Nobody can convince me that this alternative England team v Spain wouldn’t have done better | OneFootball

When Gareth Southgate picked his England team v Spain, we know one thing for absolutely sure.

That is, the England boss picked a side to try and not lose the match, rather than a team to try and win it.

How do we know this?

Well, Gareth Southgate is a creature of habit, we knew what was coming, this is what he has done pretty much all tournament.

If he was so afraid of what Slovenia or Slovakia in earlier matches might do, what did you honestly think would happen with his England team v Spain?

Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Shaw, Mainoo, Rice, Saka, Bellingham, Foden, Kane

The thing is, the Gareth Southgate media fan club would claim that the England manager was setting things up sensibly when in reality it was the exact opposite of that. With this England team v Spain and especially then with his game plan on top of that, Southgate is just basically sending his team out with a case of when they concede the first goal, not if.

In all three previous rounds, Gareth Southgate did exactly the same and invited Slovakia, Switzerland, and Holland to all score first, which of course they did. The England manager only saved in those games thanks to a combination of sheer luck, an individual showing a moment of quality, plus of course the fact these teams were poor to average quality.

On Sunday night, England had only 34.9% possession, so why is anybody surprised that they got beat.

Possession isn’t everything but it is most times a pretty good indicator especially when it is so overwhelming.

In all four tournaments, as soon as Gareth Southgate’s England team has come up against decent quality opposition, they have gone very defensive, surrendered control of the game to the opposition, and lost.

2018 World Cup semi-final

England 1 Croatia 2 and England 44.0% possession

2020 European Championships final (played summer 2021)

England 1 Italy 1 (Italy won 3-2 on penalties) and England 34.4% possession

2022 World Cup quarter-final

France 2 England 1 and England 42.8% possession

2024 European Championships final

England 1 Spain 2 and 34.9% England possession

The safest option last night would have been in Gareth Southgate had selected an England team v Spain to press and attack, with pace in forward areas.

Just look at when (as usual) England had gone behind and when eventually Southgate had a number of subs on the pitch, especially Watkins and Palmer, then when for five minutes or so they actually did this, high press and attacking, the Spain defence suddenly looked vulnerable and of course, England scored. Only for seemingly Southgate to hoy the brakes back on and England retreat, going for the 1-1 and penalties.

Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Gordon, Saka, Rice, Bellingham, Foden, Palmer, Watkins

What Southgate did last night, simply guaranteed defeat and indeed, England were very lucky not to lose by three or more.

My suggestion would have been to have Walker, Stones, and Guehi as the three main defenders, then Gordon and Saka as wing-backs, both of them well capable of doing that job up and down the pitch.

Get the plodding Kane off and have Watkins defend from the front, leading a high press as Morata did so well for Spain.

Then get Foden and Palmer in the middle of the pitch with Rice and Bellingham.

Hassle the Spain defence from kick-off, not just for the five minutes or so last night that helped produce the goal.

Would it have made England more vulnerable? Who knows.

What I do know for sure is that it would have made Spain more vulnerable!

Teams like Slovakia and Slovenia, as well as almost every other side, have shown more attacking intent than England in this tournament.

I could understand it to at least some extent Southgate doing what he has done if say England had the players that Scotland has, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The England midfield and attack, in particular, is full of players who turn out for high-level club sides that pretty much all play high-pressing attacking football. They aren’t playing in the Scottish pub league, or making up the numbers in another better-quality league.