Stop fretting about pressing
It is easy to play through England at the moment. Gareth Southgate has talked about a high press being a core part of his team’s identity, but it has not functioned properly at Euro 2024. Harry Kane, who is meant to be leading from the front, has looked lethargic and the issue has been exacerbated by Jude Bellingham’s wandering. Yet there is no obligation on England to continue their attempts to press given they have been so confused and uncoordinated. Southgate has to recognise that there are too many gaps to cover once opponents break through the first line of defence. An obvious solution would be to tell his players to drop off and exert a smothering mid‑block. England need to be more awkward to break down. There should be more emphasis on drawing teams out, luring them into traps and then hitting them on the break.
