Former England right-back Gary Neville says that Three Lions head coach Gareth Southgate “has to change something now” if the team are to enjoy a successful Euro 2024.
Former England defender Gary Neville has said that Three Lions head coach Gareth Southgate “has to change something now” if the team are to be successful at this summer’s European Championship.
Having collected four points from their opening two Group C fixtures at Euro 2024, England are in a commanding position when it comes to advancing to the round of 16.
However, the Three Lions struggled to a 1-1 draw with Denmark on Thursday, and they were also unconvincing in their 1-0 success over Serbia in the opening match of the competition.
Neville has insisted that “it’s not a time to panic”, but the former Manchester United right-back has called on Southgate to “interfere and find solutions”.
“It does feel like we’ve been here before,” Neville told ITV Sport. “It’s not a time for panic. I don’t think Gareth Southgate does panic but it is time for him to interfere and find solutions and change something because of three things we’ve seen in these first two games.
© Reuters
England struggled to draw with Denmark
“We let them off [on Sunday] because it was the first game of the tournament, but when you see it for a second time, it becomes a pattern, and a pattern needs disrupting if it is negative.
“There’s an imbalance in the team, square pegs in round holes. Because of that you start to drop deep as a protective measure because you feel like you are not comfortable.
“Then the third thing occurs, which has happened to England over the years, and you can’t play out through midfield and play out from the back. You end up giving the ball away and we look like a mess. I and we know how this ends. He has to change something now.
“It’s the first time I’ve felt like Gareth is slightly conflicted with this embarrassment of riches. It’s the first time where you’re asking questions – how do you get Trent [Alexander-Arnold], [Phil] Foden, [Cole] Palmer and [Jude] Bellingham into the team, and that’s causing him more problems than providing answers.
“That shouldn’t be the case, he has to look really closely in the next 24 hours, maybe let the players have a conversation with themselves as well, because we’ve talked about their spirit and accountability, but they’re not playing particularly well and need to sort themselves out.
© Reuters
England still firmly on course to advance from Group C
“But from Gareth’s point of view, he needs to get on the training ground in a couple of days’ time and give them the answer moving forward. This ends badly the way in which it’s going.”
Harry Kane had given England the perfect start against the Danes, making the breakthrough in the 18th minute, but a brilliant strike from Morten Hjulmand in the 34th minute saw the points shared.
England will now finish their group-stage campaign against Slovenia on Tuesday evening, while Denmark will tackle Serbia in their final match in the first round.
Alexander-Arnold was again selected in central midfield against Declan Rice, but the Liverpool defender was replaced in the early stages of the second period.
Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton could now come into Southgate’s thoughts for the Slovenia contest, with the Alexander-Arnold midfield experiment potentially coming to an end.
No Data Analysis info