England’s underwhelming 1-1 draw against Denmark has left more questions than answers, with the Three Lions yet to convince they can be contenders to win Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate’s side remain top of Group C after earning four points from their opening two matches, with the results putting them on the brink of qualifying for the last-16.
England’s performances in narrow 1-0 win over Serbia and the draw with Denmark have caused concern.
Serbia had pushed England back as they searched for an equaliser in the opening match, while Denmark was largely viewed to have been the better side in Frankfurt.
The Three Lions displays have led to calls for Southgate to make changes to his starting line-up for their final Group C clash against Slovenia next Tuesday.
You can have your say and vote in a series of Mail Sport polls on the key questions facing England.
Gareth Southgate is facing several questions after England’s underwhelming performances at Euro 2024 to date
Can Southgate turn England around?
England’s players were jeered off by their own fans after the full time whistle sounded at the Frankfurt Arena on Thursday.
The reception came despite England sitting top of Group C with four points from two games, putting them on the brink of the last-16.
Southgate admitted post-match that his team had failed to perform against Denmark.
The England boss, whose contract expires later this year, accepted responsibility for the display.
‘The team didn’t function today. That’s my responsibility, I’m in control of that,’ he said.
England were jeered off on Thursday after an underwhelming display against Denmark
‘I have to find solutions to that. The players are giving absolutely everything they have, if anything they show they care too much and it’s for me to find better solutions than we’ve shown.
‘We have to accept that to talk about today, we didn’t press the ball with enough intensity and we kept conceding possession too cheaply and when you do those two things it is hard to have control.
‘We are falling a bit short and ultimately that is my responsibility I am the manager. To achieve extraordinary things you have to go through some difficult moments.
‘We know we have had a lot of issues but we are where we are now and we have to find the best way forward. I have to lead the group in the right way, make intelligent decisions and to be better without the ball so we are not needing to defend for periods of the game like at the moment.’
After Southgate’s comments, do you believe the England manager can turn his team’s displays around?
Who should start in midfield?
England’s midfield has been a source of concern in the opening two group matches.
Southgate has put his faith in Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice against Serbia and Denmark.
The partnership has yet to flourish in Germany with the duo often appearing to have been overrun.
Alexander-Arnold has been brought off in both matches, with the Liverpool right back having started in the heart of the midfield as an ‘experiment’.
On both occasions Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher has been the man Southgate has turned to to provide energy into the midfield.
The England manager can also call upon Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton as other options to partner Declan Rice, who remains a certain starter.
Conor Gallagher has come on for Alexander-Arnold in England’s opening two matches
Is Harry Kane hurting the team?
There is no doubting Harry Kane’s status within the England squad.
The England captain remains the team’s figurehead and outstanding goalscorer, with his strike against Denmark his 64th goal in 93 caps.
Kane’s performances in the opening two matches have faced scrutiny, with some suggesting the Bayern Munich striker has been off the pace so far at Euro 2024.
The 30-year-old was substituted in the second half in Frankfurt, with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins brought on in the 69th minute to offer a threat in behind the Denmark defence.
‘We needed energy,’ Southgate said when asked about the substitution. ‘We’ve had two games in a short turnaround, we needed fresh legs, we needed energy to press and at that stage of the game. I think Harry only had the one 90 minutes in over a month, that was the decision that we took.’
Former England striker Gary Lineker claimed Kane has to ‘do a lot better’ on the BBC, while Alan Shearer suggested he needs more help and pace around him to perform in his early 30s.
Harry Kane scored against Denmark but his contribution has been critiqued by pundits
Ollie Watkins came on for Kane in the second half against Denmark and offered a threat in behind
Who should come into the Three Lions attack?
The withdrawal of Kane was part of a triple substitution made by Southgate for the closing stages against Denmark.
Jarrod Bowen made his second appearance of Euro 2024 from the bench, with Eberechi Eze also coming on alongside Watkins.
The removal of Kane, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka appeared an admission from Southgate that England’s attack has yet to function so far in Germany.
England had come into the tournament with a star studded featuring Kane, with support from Saka, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.
Pundits have called for Southgate to make changes having concluded the current set-up is failing to get the best out of England’s stars.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has advocated for Anthony Gordon to replace Foden in the starting line-up to give more energy to the attack and greater pace to support Kane.
Shearer has also suggested Gordon or Eze could come into the line-up against Slovenia. Chelsea star Cole Palmer and Brentford’s Ivan Toney represent other options, with the pair yet to be called upon in Germany.
Jarrod Bowen, left, Eberechi Eze, centre, and Watkins, right, were part of a triple change
Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon have yet to feature for England in Germany to date
Is the Trent Alexander-Arnold midfield experiment over?
One of the big selection gambles made by Southgate has been the inclusion of Alexander-Arnold in central midfield.
Speaking ahead of the tournament to ITV, Southgate expressed believe Liverpool’s right back could operate in the role.
‘We believe so. We think he can offer something we don’t have and give the team a different dimension. He’s really been diligent in understanding the role,’ Southgate said.
‘He has as good a passing range as anybody in world football. He’s been really invested in learning, understanding all aspects of the game in that role.’
Mail Sport’s ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ podcast believe the experiment should now be ended by Southgate, who has taken Alexander-Arnold off in both both matches.
Former Man United midfielder Roy Keane gave a brutal critique, insisting Alexander-Arnold has shown he is not up to the midfield role.
‘I thought it was always a huge gamble to play him, a player who doesn’t play [that position] week in, week out for his club. I know people say he drifts in there for Liverpool, but drifting into a position and starting there are different.
‘I’ve played in midfield, it’s a tough position. Physically, getting your distances… He’s come up short in the two games.
Southgate admits the decision to play Alexander-Arnold in midfield is an experiment
Are England struggling to replace Kalvin Phillips?
Gareth Southgate has provoked discussion by suggesting the Alexander-Arnold midfield experiment has come as a result of England struggling to replace Kalvin Phillips.
‘He has had some moments where he has delivered as we thought. It’s an experiment – we don’t have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips,’ Southgate said.
‘At the moment we’re not flowing as we would like.’
Phillips last appearance for his country came in November 2023.
He earned 31 caps for England and played every minute as Southgate’s side reached the final of Euro 2020.
However, he fell out of favour after barely playing for Manchester City and then struggling while on loan at West Ham.
