5 things England must do differently in Euro 2024 knockouts | OneFootball

England are through to the knockout stages at Euro 2024. Perhaps it'd be best if we just leave it there.

The Three Lions have emphatically failed to live up to their reputation as pre-tournament favourites and limped through as group winners after an uninspired 0-0 draw with Slovenia on the final matchday.

This can't continue in the knockout stages, so here are five things England need to fix.

Kane is yet to start firing / Franco Arland/GettyImages

Gareth Southgate has thrown his biggest names into his attacking lineup, but questions have rightly been asked over just how they fit together.

Captain Harry Kane has become the latest scapegoat for England's struggles, and while his difficulties are at the heart of England's issues, the Bayern Munich striker is not solely to blame as those around him - namely Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham - have failed to find a way to co-exist.

Kane is dropping deep to try and make space for runners in behind him, but he's instead finding himself in a log-jam in midfield as nobody is making the moves he needs. Something needs to change once the competition ramps up.

Tough team decisions

Southgate is under pressure to change his team / Richard Pelham/GettyImages

A tactical tweak may bring the required movement, but Southgate may even need to go as far as making a bold change to his lineup.

Perhaps Foden isn't the right man to start on the left, where Anthony Gordon is ready to bring some natural wide play. Ebere Eze is also a candidate, as is West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen over on the right. These aren't the same superstar names, but they might be the best fit for this current England squad.

The risk for Southgate is obviously enormous. Dropping Foden, Bellingham or Saka for a knockout match at the European Championships is effectively career suicide if it backfires, but if things work it, it could be the reminder that links between Southgate and the Manchester United job may not have been as crazy as they seemed.

Figure out the midfield balance

Who starts alongside Rice? / Alex Grimm/GettyImages

This is probably the most obvious one. With Jordan Henderson and the seemingly irreplacable Kalvin Phillips both left at home, England have rocked up to the Euros trying to play matchmaker in midfield. Declan Rice is one of the first names on the team sheet, but who starts alongside him?

Trent Alexander-Arnold didn't work - whether that's the fault of the Liverpool man or Southgate's tactics is a debate for another day - while Chelsea's Conor Gallagher hardly improved things against Slovenia.

Kobbie Mainoo probably did enough off the bench to earn a start in the next round, while Adam Wharton continues to wait for his opportunity to shine.

Learn how to press

England need more energy in the final third / Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/GettyImages

You don't get to make many tactical errors in tournament football, and so Kane's admission that England do not actually know how to press teams properly after the draw with Denmark came as a real concern.

Simply put, that's not acceptable. England have played this system for a while now, and so to not know how to press defenders speaks volumes of the level of preparation they achieved heading into the tournament.

You can get away with sloppy moments against the likes of Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia, but when France, Italy, Spain or Germany come calling, England cannot afford to be so clueless.

Show more ambition

Southgate is attracting plenty of frustration / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

England were sometimes their own worst enemies in the group stage as they invited pressure after taking the lead.

Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag publicly questioned Southgate and England's determination to sit back and protect 1-0 leads which, considering they haven't proven to be particularly good at doing so anyway, is a fair criticism of the Three Lions.

Sure, there are times when you don't need to throw everyone forwards all the time, but it's a question of reading the game. If England are on top when they score, the best form of defence may actually be the search for another goal.