I think he will play four at the back an two holding midfielders. I wouldn't have a problem with that.
Kane will play up front.
Our real threat will come from the three forward thinking players who will be supporting Kane and creating chances for him and themselves. We have Grealish, Sterling, Saka, Sancho, Foden and Rashford who have bags of pace and creativity between them. For me it almost doesn't matter which three start. I would be tempted to put three of them out there and tell them to wreak havoc for 45 minutes and put the other three on for the second half or maybe the last half hour in their place with similar instructions. With the five sub rule, you can afford to do that. With those fresh legs at them for 90 minutes the Germans would have plenty to think about.
Keep it solid at the back and bank on those creative threats getting or creating a goal or two, and we have what could be a winning formula.
With France now out and the chance to put a faltering Germany out ourselves, and with the prospect of the semi and the final being at Wembley if we can get there, we are never going to have a better chance of winning a major tournament than we have now.
I think we will keep it solid at the back and play two holding midfield players in a 4:2:3:1 formation. That is the Southgate way. Caution first. So many England games end 1-0 with very little creativity from us. I think in the group stages we were in the bottom three of creating chances and having shots on goal.
I expect a team with Grealish and Saka on the bench if Mount is deemed fit enough
Pickford.. Walker Stones Maguire. Shaw or Trippier..... Henderson (if fit) Phillips.... Foden. Mount . Sterling..... Kane. If we play that team and set up i believe we will get beaten.
Germany play a 3:4:3 formation. Their wing backs find space with Goosens and Kimmich looking for pockets from deep lying positions. They switch the ball wide with Havertz dropping between the lines in a right centre position. Southgate could play Trippier at left back to counter that threat. I think Engalnd should match them up with a 3:4:3 formation.
The best line up might be. Pickford..... Walker.. Maguire.. Stones...... Saka.. Phillips.. Henderson.. Shaw.... Foden..Kane.. Sterling..
It would be very hard to drop Grealish but his counter attacking play might not be the best form of attack in this game. Foden on the right could help Saka out to cut out the wing backs threat and give Saka the licence to run from deep. Sterling is poor at dropping back so Shaw or even Trippier would be the best option on the left of the four. I believe Southgate will play the first option of 4.2.3.1. If he does that will give the attacking onus to Germany and as they have individuals who can punish you, i expect us to struggle i'm afraid. Now is the time to be bolder and release these youngsters to play more in the opponents half. My prediction. Take your pick between 0-0 , 0-1.
whiston I agree, southgate isn't a bold manager, look at the results we get a lot are 1-0. It is a shame to have all this talent and a manager that is scared to release it and be an attacking positive team. Also do you think an england team could come back from 3-1 down, at the moment I don't get a sense of belief in the team, but that is just an opinion. My partner is German so whoever wins will be supported for the rest of the tournament from this household, I would love to be able to win this
No i do not believe we could come back from 3-1 down Derby. The whole ethos of our National team is based on defence. Play two holding midfielders in front of a back four. Pass sideways and back. If we were to let three goals in, the belief in what we are would have crumbled. I really hope Southgate proves me wrong and matches Germany up and attacks them. Spain passed and kept the ball very well yesterday. They are suspect to direct attacking and balls over the central defence but they will always create chances. Italy are solid and Belgium have their chance to win something for the first time, even though they are rated number one team in Europe. We would struggle to beat any of those three imo.
well he has dropped Mount, Grealish and Foden three of our most creative players, Saka and Sterling have pace but they are not creative players, looks like a very direct approach, give the Germans the ball, sit back and catch them on the break, Sterling needs to put a shift in, I am fed up shouting at him on the TV to track back and put his foot in, and Kane really needs to step up, hold the ball up otherwise it will be 90 mins of German pressure.
Well he has matched them up by playing 3:4:3 but the four across the middle are defensive minded. Trippier and Shaw need to play high up the pitch and not make it a 5:3;2. If we sit back and let their wing backs have space we will be punished. Thought he might have played Saka as the wide one of four with Foden in front of him to help out defensively. Saka has looked good running at them from deeper positions. He obviously doesn't trust him to defend which is fair enough i suppose.
I'm surprised Mount isnt starting. Phillips and Rice havent let us down yet so fair enough, but it does look like we are starting with seven defensive minded players (although Shaw likes to bomb forward). Keeping it solid early is no bad thing. Plenty of time for the game to open up and for players like Grealish and Foden to impact it. I think this German side is bang average, and I think we will beat them by the odd goal...but it doesnt tend to work like that, does it?
Good first half from England. We have had the better of it with Sterling and Saka both prominent. Missed a couple of big chances. You would fancy Maguire with a free header from eight yards and Kane with the chance at the end. The Germans have been the side counter-attacking. Its a decent game.
Excellent by England. Southgate maybe can be a bit cautious at times but the players all know their jobs, we are very hard to beat (still no goals conceded) and we have enough flair players to have a goal or two in us. I thought Phillips and Rice were both outstanding - getting us moving forwards as well as protecting the defence. It wouldn't be unlike us to slip up now against Sweden or Ukraine, but we are definitely a live chance.
-- Edited by smiler on Tuesday 29th of June 2021 07:02:28 PM
Yes you are correct with all that Smiler. I questioned the selection of two holding midfield players but they are a main part in making us hard to beat. Sterling has the ability to get players on the back foot and tonight he did that at times. He also has scored in three of the four games. It's not pretty but getting the results.
Well that was very good, to beat germany in a knock-out stage is excellent. We had some luck and two outstanding saves from Pickford. happy to admit i was wrong in the prediction. That was an outstanding performace by Sterling, he did the basics right, kept the ball, attacked when he could and tracked back, his sloppy back pass nearly cost us but we got away with that. Very proud of the three south yorkshire lads at the back they were very good. The managers approach of keep it close let the germans have the ball and then go for it in the last 30 mins paid off, there will come a time when that won't work and we will concede it will be interesting to see what his tactics are then. Turning point was Jack Grealish he isn't the petulant kid he was a few years ago, he is a real talent and his vision led to both goals. We need to calm down now and focus on the next game, we will have to be at our best in every game now, but we have a real chance.
Southgate deserves a lot of credit. He might not always be adventurous in the formations that he plays, but he has clarity of thought and is certainly very brave with the personnel that he chooses. Not many would have had Phillips and Rice down to start all four games but they have done. Playing Trippier at left back was controversial but it worked. Saka has come through very quickly. Again, most would have probably predicted that Foden, Rashford etc would have been ahead of him in the queue. Bellingham has two appearances in the tournament and has been included at a very young age. The formation was changed today. Also, Southgate will have known about the clamour for Grealish and Foden to play in preference to Sterling but he has stuck by Sterling who has certainly delivered some important goals. In a nutshell, he isnt afraid to make brave selections, pick young players, leave others out if necessary etc if he thinks they are the right calls to get the job done. He has faith in his players and their abilities regardless of age and experience. That is to be admired. It must give them a lot of confidence. Of course as soon as we lose he will be pilloried. In some respects'that makes his brave decisions all the braver because he knows what might be waiting for him round the corner. Hats off to him.
He is a man of his convictions and I do admire that, his approach of keeping it tight for 60-70 mins and then bring on the pace and talent is working, we have a real chance and hats off to Sterling, not my favourite player but he has really stepped up and delivered.
We had a bit of a wobble for ten minutes before half time when they made an enforced change and changed their shape and were getting in behind Walker, but that aside we were in total control of that game. Its helpful that we killed the game early and strolled through the last twenty minutes to save legs. This has been a masterclass from Southgate in how to take a squad through a tournament. He can change personnel and formation to suit the occasion and the opposition and each time he does the team adapts and gets the job done That doesn't happen by accident. Southgate is blessed with a talented group but he has also developed a team culture and mindset in a squad full of players who are big hitters at their clubs. Very impressive stuff.
Can't disagree with smilers comments, very impressed. Could you imagine in the past if the captain would have been taken off when he was on a hat-trick the reaction from a shearer or a lineker? yet Kane went off, no complaint a huge hug from the manager, very impressed, I was also impressed how Southgate went to Grealish after the game, they really are in it together, the Danes will be a harder team to beat, but we are capable of beating all the other 3 teams
Denmark are very good. Italy is the team I fear. They play a high press. I know that if we can break a high press and get our pacy forwards running at a back four man on man we can do damage, but can we play through a high press without coughing the ball up in our own third? I'm not sure. Stones, Maguire and Walker are prone to the occasional rick as is Pickford. I think we will get past Denmark (though it wont be easy), and for the reasons stated I'm very much rooting for a Spain win in the first semi.
Southgate has not been afraid to change formation and personnel in this tournament. I think he will need to change again to beat Denmark.
Denmark broadly play 3.4.3 but played a 4.3.3 formation to beat Wales. I think they will play 3.4.3 against us with the three centre backs capable of bringing the ball out from the back and moving it quickly to the midfield. Hojberg and Delaney play in midfield with one dropping deep whilst the other pushes forward. This makes it more difficult for the opposition midfield duo to press. Maehle is a right footed left wing back who has been one of the stars of the tournament. Damsgaard drops back from the forward line into midfield trying to bring a defender with him with the aim to overload the midfield. He is very good at finding space.
If Sancho and Sterling play as narrow as they did at times against Ukraine i would expect Danish wing backs to push forward menacingly down the flanks and cause major problems for walker and Shaw.
With all that in mind i would play 3.4.3.
Pickford.
Walker Maguire Stones.
Trippier Phillips Rice Shaw.
Mount or Foden Kane Sterling.
That might look very defensive and setting up afraid of what they have. I think it is more like keep it tight and try not to concede with an eye to winning it by one goal. Southgate has forgot more than i know so what i have put above might be a load of bol****s.
