England To Channel Slovakia Victory As Motivation In Switzerland Quarter-Final
John Stones believes England's comeback win over Slovakia will motivate them for their quarter-final against Switzerland on Saturday. The Three Lions were nearly eliminated from Euro 2024 until Jude Bellingham's overhead kick saved the day. Harry Kane then secured their spot in the last eight with his 65th international goal during extra time.
Manchester City defender Stones thinks the team can draw confidence from this victory as they prepare to face Switzerland in Dusseldorf. "We need to keep progressing and playing the fluid football that we are used to," Stones said. He admitted that up to 60 minutes into the game, he thought they were going home.
"To change the mindset and for us all to keep the belief it has a lot of power behind it - for ourselves and other teams," he added. "Everyone at home knows we are there to do it until the last minute and we should take great confidence from that as it's not easy to do in a high-pressured game."
There are suggestions that England might switch to a back three due to Guehi's absence. Ezri Konsa is expected to step in, with Stones backing the Aston Villa defender if selected. "If he's selected yeah [he is ready], I don't think any of us know the exact team or system yet," Stones commented.
Stones praised the high standards seen in training, saying, "Whoever plays in whatever position or partnerships, whatever you want to call it, is fully ready." He emphasized that anyone stepping in is worthy of being there and hopes they will perform well.
Learning from Past Experiences
Reflecting on past tournaments, Stones mentioned their World Cup run where they felt capable of winning but fell short. He believes they must use those experiences as a learning curve now. "We've got a good opportunity to get further this weekend," he stated.
"I'm a big believer we've been in these positions before and realise where we are, the magnitude of things and what we believe we can do and put it into practice," Stones concluded.
Straight back to work! pic.twitter.com/7RgpEGNqdQ
— England (@England) July 1, 2024
The team's resilience was evident as they turned around a game that seemed lost. This determination could be crucial as they aim for success against Switzerland. The upcoming match will test their ability to maintain this momentum under pressure.
We use that as fuel, that extra mile and make it count and we did that.
— England (@England) July 2, 2024
The match against Slovakia showcased England's ability to stay focused under pressure. This quality will be essential as they face tougher opponents moving forward in Euro 2024.
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