Southgate Acknowledges England’s Underperformance, Critiques Midfield Lineup Following Stalemate with Denmark
On Thursday, an anticlimactic standoff between England and Denmark resulted in an unsatisfactory draw, leaving Gareth Southgate lamenting the lack of robust options in his midfield arsenal.
England’s opening to their Group C journey was less than stellar, with a lackluster victory over Serbia, and they couldn’t seal the deal for the top spot prematurely, thanks to a 1-1 tie with Denmark.
Harry Kane gave England an early lead 18 minutes into the game, but the team then receded into defensive tactics. Denmark responded with vigor, equalizing with a potent strike from 25 yards out by Morten Hjulmand.
Despite leading Group C, the performance amplified the scrutiny on Southgate. England has executed a mere 17 shots, with only seven hitting the mark, totaling a disappointing 1.85 expected goals.
Scotland has fared even worse, being the only squad with a lower expected goals figure after two matches, standing at 0.78 following their encounters with Germany and Switzerland.
In a reflective post-match briefing, Southgate shared, “We’re clearly dissatisfied with our display levels thus far, necessitating a thorough examination and solution-oriented approach to our persisting challenges,” he declared.
“The potential for greater performance exists. Acknowledging the high expectations and our environment is vital. Currently, we are somewhat falling short,” Southgate added.
“The onus is on me as the manager to steer this team towards achieving something remarkable,” he acknowledged.
Trent Alexander-Arnold faced sharp critiques despite leading the team in creative play and incisive passes before being pulled out just 54 minutes in.
Back in the Euro 2020 semi-finals against Denmark, England managed a considerable portion of their play in the attacking third, a stark contrast to their recent form showing more defensive play.
The conundrum of Phillips’ absence—left out of the squad due to inconsistent performances at club level—continues to pose a challenge for Southagate.
Regarding Alexander-Arnold’s performance, Southgate told the BBC, “There were moments he delivered as anticipated. However, the experiment lacks a natural successor to Phillips. Our ball distribution isn’t where it needs to be, and it’s been costly,” he noted.
“We’re aware there’s another level to strive for,” Southgate concluded.
