The Young Lions side has reached the knockout rounds in consecutive tournaments for the first time since 2009. However, in Slovakia, Lee Carsley’s team has fallen short of expectations, finishing second in Group B with just four points.
Their final game against a fully rotated, already qualified German team resulted in defeat. Fortunately, Slovenia lost to Czechia in the other group match, allowing England to secure passage.
They will need to put their uninspired group stage performance behind them as a tough test awaits in the quarter-finals. The holders will face Spain in a repeat of the 2023 final.
The manager attributes his team’s slow starts to their poor performances thus far: “I thought there was a bit of shell-shock, going 2-0 down so soon,” said Carsley. “We didn’t start well either in the last game [0-0] against Slovenia. That’s something we need to address.”
Carsley has previously stated that he expects this team to grow into the tournament, having had limited time to work with a squad missing several regulars due to injury and the Club World Cup. Liam Delap’s absence was very clear as England lacked a focal point against Germany.
Missing a Striker?
Without him, Carsley opted for a forward line filled with attacking midfielders but lacking a recognised striker. This may explain the side’s lack of clinical edge. Despite registering the third most attempts in the tournament (54), they’ve scored only four goals, with nearly half their efforts off target.
In last night’s match, the strikerless formation that manager Lee Carsley persisted with, despite the goalless draw against Slovenia, was shelved at half-time. Birmingham forward Jay Stansfield was brought on to try and spearhead England, but he was unable to provide a spark. He had three shots but failed to hit the target with any of them.
However, the change in system allowed England’s two midfielders to hold a higher line and press Germany back. The Young Lions looked much better after this change, spending the majority of the second half in their opponents’ third. The benefit of this adjustment became clear late on, with Scott tapping in from close range to give his side some hope.
Heading into their crucial game against pre-tournament favourites Spain, England need to deploy their attackers more intelligently and grant them greater freedom to create; otherwise, they will face the same stagnation in attack that we saw in their last two group matches.
Positional Problems
One potential cause of this issue is England’s positional dilemmas. The team undeniably boasts talented players, but whether they are being utilised effectively has been called into question.
Nwaneri, for instance, featured in the left-wing role against Slovenia despite being a natural right-sided attacker. He appeared uncomfortable and ineffective until the final 15 minutes, when he switched to his favoured side and looked much sharper, more confident, and dangerous going forward. He carried that form into the Germany game, where, once again featuring from the right, he was one of England’s livelier threats.
McAtee is playing as a false nine, a role that limits his creativity. He is more effective operating as a number 10, where he can drop deep and find key passes. Rowe is another example: a natural winger pushed into a second striker role.
A frequent problem for international teams is finding the best way to get all your stars on the pitch simultaneously. Asking your players to play positions they are unfamiliar with can lead to ineffectiveness and an imbalance on the side. These are not minor adjustments; they are significant positional mismatches that have restricted England’s best players. Carsley needs to find the winning formula to compete against Spain on Saturday.
Key Player Returning
Three changes were made for Wednesday’s game, which, while important for protecting players, meant that Livramento was left on the bench. His surging runs from left-back have brought rare urgency and variety to England’s attack. Without his energy and creativity, England’s wide play suffered. He is a key chance creator and was Player of the Match in England’s first group game. He will be a crucial player against Spain, and Carsley will hope his chance creation leads to goals.
England had promising periods against Germany. Without the scoreline, you could argue they were the better team on the day. However, they were punished for errors and indecision in the final third, as well as errant finishing. The side will need to improve if they stand any chance of progressing through the tournament and defending their European crown.
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