England might be through to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 thanks to Jude Bellingham’s heroics but their performance against Slovakia on Sunday was diabolical and, frankly, embarrassing.
Bellingham’s overhead kick equaliser aside, the game is destined to be a bad memory. There was nothing positive to take from it other than that England didn’t give up and got out of jail.
Kobbie Mainoo had a few bright moments and Bukayo Saka started well but that was it in terms of England players being anywhere near their usual form. Guys who have usually been 8/10 for the national team have been fours or fives all tournament.
Bellingham is a force of nature, however. He anticipated Marc Guehi’s flick-on from Kyle Walker’s long throw so well, stepping off his marker at the perfect time to make space for a special goal that reminded me of Gareth Bale’s in the Champions League final.
But England are repeatedly playing into the hands of their opponents and I’m afraid the buck stops with Gareth Southgate. There is no one else to blame now.
He has built the wrong system for this line-up of players and has not been able to work out what is needed. As a team, they are completely inept.
From the first minute of the opening group game against Serbia it has been clear that England need a left-footer at left-back. Four games in, he is still making the same mistake and we will go on struggling if that is not fixed.
The crazy thing is that England could still win Euro 2024. Or we could fall flat on our faces against Switzerland on Saturday.
Southgate has got them this far in the tournament by luck rather than judgement and it might be that a solution is forced upon him in the next game, with Guehi suspended and Kieran Trippier a doubt because of the injury that forced him off against Slovakia.
England should go to 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 in Euros quarter-final
England may have to switch to a three-man defence, matching up against the Swiss, and it could be just what they need. With Ivan Toney on to make it two men up front in extra time against Slovakia they looked far better all of a sudden.
In that case they could play Kyle Walker, John Stones and Joe Gomez at the back, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka at wing-back, Mainoo, Declan Rice and Bellingham in midfield, with Harry Kane off Ollie Watkins in attack.
Or Southgate could be even more drastic, use a 4-4-2 formation and drop Kane, with Trent, Walker, Stones and Saka in defence, Mainoo and Rice in midfield, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon on the flanks and Bellingham supporting Watkins.
Kane may have got England’s winner in extra time but he cannot keep on playing as he has been. The 30-year-old has looked so tired, like his legs have gone, and we desperately need more energy up front.
At the 1986 World Cup, Bobby Robson were forced to change to a 4-4-2 by suspension and injuries and it ignited our tournament. That, too, was more by luck than judgement.
There are also parallels with the 1990 World Cup campaign, when we started badly but gathered momentum in the knockout stages after a nervy last-16 win.
The fact is that Southgate has set up England completely wrong and he has to be decisive now. Beyond that he also has to be ready to adapt and make changes at the right time.
We have been so lucky so far at Euro 2024, from the draw to Sunday’s win over Slovakia. If this is Southgate’s farewell he should go for it and go out in a blaze of glory.
Trevor Steven is a former England footballer who played at two World Cups and two European Championships. @TrevorSteven63.