England arrived into Euro 2024 as one of the favourites, however, that hasn’t translated on the field and Jamie Carragher reveals what must be done.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Gareth Southgate’s men came into the tournament with a lot of hope from fans and pundits alike, however, the performances have not been convincing as the Three Lions struggled to a 1-0 win over Serbia in their opener and drew their second match against Denmark. Carragher, a Liverpool legend, has now suggested what changes the national team’s starting line-up needs if they want to win the Euros this summer.
WHAT CARRAGHER SAID
In his editorial piece with The Telegraph, Carragher said: “The side selected for the Serbia and Denmark games looked good on paper. It is understandable that Southgate did what he did. I will not rewrite history and criticise it retrospectively. It was worth a try and he was justified in sticking with it for one more fixture. It was a new line-up and the players needed a second chance. The manager wanted to get as much class on the pitch as possible at the same time, and like many of us was drawn to the positives in the opening win in the hope the flaws would be ironed out.
“Unfortunately, two of the best Premier League footballers – Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden – will have to be sacrificed now. The team’s set-up is not getting the best from them, or their team-mates.
“Introducing Alexander-Arnold into midfield in a major tournament was always a risk. It has not worked. The experiment ended with his early substitution against Denmark. It is a more physically demanding position than full-back, and, on the evidence so far, Alexander-Arnold has more time and space to utilise his passing range when he is in the hybrid role.
“He delivered the best pass of the game to Bukayo Saka just before he was subbed, but there is an irony that when he plays in his natural position, we see four or five of those in a game.
“Elsewhere in the side, nobody loves watching Foden more than me. But for England to come up with a system that works and complements everyone, he cannot operate in the starting XI with Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane if they are all trying to occupy the same space and positions.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold Phil FodenGetty Images/Goal
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Carragher has suggested that Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Manchester City’s Phil Foden need to sit on the bench due to their ineffectiveness in their respective roles. The Liverpool right-back has been playing in Southgate’s midfield alongside Declan Rice but has struggled to use his skill set in the new role. Foden has been unable to bring his City form to the side with Jude Bellingham also playing a similar role.
WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?
The Three Lions will take on their final group-stage match of the Euros against Slovenia on June 24 as they look to qualify for the last 16.
Source Goal.com
