Phil Foden has defended Gareth Southgate’s tactics and insisted England’s players should shoulder more of the blame for the team’s underwhelming performances at Euro 2024.
Now the euphoria of beating Slovakia in dramatic circumstances on Sunday has faded, England’s focus is on making sure there is a drastic improvement in their quarter-final against Switzerland on Saturday. Southgate has been ramping up his preparations and it remains to be seen if he will adjust his tactics against Murat Yakin’s dangerous side.
England have trialled a back three in training this week and are considering moving away from their 4-2-3-1 formation. Southgate’s team ended their win over Slovakia with Bukayo Saka and Ezri Konsa playing as wing-backs, and they could alter their defence in response to Marc Guéhi’s suspension. Konsa, the versatile Aston Villa defender, is likely to replace Guéhi in central defence.
England have disappointed in their opening four games in Germany, particularly with their output in the final third, and there is pressure on Southgate to change his front four. Equally there is an acceptance within the dressing room that the focus cannot be only on the manager. There was an honesty to Foden admitting the forwards need to seize the initiative if England’s pressing game malfunctions again.
“I feel sorry for Gareth,” Foden said. “In training he has been telling us to press and be high up on the pitch. Sometimes it has to come from the players. We have to be leaders and I feel like in games we could have got together more and worked out a solution. We have spoken about it more and if it happens again we can find a solution and adapt our press.
“The players have to take some of the blame. There has to be some leaders to get together. There is only so much the manager can do. He sets you up in a system and tells you how to press. You never decide when a person is going to drop deep as well. The players have to adapt to what the other team is doing to be better. Hopefully you will see a different side to us pressing wise.”
Foden, who flew home to attend the birth of his third child last week, talked about England “accepting” that Denmark were pressurising them in their 1-1 draw in Frankfurt. Southgate has repeatedly fretted about his team’s physical condition. John Stones wore strapping on his right knee on Wednesday. But Foden is confident that there will be a more cohesive plan against Switzerland. “You can prepare for a game but you can’t prepare for players moving out of position and making it awkward for you,” he said. “Hopefully going into this game we can get it right.”
The 24-year-old has been starting on the left. England have lacked balance and are hopeful that Luke Shaw, the squad’s only left-back, will play some part against Switzerland. The Manchester United player, who has been out with a hamstring injury since February, trained on Wednesday.
The right-footed Kieran Trippier has deputised for Shaw, which has made England lopsided. Foden’s natural instinct is to drift inside and he has been trying to make things happen. He hit a post against Denmark and had a goal disallowed against Slovakia. Southgate has options in reserve, but he has kept faith with an attack that has Foden, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka operating behind Harry Kane.
It is yet to click, even though Foden was crucial to Manchester City winning the Premier League last season, Bellingham was the best player in La Liga and Kane scored 44 goals in his debut campaign for Bayern Munich. “I have been a little frustrated,” Foden said. “I am not going to lie. I want to try and score, do better things for England. It has not worked out but it is about keeping a good mentality. I have not been the best player in the Premier League to come here and not show it.”
What of the idea that Foden and Bellingham are crowding each other out? “I don’t agree with that,” Foden said. “We do work together. In the last game we did build on it really well in terms of keeping the ball a lot more.”
Foden was substituted moments before Bellingham equalised with an overhead kick against Slovakia in the 95th minute. “I thought: ‘I’m 30 seconds away from doing baby feeds at home,’” he said. “So thanks to Jude for that … saved me there. It’s unbelievable – it just sums Jude up. He never gives up until the end. The way we won the game, it’s helped us, it’s given us so much more belief. We have to remain focused now, try and build on it because we know we can do a lot better.”
There is no doubt about Foden’s desire; he tops the squad’s running stats and has been praised for his unselfishness. He explained that he knew that working hard without the ball was the only way he would convince Pep Guardiola to pick him for City when he was younger.
Yet Foden would love to take centre stage. He largely played as a No 10 for City last season, scoring 27 times in all competitions. “I have been honest about my position and I have always seen myself as playing midfield,” Foden said. “Even though I have started on the left, I have drifted into those positions.
“It’s more how we’ve been on the ball and not been able to find me because of the way the games have been. We have not had many attacks, some games we have had to dig deep and I am hoping that against Switzerland, we see more of the ball and that our pressing is good. I am looking forward to it.”
