England's Euro 2024 Ambitions Dampened By Questionable Tactics

England's struggles in the second matches of major tournaments continued at Euro 2024, this time with a 1-1 draw against Denmark. Historically, similar performances have been seen in Euro 2020 against Scotland and in the 2022 World Cup against the United States. Harry Kane provided an early lead, but Morten Hjolmund equalized with a spectacular long-range effort. Despite this, England's performance, managed by Gareth Southgate, has come under scrutiny.

Entering Euro 2024 as one of the favourites, England's performances in the first two matches have not validated that status. Statistically, Denmark outperformed England in the second half, accumulating 0.58 expected goals to England's 0.36. This disparity suggests that England were fortunate to secure a point. Currently atop Group C with four points, England have not yet guaranteed their progression to the last 16. Southgate faces significant tactical considerations after England's latest result.

A recurring issue under Southgate's tenure is his team's inability to maintain leads, having failed to win 13 games where they led at some point, five of which ended in losses. A controversial tactical choice has been the deployment of Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield. Although Alexander-Arnold recorded impressive individual statistics — such as creating three chances and maintaining an 87.5% passing accuracy during his 54 minutes on the pitch — this experiment has created a lack of balance and rendered him ineffective at times. Southgate replaced him with Conor Gallagher, who also did not solve the balance issue.

Player Positioning

Jude Bellingham's deep positioning left a void in the 'number 10 spot,' exacerbated by Phil Foden being stationed out wide. This tactical setup fails to maximize Harry Kane's impact, despite his prolific scoring ability as demonstrated by his fifth goal in European Championships. Kane's limited involvement in the Denmark game, culminating in only one touch inside their box, highlights the inefficacy of the current system.

Substitution Strategy

Southgate's substitutions further compounded these problems. Taking off Kane when the match was tied and bringing on Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen, and Eberechi Eze failed to ignite England’s attack, leaving potential game-changers like Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer unused on the bench. Notably absent from the squad were Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford, while Bowen and Eze collectively contributed little offensively.

Foden's Role

Another critical issue is Foden's positioning. Tasked with playing out wide, where he receives insufficient support, Foden's best work goes unnoticed. Despite being England's most active attacker, his potential is stifled by a tactical setup that does not suit his strengths. His four shots and near-goal against Denmark underscore his capability if positioned centrally.

Southgate faces a complex set of problems. His tactics have not optimized the squad’s talents, raising doubts about his suitability to manage this group of players. While he has achieved much during his tenure, his current strategies must evolve to harness England’s potential effectively in Euro 2024.