‘Gareth Southgate has turned generational abilities right into a mediocre England staff’
It’s never good when England find themselves being compared to a dysfunctional marriage – you know what’s coming next!
The Three Lions are like a man and wife in bed. Neither of them know what they’re doing, or why they are even there. There’s no passion or communication.
It’s over far too quickly and when it does end, they know it will be at least another two years before it all happens again. The feeling is that Gareth Southgate and his Three Lions will get divorced in a few weeks time, because the honeymoon period is well and truly over.
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The group games at Euro 2024 have felt like the beginning of the end for Southgate as Three Lions boss. That he’s had his chance to win a major tournament in the past – and his time is up.
England have resembled a pathetic imitation of their former selves. That team that reached a World Cup semi final in 2018, or the one which banished demons while charging to the last Euros final on home soil.
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Southgate himself has looked tired instead of enthused, confused instead of focused and hardened by all the flak he knows will continue to fly his way. But let’s not forget England have still won their group and made it to the knockout stages.
There is still a chance the Three Lions could find their bite and produce a march to the latter stages. Once again, the draw has opened up for Southgate, with Germany, Spain, Portugal and France all in the other half.
Find some form from somewhere, and England could also find themselves in the final again. But Southgate has some big calls to make.
Starting with Jude Bellingham. Let’s not kid ourselves, because Bellingham will not be dropped.
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Southgate doesn’t have it in him to leave out the new golden boy of English football. But he shouldn’t indulge Bellingham to the extent he remains on the pitch at the expense of others who could change a game when he hasn’t.
Or allow Bellingham to move around in different positions, forcing others to adapt to his whereabouts. Bellingham has been built up, for obvious reasons, but should also be able to accept being taken down a peg or two when he deserves it.
And what of Southgate’s midfield malaise? Two experiments involving Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Gallagher haven’t worked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s cameo against Slovenia was impressive.
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Mainoo can also find pockets of space further forward and has goals in him, so he should start alongside Rice. There is also an argument to replace Bukayo Saka with Cole Palmer.
While Saka has done little wrong, he’s also done too little right, while Palmer was the best player in the Premier League for the final three months of the season. He has the talent and vision to open up defences, something England have failed to do in each of their games so far.
Southgate is not one to rip up a plan or make wholesale changes, especially in the middle of a major tournament. But he’s about to enter what will feel like the last chance saloon in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
And the calls he makes will either leaving him celebrating a place in the quarter finals, or looking punch drunk, knowing he’s turned a group of generational talents into a mediocre and unfulfilled team. And that takes some doing.
