Alan Shearer labels England’s victory over Serbia a ‘robust watch’

BBC commentator Alan Shearer admitted he did not enjoy watching the second half of England’s 1-0 victory over Serbia on Sunday night.

The Three Lions got their Euro 2024 campaign off to a winning start with Jude Bellingham scoring the only goal of the game.

Gareth Southgate‘s men controlled the first half and took a deserved lead into half-time.

However, they were pegged back after the break and found themselves hanging on in the closing stages of the game.

As the final whistle blew, match commentator Shearer said that was a ‘tough watch’. 

Alan Shearer admitted he found the second half of England’s win over Serbia a tough watch

BBC pundit Rio Ferdinand concurred, saying: ‘Alan Shearer said it in commentary there, we suffered. We we seem to lack a bit of composure in the moments. And it did get a little bit hairy at times. 

‘But I think you have to take what you can from the from that game, clean sheet, a new back pairing in it. What the world of good getting that clean sheet and a win’s a win. It’s not how you start at all, but it’s how you finish.’

Micah Richards also felt England looked short of confidence after half-time.

‘I just think in that second half they’d lacked that belief,’ he said. ‘You know, when you got going to a game and you got your shoulders out, and for the first 30 minutes, they were brilliant. 

Phil Foden and England got the three points but the performance was a little underwhelming 

Rio Ferdinand said the Three Lions lacked composure and suffered after the break 

‘Sometimes and subconsciously, we all do it when, when you’ve got a lead, you try to protect it. And I think that’s just the negative side in in what we’re seeing today. I just think with the players we have, we’ve got to be able to control games better, even when we’re not pushing for for another goal.

‘Tactically, I didn’t like what England did in the second half. They were sloppy in terms of positioning, they dropped a little bit deeper. I just think that the panic set in and Serbia and I said before the game, they’re a good team. 

‘They’re a physical team. They’ve got some really good players against a better team, you will get punished. And I know it’s only the start of the tournament, but it’s something they need to learn on and need to learn quick, because, yeah, in the second half, they were underwhelming.’

Jude Bellingham’s 13th-minute headed goal proved to be the winner in Gelsenkirchen

‘I don’t want to be too critical, because England have won the game, but we’re just, we’re just talking about the positions. This is in the first half, and then look at the second of how much they have dropped. I just think panic stations set in, and if we want to go far in this tournament, we’ve got to be able to deal with the ball in these situations that can move us forward. ‘

Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas wants to see more from England’s big players.

‘It’s all about the mentality. You cannot tell me that players like Trent, like Foden, like Bellingham, like Rice, they don’t have the quality to hold the ball anywhere in the pitch. 

‘But it’s about do you want it enough to make a difference and hold the ball for your team? Do you want to make things happen? Do you enjoy to get the ball under pressure? 

Cesc Fabregas has called for some of England’s bigger players to step up and dominate

‘Yes, I didn’t think that the second half was a little bit underwhelming. I would say that the right word. And I think players like Foden, you know, they need to step up. You know, this is the time for them to grow into big tournament behind the countries behind them.’

‘Though the players, yes, need to take responsibility and show that composure, which we see in club football all the time,’ Ferdinand added.

‘But I think also the structure of the team needs to be able to allow the players to do that as well in these moments, get yourself further up the pitch, create those spaces in the pockets, the rotations that we saw in the first half. But I agree with what Cesc said there. The big differences is, when the pressure was put onto the England team, they didn’t respond in a real positive manner.’