England Notebook: How do the Three Lions address their current Euro 2024 problems?
When scribbling together the latest Euros Notebook, one thing became abundantly clear: we needed to talk about England.
And only England. As in it needed its own column. Which I've done.
Gareth Southgate's side have their spot in the quarter-finals but huge questions remain about a performance that left them moments from elimination, and those which came before it.
A world-class attack is yet to flourish, with the disjointed feel of the entire team leaving so many frustrated that they aren't close to realising their potential.
With Switzerland on the horizon, how do England fix it and get back to their best?
Address the balance
Ultimately, a lot of England's problems come from their unbalanced system, caused by inexplicably selecting just one (unfit) left-back in a 26-man squad.
Luke Shaw went to Germany but wasn't ready to play, and now we're faced with the situation where they simply have to involve him despite the fact he's unlikely to achieve 100% match fitness.
Why? Kieran Trippier's unwillingness to use his left foot. One of the most prominent features of the four games played so far has been Trippier turning back to pass the ball with his right.
Southgate is paying the price for not selecting that second natural left-back - a bizarre move when Shaw's injury issues were well known well in advance of the tournament. He last played in February.
Switzerland have been really good at forcing their opponents down one side and their press is likely to target that weak England left. They can get away with taking the risk of a three-man triangle knowing that Trippier is highly unlikely to look down the line.
If Shaw is at the stage where he simply can't start, alongside the questions that should bring afterwards, England should give serious consideration to using Bukayo Saka in that position despite some resistance to the idea from within the camp including from Saka himself.
Far from ideal, yes, but it's unfortunately the situation Southgate and his staff have created for themselves.
One way or another, Trippier cannot play England's next game, at least certainly not on the left. England must face up to this problem and show that they can react to what is happening in front of their eyes and ours.
Saka at left-back, we’ve seen that before 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/DX5QSsWUvi
— Premier League (@premierleague) July 1, 2024
Does a back-three solve it then?
This has been a topic revisited across the past week or so - does moving to a back-three solve some of the problems England are having?
Some may not like the idea of adding another centre-back to a team already struggling to build but it may be a quick fix given personnel issues.
Kyle Walker slots in as the right centre-back with John Stones in the middle. Lewis Dunk then, temporarily, takes the left-sided role until Marc Guehi is available again following his one-game suspension.
At wing-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold is brought in to play in more of his natural position while one of Shaw or Saka operates on the opposite flank.
You're keeping some defensive security while encouraging the attacking drives that have been lacking so far. Jude Bellingham sits behind Harry Kane while Kobbie Mainoo and Declan Rice continue in midfield.
It allows both Bellingham and Phil Foden to operate in more central areas as they desire, with the licence to drift out wide, but overlapping runs by both Alexander-Arnold and Saka create crossing opportunities from the line.
Not only should it help England's fluidity, it'll also match-up with Switzerland's own back-three system.
Reward the impact subs
But we need to be realistic in our expectations. Is Southgate seriously going to adjust the system at this stage or does bravery come in the form of changing personnel?
While Trippier's involvement has been in focus the most, England's overall ineffectiveness down their left side means Foden, the PFA Player of the Year, has found himself under the spotlight.
A world class talent, yes, but an isolated individual on the pitch at times. He played more minutes on the right or through the middle than he did on the left for Manchester City this season. Back on the left with England, he has not been at his most effective.
Anthony Gordon offers something different, and if there's a continuation of the current system then adjustments need to be made - Gordon's direct threat feels the most problematic for opposition full-backs as left wing is his natural position.
A desire to simply ensure the 'best' players are involved regardless of system is what has held England, and indeed other nations, back previously.
Perhaps they need to draw inspiration from the hosts, Germany, in their last outing. A switch at left-back and dropping a star player was required to find the necessary improvements. Might England be so bold themselves?
Make those big calls
Bayer Leverkusen winger Florian Wirtz's incredible campaign saw him named as the Bundesliga Player of the Season.
Eleven goals and a further 12 assists helped Xabi Alonso's side end their long wait for Germany's top-flight title, and it was no surprise to see him straight into the line-up for Germany's opening game of the tournament.
He scored as they hit five past Scotland, yet he found himself among the substitutes for the round of 16 win over Denmark.
Why? Because the team needed something different. Julian Nagelsmann opted to start Leroy Sane in Wirtz's place because he felt they needed more of a natural winger for the match-up.
Another consideration for Julian Nagelsmann and Sandro Wagner is to start Leroy Sané instead of Florian Wirtz tonight. Wirtz didn't do much after his goal in the opening game. And while Sané didn't score or assist so far, his performance off the bench against Switzerland was… pic.twitter.com/Y1tPamRmsr
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) June 29, 2024
Take note, Southgate.
Nagelsmann was brave enough to make the necessary moves, something that the England boss seems frightened to do.
The one change made so far has been the most obvious, Mainoo for Conor Gallagher after he had replaced Alexander-Arnold, but it shouldn't be a case of ending it there - rewarding those who have made an impact off the bench is required.
Would anyone even consider leaving Foden out or Gordon or even Saka for Cole Palmer a big call at this stage?
Pressing matters
And on that topic, England can't continue to operate with this passive approach - something potentially solved by the fresh legs brought by changes.
Following their draw with Denmark, Southgate conceded: "We are not pressing well enough, with enough intensity. We have limitations in how we can do that with the physical condition."
The stats back this up - in a concerning manner too.
Focusing on the PPDA figures - a metric which measures how much a side presses, with the lower number meaning a more 'intense' out of possession pressing style - England and Romania are the only sides in the bottom ten who are still in the tournament.
Passive teams have been eliminated, and while they dominated the ball for large parts, the fact that three of England's four opponents so far sat in the bottom eight of the PPDA figures help underline why the games have been so dull.
We shouldn't forget how close England came to joining them at the airport, too.
Denmark proved to be a tough challenge and Switzerland's without-the-ball approach has the potential to deliver similar results. Despite an average PPDA figure, they've shown how they can catch teams out with turnovers high up the pitch.
Another problem for the unbalanced England defence in its current form.
Take the risks
I am a believer in the fact that defensive football can win you tournaments, but we can't hide from the fact that England's performance against Slovakia put them moments away from going out.
One moment of brilliance, followed by a no-nonsense approach to scoring the goal that took the lead, kept their hopes alive and owing to their draw, England remain favourites despite being 90 seconds from elimination.
They can't afford to operate in a similar manner against those who they will face for the remainder of the competition. There is too much quality for them to get away with it, and not just on the other side of the draw.
Addressing the issue with the left side will be a huge step in the right direction, but the whole ethos needs adjusting. England must be brave now, and if they are, they may well be rewarded for it in ways that didn't seem possible after 94 minutes on Sunday night.
Euro 2024: More from Sporting Life
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