England can’t win any titles unless they fix these three things | OneFootball

England slumped to their first loss in the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League on Thursday evening as Greece stunned Wembley Stadium for their first win in ten outings against the Three Lions.

A stoppage-time winner from Vangelis Pavlidis rendered Jude Bellingham’s late equaliser irrelevant, inspiring the Greeks to an unexpected 2-1 victory in London.

It was England’s first defeat under interim boss Lee Carsley following back-to-back 2-0 triumphs against the Republic of Ireland and Finland in September.

With only the group’s top-placed team earning automatic promotion to League A, the 2024 European Championship runners-up must now play catch-up to return to the competition’s highest tier.

However, it’s the least of Carsley’s problems.

England’s performance against Greece resembled the team’s showings down the final stretch of Gareth Southgate’s tenure, reinforcing fans’ fears over this team’s notorious inability to win trophies.

After two consecutive heartbreaks in the Euro finals, Southgate stepped down from his position in mid-July, with Carsley temporarily assuming the reins.

Carsley’s first two games in charge offered England fans a false perspective, making them believe his free-flowing football would be a refreshing upgrade on Southgate’s cautious approach.

But his latest audition for the permanent role didn’t go to plan.

All the same, only names have changed

England’s exciting displays in September were perhaps a mere illusion, fuelled by a familiar ‘new manager bounce’.

Last night’s performance was a carbon copy of the Three Lions’ emblematic havoc in the final third that marred a large part of Southgate’s reign.

Expressing his own dismay at the result and the team’s overall showing, Carsley assumed responsibility for another underwhelming outcome after the match.

But with the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying around the corner, now’s not the time for pointing fingers and searching for culprits but finding solutions.

Barring an epic upset, England should be on the list of passengers for the North American showpiece two years from now, likely carrying a tag as one of the hottest tournament favourites.

However, the Three Lions have not taken to their role as the ‘leading title contenders’ at recent major international tournaments.

The quality has always been there, but what’s lacking is spirit and zest, and Thursday night was the latest evidence.

If things are going to change, three key issues must be addressed.

Tactical overhaul mandatory

Despite having Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke at his disposal, Carsley decided to field a strikerless line-up against Greece, though he must have known the visitors would sit deep.

He tried to confuse the well-organised opponents with an odd starting XI, featuring Jude Bellingham as a false nine, supported by Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon on the wings.

His tactical surprise failed to bear fruit as England produced just one shot on target in the first half and added only one more after the break, and it was Bellingham’s strike to make it all square.

At the same time, Carsley’s midfield, packed with attackers, proved vulnerable to Greece’s deadly counters, allowing Ivan Jovanovic’s side countless chances to threaten Jordan Pickford on the break.

Playing Cole Plamer next to Declan Rice in the double pivot was a mistake. And the Greeks made England pay dearly, splitting the lines with simple passes, aware of the former’s defensive shortcomings.

Carsley probably wanted to impress the home crowd with an eye-pleasing football. But he perhaps didn’t realise it would come at the expense of a much-required balance between attack and defence.

It seems like complacency ensuing after the previous results clouded his judgement.

England must be freed of Southgate’s shackles

During his time in charge, Southgate had a self-destructive habit of calling upon players he trusted based on their previous exploits, regardless of their ongoing struggles.

Carsley or his potential successor would be well-advised not to follow in the 54-year-old’s footsteps.

For instance, Gordon fared well during September’s international break.

However, his form for Newcastle United has recently been in freefall, as most recently witnessed by a missed penalty against Everton.

By contrast, Watkins and Solanke are thriving in their clubs.

For some reason, both were on the bench, even though England lacked a robust centre-forward to wreak havoc on Greece’s low defensive block.

These unfathomable choices highlight a puzzling lack of courage to revamp Southgate’s detrimental tactical and personnel decisions.

Rest overused stars for once

In times of upheaval among football players over a congested fixture schedule, uninspiring Nations League duties only add to the sense of frustration, with many people questioning the value of these additional matches amid an already overwhelming workload.

With the new Champions League format putting a further squeeze on club football, the last thing players need is another near-meaningless competition to push their fitness limits.

However, no one stays immune to a national team call-up, even though the added strain could imperil their club form and long-term fitness.

The prestige of representing one’s country still carries significant weight, even as the physical and mental toll continues to mount.

That’s where international coaches, including Carsley or whoever will be in charge of England before World Cup qualifying kicks off, must step in.

At the end of the day, thoughtful squad rotation and strategic selections would likely pay dividends in the long run, even if they come at the expense of momentary results in senseless competitions.

Who knows, perhaps these changes will boost the efficiency of first-team pillars, produce new stars and help England on their path to a long-awaited trophy.