John Stones – all obtained the complete 90 minutes. Bukayo Saka obtained 75. That may solely assist their sharpness for the matches to return.

However that’s the place the positives finish, and that is the place the negatives begin kicking in…

The negatives: Struggling Kane and Foden thriller

Firstly, captain Kane seems miles away from full health, exhausting as he may be making an attempt in video games, and on the coaching pitch. In the meanwhile, it seems like extra aggressive minutes may not be sufficient to get England’s talisman totally firing.

Forty-nine targets in 52 video games this season is a unprecedented file. However the closing three matches of the home season – which he missed due to a again damage – appear simply as vital because the earlier 52.

On the Area AufSchalke, Kane touched the ball simply as soon as, earlier than we obtained into damage time on the finish of the primary half. It’s true that, however for a superb save by Predrag Rajkovic within the second half, he would have opened his Euro account with a towering header. However that effort apart, he has not often – if ever – been so nameless.

Likewise Phil Foden – damaging quantity two. The Premier League participant of the season, who acts as a conductor to the orchestra of soccer that’s Manchester Metropolis, can not seem to get a tune out of his England team-mates.

Positive, he is not taking part in in his favorite place of quantity 10. He will not, as long as Bellingham stays on this type. However even when he has performed there for England just lately, as he did within the warm-up video games, he has struggled.

Extra typically, he’s caught out on the left wing, with Southgate encouraging him to float in, discover area, and affect the sport. He wasn’t in a position to try this in any respect towards Serbia. And the way you remedy an issue like Phil Foden is changing into an actual ache within the England supervisor’s neck.

Thirdly, for a squad that I really feel is the envy of each different nation at this event for attacking expertise, there was a worrying lack of creativity towards Serbia. England had solely 5 photographs on purpose in the entire 90 minutes. Serbia managed six.

Collectively, their 11 efforts had been the bottom on file in a Euros match because the format started in 1980; the worst of 322 different matches.

However I might argue that drawback was attributable to England’s fourth damaging. England could not permit their artistic gamers to thrive, as a result of they did not have management of midfield, within the second half.

How Trent Alexander-Arnold is used within the workforce is vital. Southgate says he has spent the final 12 months educating him the artwork of the central defensive midfielder – a place unnatural to him when he performs for Liverpool.

His array of passing was there for all to see early within the sport, however as England light, Alexander-Arnold was extra uncovered.

He doesn’t innately perceive positionally the place he must be when England are out of possession. Ought to he actually be studying his commerce in a European Championship?

Solely when Conor Gallagher got here on did England’s midfield look safer, and their urgent sport started to bear fruit. Earlier than then, it was all too widespread to see Bellingham’s arms raised in frustration, as he pressed the ball, solely to search out none of his team-mates doing the identical.

Gallagher to begin? The adjustments Southgate would possibly take into account

Southgate would not have a lot time to handle these points earlier than Thursday’s assembly with Denmark in Frankfurt. Actually, simply two full coaching periods – that’s how shortly these Euros video games come alongside.

I’ve hinted at a few of the adjustments he may be desirous about already: Gallagher into the center of midfield rather than Alexander-Arnold. Kane to get replaced earlier within the second half, to present Ollie Watkins or Ivan Toney a primary run at a significant event.

In reality, whereas Kane will nearly actually begin the match, I doubt on present health he can full two a number of 90 minutes within the area of 4 days.

The opposite attention-grabbing conundrum for Southgate is his broad attacking choices, and whether or not he would possibly dare to drop Foden. It might be a courageous and controversial name. However with the goal-scoring prowess, and goal-creating inventiveness of each Cole Palmer and Ebere Eze chomping on the bit, it could be essentially the most pragmatic resolution proper now.

The excellent news about Luke Shaw’s progress on the coaching pitch and within the therapy room may also pressure Southgate’s hand in making one other tweak.

There may be completely no criticism of Kieran Trippier if we advise that the England boss would favor to see Shaw line up at left-back.

Trippier has been excellent for his nation for thus lengthy, his versatility admirable. However England are too typically, too slim. That’s the reason Southgate has tended to play the left-footed Foden on the left wing moderately than on the appropriate wing, the place he has persistently performed for Metropolis this season.

England lack pure width – with every of Foden, Saka, Palmer and Eze preferring to chop inside, off the flank. Shaw is a left-footed left-back, which not solely helps when he’s attacked on the skin by an opposing winger, however it additionally helps England progress the ball up the left flank.

He might effectively, partially, be an answer to Foden’s issues too, if he can provide extra pure assist whereas taking part in increased up the pitch.

There isn’t a panic for Southgate or England. They – like the entire different large weapons on this event – have made a profitable begin. However the Three Lions are removed from their roaring greatest proper now.

In reality, the present they’re placing on is a bit flat. It has been panned by most of the critics. They want some intelligent steering from their circus grasp if they’re to be thought of sensible trophy contenders.