Match report and analysis
That, then is us. Thanks all for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all – and do join us again tomorrow. We’ll be back with the daily blog at 8am BST, then we will, of course, bring you all three games. Until then, though, peace out.
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Southgate accepts the game was less comfortable than he’d have liked. But that’s how tournaments are: England had to suffer and that’s good for them.
First half, he thinks his team used it well, second half less so, but to get the win is important.
Bellingham, he says, “writes his own scripts” and all the front players contributed well. Today, the issue was the finishing – true, in that England missed a few chances, not true in that second half they created little – and he thinks that’ll come.
Alexander-Arnold has been “really diligent” in getting his positioning right, used it well and had a decent shot at goal. But he wanted to get Gallagher’s fresh legs on, to get to the ball quickly, and has a squad so decided to use it.
Which is why I also agree with Richard, who says: “All very well having all that fluid movement in midfield as in the first half, made easier when the opposition sits back. But when they come at you as in the second half you need structure otherwise you just look all over the place. You need someone in the centre to hold their position and put their foot on the ball. We didn’t seem to have that.”
Yup, I agree, and that’s Adam Wharton. It’s also more Kobbie Mainoo than Alexander-Arnold.
“I think your diagnosis of England’s ills in this game is suffering from confirmation bias,” says David Shaw. “It wasn’t Trent’s best game, but come on, Foden basically did nothing and Saka offered v little second half.”
But I agree with? i don’t think Foden played well, and I don’t think saka was involved second half. my “confirmation bias” is based on the fact that I’ve seen both of them play brilliantly in the positions they were in, loads of times. I can’t say that about Alexander-Arnold in midfield, and having him there makes worse something that’s already a huge weakness – control – that I don’t think is worth the upside, though of course he’s a fantastic long passer. The best midfielders, though, tend to be the best short passers.
And what a sound bloke he seems. His head is fully screwed on, and at 23, especially given the aggravating factors of talent, money and fame, that is no small achievement.
Marc Guehi is a happy man. He thinks England dealt with Serbia’s long balls well and given Vlahovic and Mitrovic, it was always going to be physical. But he thinks his side dealt with the threats well and he was helped by the experience of the players around him.
Asked about the drop-off in England’s second-half performance, he notes that they’re playing against good players in a tough system. You’re worried about balls in behind and the physical threat, but you can’t always play great.
Finally, he says he doesn’t like talking about himself but it’s a happy camp and he’s happy to be part of it.
Aha! Here’s David Hytner’s match report!
In the studio, Fabregas thinks Palmer would be a good option for England, and he’ll be ecstatic to know I think I might agree with him. His ability to hold the ball under pressure, while changing the pace of the game to the one at which he plays, could be really useful in the kind of games we tend to see in international football. In the club arena, pace and pressing count for more, but here, wit and touch are at least as effective.
Goodness me, Erik ten Hag was doorstepped by his bosses in Beefa. Can’t be many who’d welcome that.
“Trent’s in the team to create a goal from nothing,” says Stephen Berkery. “Goals make championships. He played a number of great passes. If you prioritise formation over creativity, I pity you…”
England are not short of creative players. They do, though, struggle for midfield control, and he’s never going to help that.
Bellingham says Serbia were strong, tough, and robust – “a big group of lads”. The staff got it right with preparation, he says, they’re positive inside the camp, “now onto the next one”.
He’s got used to hitting the box, he says, and it’s a great start for him personally to get his confidence up – yup, he looks a bit short on that.
Otherwise, he says he’s got better at handling the rough stuff, steering clear of ruckus. Then, when asked how it is being “Jude Bellingham”, he says “It’s alright. Could be worse. Jude Bellingham is made up of amazing people.”
I’d love to leave it there, but he goes on to explain that he has a great support network of family, friends and teammates. “I’m so fortunate, and football is the easiest part.”
Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy has hit the front again.
Harry Kane says tonight was all about winning. Serbia posed a threat, were very physical with long balls and second balls, forcing England back, and for a while they couldn’t get out. He thinks Serbia went man-to-man in the second half, which made a difference.
On Bellingham, he rhapsodises his confidence and contribution, then says he thinks his own role will change depending on the game. Today, he stayed a bit higher as they defend man-to-man and he wanted to push them deep so Foden and Bellingham could get in pockets. Then, in the second half, his job was to hold it up and win free-kicks.
“Not sure why you’re singling Trent out,” says Robert Lavine. “The team as a whole and the midfield in particular looked noticeably worse after he went off. We could barely get the ball out of our half – it was like Phil Neville had come on!”
Yeah, I don’t agree with that – though I’m often wrong. I thought England looked less vulnerable after he went off, but the reason I singled him out is that he’s trying to learn a position in a tournament, and I don’t think that makes sense – in general or specifically given the type of player he is. He just doesn’t offer enough off the ball, positionally, or on it, in terms of keeping things ticking.
It’s worth noting that Uefa seem to have rowed back on the added time we saw in the World Cup. In today’s first game, we had two first-half goals and one minute of extras; today, though there weren’t loads of stoppages, we got two and four.
FULL TIME: Serbia 0-1 England
It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough. England top Group C with three points, Serbia are bottom with none, with Denmark and Slovenia between them on one.
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90+4 min Pickford does well to take ages before swatting the ball down t’other end, and that will, I think, be that.
90+3 min Again, Serbia build, sticking a ball into the box. But Milinkovic-Savic and pavlovic jump together, no one near them, and Kane wins a free-kick backing into Milenkovic then winning the header and wearing the barge.
90+3 min Tadic spreads to Birmancevic, but England push them back and when Mladenovic crosses, Bowen, sprinting over to close, blocks into touch.
90+2 min Gallagher wins a free-kick off Ilic – his second in quick succession – and though they’ve played poorly, England have done a pretty good job of disappearing the last 15 minutes.
90 min We’ll have four additional minutes.
90 min I can’t be sure whether England have sat back or been pushed back, but though this is only one match, I’m still pretty sure England haven’t found the right balance in midfield and perhaps not in attack either. I’d not be surprised to see Alexander-Arnold on the bench next game.
89 min Mladenovic again escapes down the left, Stones heading clear brilliantly running towards his own net then, when Serbia recycle possession, Milinkovic-Savic drives a riser a yard or two wide from the edge. This is getting dicey…
87 min Serbia will, perhaps, be rueing how they started this game. Whether under instruction or just nervous, they let England play for half an hour, and given the players they have, it’s no surprise they scored just as it’s no surprise they’re struggling for control now it’s being put on them.
86 min Another England change, Bellingham – the best player on the pitch in the first half, anonymous in the second – replaced by Mainoo.
85 min England are struggling to get out – another reason to get Palmer on, I’d say: his ability to hold possession.
83 min Ball into the box, headed clear by Stones … and on the edge, Vlahovic collects beautifully, swivelling into a shot that Pickford tips over! He’d have looked a right charlie had he let that in, but it was lovely play from the striker and believe you’ve seen it done.
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82 min “A solution for the Foden situation,” volunteers Phil Podolsky. “Saka is a wonderful player on the back of a great season, yet having Gordon on the left would make a world of difference. First of all you get Gordon’s very direct runs, second of all you get Foden at his lethal best cutting inside from the right. I foresee some objections from Arsenal fans though.”
I know what you mean, but increasingly, I think the pace of international football will work really nicely for Palmer, who has the ability to create out of nothing and does so at a different tempo to everyone else.
81 min An injured left-back, just what England need. I think it’s just cramp but, Trippier stretching it out, leg on the hoarding, and he’s back on now.
79 min “The usual issue coming to the fore for England,” reckons Mark Gillespie. “Once they lose the momentum and control, the manager doesn’t know how to get it back, and is far too passive. Also disagree on the Gallagher substitution. We’re lacking the ability to keep possession, which Gallagher won’t help, but Mainoo would be perfect for.”
I’d have gone Wharton, but agree Mainoo would also have made more sense. But there’s a pecking order, I imagine, and Southgate wants experience on the pitch.
77 min And this is why! Bowen gets the ball in space down the right, drags the ball outside Lukic and stands up the kind of cross that’s so inviting Andy Gray is doubtless imagining the conversation between them as we speak. “How about that Skipper, get your swede on that!” “Love it, new kid!” Problem being, kane punishes a header that Rajkovic does superbly to gets hands on, palming it against the bar and away! That was the match right there, and Kane couldn’t seize it!
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76 min Now another England change, Bowen replacing Saka. I’d have gone for Palmer, who offers creativity and ball-retention, but Southgate clearly wants energy, and the player he’s brought on offers lots of it.
75 min Foden struts past Tadic, who hauls him back and is booked.
74 min Another change for Serbia, Zivkovic – who’s had moments – coming off, with Birmancevic coming on.
73 min The thing about that Gallagher change is it’s one to try and not lose the lead. What England need more than energy is control, so actually Wharton might’ve been a more sensible replacement.
72 min Saka curls nicely to the back post for Rice – he can be so effective in that position – but his knock-back is smothered and the keeper deals.
70 min Pickford comes out for a ball and, with no one near him, opts to punch clear. In fairness, I think he wasn’t quite set to catch, but it looked a little strange.
69 min Yup, here’s that change: Gallagher for Alexander-Arnold, who’s had some good moments but not enough of them. He must offer more in general play.
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69 min “I’m enjoying Alan Shearer essentially calling for England to hit Les,” chortles Niall Mullen. “Can we not knock it? Cn we not knock it?!”
67 min Another poor delivery from Alexander-Arnold, Rajkovic fisting clear easily enough then, when England sustain the attack and Bellingham gets down the left, he tries to do too much, dipping this way and that to lost Lukic before standing up a cross that the keeper swallows.
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66 min Walker into Kane who knocks off for Alexander-Arnold, and though his first touch isn’t the best, it takes him onto danger and a block means he wins England’s first corner of the match.
65 min Trippier charges a loose ball, misses, and Tadic seizes upon the loose ball, sliding a straight pass into the box for Jovic … but it’s a little behind him and he can’t quite control. Still, though, that’s a warning.
65 min Mladenovic gets away down the left and slings over a cross; Foden plucks it out of the sky and then humps clear to no one.
64 min What we’re seeing now is why I don’t think Alexander-Arnold is the right man for England’s midfield: Serbia are dominating possession and he’s barely involved.
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62 min I’d not be surprised if Southgate contemplates a change now Tadic is on. His ability to roam spaces might mean Gallagher is introduced, if he’s doing so in central areas.
61 min Two more changes for Serbia: Jovic for Mitrovic and Tadic for Lukic. Tasty!
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58 min England have restored a semblance of control, but I also think about giving Foden a rest … but excuse me while I interrupt myself! A turn and ball in behind sets Mladenovic away, he pulls back form the line, and Trippier, caught with a run across him at the front post, does just enough to buffet Mitrovic without obviously fouling him, and eventually Guehi and Pickford get out each other’s road so the keeper can dive on the loose ball.
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57 min Alexander-Arnold fires one from distance that Rajkovic fists clear, but he’s soon on the ball again, implying the cross before picking out Bellingham via cut-back; just as he’s about to hammer home his second goal, Lukic nips in to make a terrific tackle.
56 min England are letting this drift a little, and I wonder if Southgate is thinking about a change. As it goes, I’m looking forward to his subs because it’ll tell us who he’s into at the moment; I’d think about Cole Palmer, I think, well though Saka’s played.
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54 min “Is Foden at risk of becoming one of those players who is great for their clubs but never really performs for England?” wonders David Wall. “He’s had more that 30 games now but I don’t really remember a performance where he’s been the dominant player, or even been that decisive (perhaps in the World Cup against Wales but that seemed more about Rashford). It’s a high-quality list, with the likes of Barnes, McManaman, Fowler, Cole, perhaps Hoddle too, so he’d be in good company.”
He’s got plenty of time, but it’s much harder to play him in the middle when the team doesn’t keep the ball like Man City do – and when you’ve also got Bellingham.
53 min Vlahovic isolates Guehi and diddles him down the outside, crossing low; Walker, sliding in, gets a flicks on it, and it’s enough to make sure the ball finds a white shirt, Trippier getting it away.
52 min England, by the way, were very strong down their right side, Saka giving Pavlovic a thorough going-over, but with Foden rarely out wide, Serbia have decent handle on how they need to defend.
51 min Alexander-Arnold tries a Zidane roulette, losing out to Lukic, but he can’t finds a mate; no matter, Serbia again begin passing, and they’re finding some rhythm now they’re not just letting England play.
50 min England try passing out but end up going back to Pickford, who wellies at Kane. He can’t control, but his team recover possession and begin probing once more.
49 min Between them, Rice and Guehi abort Zivkovic’s run into the box and England clear, but Serbia have started the half the better.
47 min “Kane, touching the ball…” Not words we’ve heard often tonight, and I wonder if he’s being hurt by england’s lack of a prompting midfielder able to get him the ball to feet early doors.
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46 min Change for Serbia, Ilic replacing Gudelj.
46 min We go again.
Flawless start 👏
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 16, 2024
Marc Guehi completed 100% of his passes (32/32), won 100% of his duels (2/2) and won 100% of his tackles (1/1) in the first half.#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #SRBENG pic.twitter.com/yq0OV6kz38
Joe Hart, by the way, is showing signs of being a decent pundit. This is only the second time he’s been to a game in which he’s not been playing, believe it or not.
“Where’s Foden?” wonders Francis Mead. “All pretty good – though we shouldn’t take our foot off the pedal. The only frustration: where is Foden? He hasn’t offered anything at all.”
I know what you mean, but the mere threat of him is a problem for Serbia, because his pace, directness and intelligence mean they need to watch him carefully and he’s wandering all over.
We keep referencing Bryan Robson, so here’s some reading on him – 42 years to the day since he scored what was then the fastest-ever World Cup goal.
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Half-time email: “Sergej Milinković-Savić hasn’t resembled the midfield dynamo who played for Lazio,” reckons Kári Tulinius. “I thought a season in Saudi Arabia wouldn’t do him much harm, but he isn’t anything like the ‘new Bryan Robson’ that he was once heralded as.”
Ah, he’s definitely not that – he’s actually one of those who’s been poor more or less every time I’ve seen him play. But he does have ability and Serbia are struggling to get him on the ball in dangerous areas, with time and space. He’s not so good when it’s fast and tight.
That’s the most controlled England have been in a while. I’d still like them to create more – I’m not sure the balance in midfield or attack is quite right – but they’ve something to build on.
HALF-TIME: Serbia 0-1 England
For half an hour, England were excellent, though encouraged to be by a very reactive Serbia. Since the goal, though, it’s been more even and this match isn’t yet over – not by a long chalk.
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45+3 min Mladenovic goes to the near post and who’s there? Jude Bellingham is there, of course he is, and that’ll be half-time.
45+2 min Lukic spreads to Zivkovic and follows his pass, racing over to the right to accept a return. And his cross is excellent, Stones forced to get rid of it at an awkward height, a man behind him. He’s relieved to see it dribble behind for a corner, but Serbia will be happy to take one.
45 min We’ll have two additional minutes, England dropping off and daring Serbia to try something; Lukic tries a dink over the top, but Vlahovic is nowhere near it.
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45 min A quiet period. From here, both sides will probably take 0-1 at the break.
43 min Yup, change for Serbia: Mladenovic replaces Kostic.
42 min Kostic is hurt and I don’t think he’ll be able to carry on. He accepts treatment, but on the bench, a sub gets stripped.
40 min “Time to bring Phil Neville on?” wonders Tom Atkins. “The old muscle memory’s kicked in and I’m now convinced that, after a strong start and a well worked goal, England are going to bring on a workhorse defensive midfielder, start panicking and spend the next 75 minutes punting it long.”
Now that is a 90s revival we can all get behind behind which we can all get. I’d also think about using Geoff Thomas against the better teams.
38 min Rice cuts out a cross, moves forward, finds Foden, and when the ball goes inside to Bellingham, a lovely turn sees him away. Those dominant performances I asked for? Yeah, this is one, and when Gudelj clatters him, ball pretty much overrun, the ref flourishes the yellow card.
37 min Bellingham wins the ball in centrefield and Saka has a run on Pavlovic, who doesn’t have anything. A lollipop inside, a duck outside, and he’s away, the defender spread across absolute toast, and the low cross is good, but zips just behind Kane.
35 min Yup, Serbia’s sitting off was just while the game was level. They’ll have to be careful because England are useful on the counter, but getting on the ball looks a much better approach than sitting deep and hoping not to concede.
33 min Bit of Serbia possession, Mitrovic dropping deep to find Zivkovic, whose right-wing cross is a goodun … but Guehi is up really well to head clear. That, though, is what Serbia are looking to do, and England will want to stop them before it gets to that point.
32 min England are back controlling it now, but Serbia are no longer looking solely to contain.
31 min …which Alexander-Arnold curls directly into the wall.
30 min Another foul on Bellingham, another England free-kick just outside the box…
28 min “Bellingham and Foden are both clever players and it looks like they’ve been told to interchange positions as much as they want,” says Paul Ruffley, “and that freedom is looking great. As a City fan my main worry is Bellingham whispering ‘Come to Madrid, the weather’s lovely …’ in Phil’s ear.”
He’d be right, though, it is.
27 min Milenkovic and Kane are having a decent little tussle. The defender has the physical edge, but Kane has given better centre-backs the slip – and the more this one is focused on ruckus, the more vulnerable he is to losing concentration.
25 min Alexander-Arnold intercepts a poor square-pass and immediately sets Walker away! With Pavlovic huffing down his lug-hole, he barrels into the box, bum protecting ball, and might shoot . but instead he skews a cross across the face even though there’s no one up alongside him able to finish.
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23 min Serbia are coming into this now, Guehi blocking Pavlovic’s shot, but a poor pass into Saka invites further pressure. Bellingham, though, winds a throw, noising up the crowd then going chest-to -chest with Kostic, a grown-arse man 11 years his senior, because he can.
22 min Pavlovic fouls Saka and Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick is a goodun, picking out rice … who turns his back on it mid-flight, presumably to check his bearings, then can’t right himself quickly enough, the ball clipping his shoulder and flying behind.
20 min NOW THEN! A poor touch from Alexander-Arnold, then another, 25 yards out, and Zivkovic is on to him, finding Mitrovic! But from the edge, with Pickford struggling, he can only whips a low shot around the base of the near post.
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19 min Bellingham slides in to win a challenge and so does Vlahovic, who accidentally introduces forearm to phizog. Bellingham, though, doesn’t care; why would he?
17 min England continue knocking it about, the goal turning these opening minutes from alright into impressive. It’s worth noting how rare it is that the most impressive side in the group stages goes on to win the competition, but this is a decent start against dangerous opposition. I wonder, though, if we’ll see a different Serbia now, or if they’ll try and stay in the game at 0-1 then go for it in the last 30.
15 min I wouldn’t say that goal was coming – England have had a lot of the ball, but created little. Thing is, though, when you have attackers of the quality they do, chances and goals should never be far away, and if you’re inviting them to create? Good luck.
GOAL! Serbia 0-1 England (Bellingham 13)
This is so simple but very lovely. A clever pass inside the full-back from walker, Saka crosses – and looking at the replay, I think the ball was deflected – but there’s still a load of work for Bellingham to do. He moves one way, darts the other, and arrives in splendid isolation to bryanrobson a header into the far side-netting, tho-thirds of the way up! He is good at association football!
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12 min “For me (and for what it’s worth),” begins Arwel Aones, “England should be 4-3-3 with Bellingham in 8 and Foden further forward. Yes Bellingham has been great as a 10 for Madrid, but he can famously play anywhere in the middle, and England have the Premier League’s player of the year in Foden playing in the advanced role. Trent meanwhile should play where he has performed brilliantly for Liverpool: right back and joining the middle in possession. You lose Kyle Walker who’s brilliant, but you get two for one with Trent and that would have the added benefit of allowing Bellingham to roam a bit further forward in possession.”
10 min Trippier short to Walker who pumps into the box for Stones – why? – with Rice collecting on the far side of it. The ref, though, penalises the City man, and Serbia will be pretty happy with how this is going.
9 min Serbia look like they’ve practised this. They’re making very little effort to engage England until they’re within 40 yards of goal, staying in shape until forced not to. The plan, you imagine, is to win this game in moments, while defending the box like lunatics. Meantime, though, Bellingham checks, using body to protect ball and winning a free-kick off Lukic.
7 min “Very clever from Serbia to go for a 3-5-1-1 formation,” writes Aidan Ryan. “That should help on overlaps.” It should, and it might also help them defend when England double up down the flank. I’d still worry about the space outside the wide centre-backs, though – and it’s there I think Foden is seeking to attack.
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6 min I meant to do this earlier, so apologies, but how to chat about a team managed by Dragan Stoijkovic without posting this? It’s scientifically, biologically, ontologically, existentially impossible.
5 min England look confident here and here’s Foden, running off and inside Bellingham, who finds him with a lovely pass … but Foden’s touch is off.
4 min “I reckon I’ll be listening to a’ lot of Kraftwerk over the next month,” admits Simon McMahon, if only to take my mind off of the Scotland team, who were caught like rabbits in the Neon (head) Lights on Friday night. Europe(an) disappointment for Scotland? Endless.”
Using the progenitors of industrial techno to forget a 5-1 tousing by Germany? Interesting deployment of reverse psychology.
3 min Serbia have barely had a kick so far but also, they’ve barely attempted one; here we go though, Gudelj imparting boot to Saka’s ankle, and Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick is headed clear easily enough. So England beginagain.
2 min England knock it about nicely, Bellingham dropping deep and Serbia closing down space. Both sides look comfy doing what they’re doing – on which point, Foden is currently roaming all over, with Bellingham pulling left.
1 min Early controversy: the camera angle is way too high; I’m feeling White Hart Lane-levels of vertigo.
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1 min And away we go!
“And so it begins,” begins Bill Preston. “The hopes, dreams, and guttural screams. Can England do it? I’m not sure. They’ll need to perform consistently at a high level for at least two events, and the only time I’ve seen that happening lately in a football stadium is Taylor Swift playing Anfield.
Serbia will sneak a comedy opener within the quarter hour. After a half-time telling-off, England will regroup and get a stomp on to nick a couple back, then park the bus for the remaining 20 minutes.”
I can’t wait! But inviting pressure with this defence would be the most avant-garde thing Southgate has done in his life.
Obviously the Serbian anthem was also jeered. Grown adults.
“Cargo-pants pocket on the chest of England jackets,” writes Sean Orlowicz. “Cutting edge stuff from Nike. Something to keep an eye on going forward in this tournament.”
The 90s are well and truly back. Might shave my heed number one all over, save extremely long curtains at the front.
Anthem time! The Serbian fans whistle and the cameras aren’t close enough to the players for us to hear which can sing and which can’t – though I’m reliably informed Robbie Keane has a beautiful voice.
Oh man. Apparently it’s now 38 “years of hurt”. Are we … old? Or just the victims of a very elaborate hoax?
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…and here they come!
Our teams are tunnelled…
Uefa reckon it’s Vlahovic off Mitrovic, which perhaps tells us that Serbia will look to play into and off him. If he holds it up, he can then bring the wingers into play, so England will need to decide whether a defender follows him or a midfielder drops in.
Where is the game? For Serbia, it’s obvious: they’ll want to get it wide and put crosses into the box. Neither Stones nor Guéhi are dominating, and Mitrovic will fancy himself against either.
As for England, they know they might have to be patient. They’ve so many routes to goal, but against a back-five picking one can be tough; I imagine they’ll look to Foden to stretch the pitch and Bellingham to receive the ball deep, meaning Kane can hit the box. And they’ll also look to tee-up Kane – the best 12-22 yard finisher i’ve ever seen – and Alexander-Arnold for shots from the edge.
“Definitely think (like you and my friend Jeff) that Southgate is missing a trick by playing Fill (sic) Phoden on the left,” reckons Colum Fordham. “He’s clearly more dangerous coming in from the right. Saka could probably adjust to the left wing more easily. Still think it’s a shame Grealish was omitted. His creativity on the left may well be missed.
That said, we have a strong team, especially up front but the Serbs will give us a good test, I’m sure. Especially Milenkovic Savic who used to play brilliantly for Lazio, and Vlahovic. I made the mistake of booking a flight that clashes perfectly with the match so I’ll be praying I have something to look forward to when I watch the highlights! Will be reading the Guardian blog with interest when my plane lands!”
So you’re saying we’re not worth plane wifi? Dead to me.
My 10-year-old just came in as Kraftwerk were playing over a Harry Kane interview. “What’s this?!” she asked. “This is vibey!”
That has got to be Ralf Hütter’s finest hour, pipping his pioneering the genre of electronica.
“I’m with you on Bellingham,” says Andy Wood. “It felt like once he moved higher for Madrid there was this unspoken expectation he’d do the same for England. He played deeper for BVB but that said, he did roam around a LOT so I don’t know how happy that would make Southgate Not really sure what to expect tonight.”
I totally get the move: scoring goals is the hardest thing in the game, so if you’ve got someone who can do it, help them. But England have plenty of others who do it better, whereas they struggle for control – especially against big sides. I think he can help with that.
He’s got the look!
I say that because what, I think, is missing from the England midfield is those little balls around the corner that get them out and up the pitch. I might get pelters for this, I probably will, but I actually wonder if, two years from now, Rice – though a superb player – doesn’t start, because Wharton-Mainoo-Bellingham offers better balance and versatility. Of course, Wharton and Mainoo have much work to do before they get to Rice’s level, but their raw materials might just be better.
A problem Southgate has is that he has so many high-level players; it means he’s loads of options off the bench, but makes it much harder to pick the right ones to start. I’d be surprised to see tonight’s XI start the last eight match, should England make it that far – I think they might want the ball-retention of Mainoo or Wharton for that.
I ought also to have noted that Vanja Milinković-Savić, brother of Sergej, has been dropped from the Serbia goal; Predrag Rajlkovic comes in for his first international appearance in two years.
“I assume that the Guardian pays you extra for these games,” writes Charles Antaki. I mean, what more is there to say? What more emotions are there to feel, what more predictions are there to make, what sort of hopes/fears/joys are there to contemplate? I hope for your sake that you have access to some kind of football-vibe thesaurus that you can dig to when the going gets rough.
Luckily they’ve downloaded that exact volume into our brains. It’s not always helpful – shrieking “GOAL!” while ordering a pizza is sometimes frowned upon – but we exist to serve.
On Bellingham, I feel like I’m still waiting for a definitive performance in a big game. Of course he’s absolutely brilliant, and if he keeps improving we could be talking about one of the best. But I’d like a little more than I’ve seen so far, and though I totally understand why he’s been moved further forward – the same happened to Cesc Fábregas – but it means he’s less involved in the game than ideal. The first time I saw him play, I thought “Bryan Robson” and I have little higher praise to offer; but now, he’s mainly hanging about waiting for moments, when he has the skills to dominate. I guess he might move back for Madrid, now they’re getting Mbappé and Endrick, but Carlo Ancelotti recently suggested to the contrary.
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Southgate sees Alexander-Arnold as a great passing option who gives different option to the other players England have. He thinks Bellingham has found the right moments to arrive into the box and has been finishing well, so just needs to keep doing what he’s doing.
He says Serbia, meanwhile, pass it well, but also go long so are tricky opening opposition.
Back to the England XI, Fill Phoden is in the side, but off the left. I wonder a little about this, not because I wonder about Foden – I don’t the first time I saw him play at age-group level, I knew he was special – but is he England’s best left-winger? I imagine we’ll see him all over, but I’m not sure the side will be well-drilled enough to get in the rotations that’ll get the most from him. Nevertheless, though, he can do anything from anywhere, so.
“Last Euros final – watching in a bar in New York,” says Adam Bremner. “Halfway through some random guy walks in and yells ‘Soccer’s coming home!’ He was lucky to get out of there without suffering grievous bodily harm!”
Tangential I know, but the word “grievous” forces me to post one of the great underrated albums.
Trent, then. If Southgate wants Harry Kane’s goals to come via high balls, whether crosses or digs to the back post, Alexander-Arnold is the man. Other hand, the European Championships are no place to learn how to work the engine room, and though he can make a goal happen at any moment, I’d worry for England in general play if they were taking on one of the better sides with him in there.
Egland, meanwhile are as expected. Marc Guehi gets the call to partner John Stones in the absence of Harry Maguire, while alongside Declan Rice at the base of midfield, Trent Alexander-Arnold is preferred to Kobbie Mainoo, Conor Gallagher and Adam Wharton.
Serbia have some serious attacking talent in that XI. Their main man is Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, but Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksander Mitrovic are a proper and physical handful, while Filip Kostic is precisely the kind of left-winger those two need to do their thing. As such, it’s not so shocking that Dusan Tadic is on the bench, though behind them, the quality isn’t the same, but if their blanket-defence can keep England out, they’ve a very good chance of making something happen.
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Righto, I’ll write these down, then we’ll wonder what they mean.
Tonight's teams!
Serbia (3-5-1-1): Rajkovic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Milinkovic-Savic, Gudelj, Lukic, Kostic; Vlahovic; Mitrovic. Subs: Petrovic, Milinkovic-Savic V, Stojic, Maksimovic, Jovic, Tadic, Babic, Mijailovic, Ilics, Ratkov, Samardzic, Gacinovic, Spajic, Mladenovic, Birmancevic.
England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Alexander-Arnold, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane. Subs: Ramsdale, Henderson, Shaw, Konsa, Dunk, Gallagher, Toney, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Eze, Gomez, Palmer, Wharton, Mainoo.
Referee: Daniele Orsato (italy)
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Further to Jacob’s post from earlier, I can confirm that it’s been no easier for people travelling by train. With Gelsenkirchen station the main centre for people gathering before the match, there were not nearly enough buses or trans to cope with demand (though there were dozens of police vans to attend to people hiding from the rain). Literally thousands of people are walking the four-mile journey from station to the ground, most of them after a day on the beer. I have seen no trouble though.”
Damian Clarke returns: “I was in Lisbon in 2004, staying in a mate’s flat. Afternoon the penalty finish, I had maybe three hours of his neighbours throwing things at the windows, singing, dancing, and shouting ‘English aaah!’.”
Glorious, i trust you joined it? I’d not class myself as an England fan – my two last trips to Wembley internationals have been in the away end – but I was in Tarabin, Egypt at the start of the 1998 World Cup. We got ourselves into suitable nick then settled down for the decisive group game against Colombia … except, of course, they were showing Tunisia v Romania.
Good news for both of tonight’s teams: Slovenia and Denmark, the others in the group, have drawn 1-1.
“Surely ‘You could wait for a lifetime/To spend your days in the sunshine/You might as well do the white line’” are lyrics that England fans live by, judging by last Euro’s flare-associated fan, er … excesses?” wonders Nick Smith.
Ey up, The Woke Mob are in town.
Email! “Now that is a dapper chap,” says Damian Clarke. “I’ll take that picture tomorrow when I go to see my tailor, he’s called Simon, I know it’s going to fit.”
I struggle to understand much, but beige syoots are very close to the top of my unfathomable hit parade.
What funny stuff have you seen and heard watching England in tournaments? One from my own catalogue: I watched the 1998 Argentina game in Edgware’s world-famous Railway Tavern. After England lose, a friend I’d made during the course of the evening advised me he was in the mood for a rampage. “What cars do they make in Argentina?” he wondered. “Er, not many,” I replied diplomatically. “I’ll find some,” he assured me.
Anyone catch a peep at Michal Probierz, the Poland manager, earlier? As roxette were wont to declare, he’s got the look.
I wouldn’t say ITVX is the worst playback app, but it’s in the bottom one.
Our men in Gelsenkirchen:
It could be a tight squeeze for fans going to England’s game against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen this evening. I’m with Jonathan Liew and we’ve been on a tram that left our base in Essen almost 90 minutes ago. We saw an absolute mess at what appeared to be an England fan park, tipping down with rain, packed buses, huge queues, packed trams. Nobody appears to know what’s going on. It looked tense between some fans and the German police. We are now waiting for another tram to the ground. The organisation has been shocking.
Stereotype-busting work indeed.
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Currently covered for your delectation:
Preamble
There can be no country more intimately acquainted with the concept of “jam to-morrow and jam yesterday – but never jam today” – than England. Whether Brexit, trickle-down economics or celebrating devastating wars those involved ache to forget, the idea that things were better then and will be better in the future distracts people from the only thing that really exists: right expletive now.
And “right expletive now” is precisely where Gareth Southgate’s England find themselves. No longer can they feel proud of how close they’ve come before, impressing in a succession of tournaments before losing to the first semi-decent side they face; no longer can they assume that, as the squad matures, they’ll pick up a trophy at some unspecified point yet to come; rather, this nucleus and this manager either do it here, or they don’t do it at all.
So, how? Well, Noel Gallagher is no one – save Noel Gallagher’s – idea of a lyricist. But his observation that “everything that’s been has passed, the answer’s in the looking glass” is a rare slice of real talk in line with current therapeutic thinking and exactly how Southgate’s men need to attack the next few weeks. The biggest impediment to England dancing about with the Henri Delaunay four weeks today is … England.
Serbia, though, can pose a stern test. Their particular proficiency at set-pieces is a threat to a side lacking dominating centre-backs, they’ve nasty attackers, and no one expects them to do anything. But if Southgate is able to search inside himself to find his best blend – not the one that causes least controversy, or gives him most security. And if the players can remind themselves to be brave at big moments, think clearly when asked taxing questions and trust themselves to do what they feel – which they should – then they’ve as good a chance as anyone, and if they can’t, like Brexit, trickle-down economics and the aftermath of devastating wars, they’ve no chance at all. Jam: your time is now.
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