SIX WAYS GARETH SOUTHGATE AND ENGLAND WERE TACTICALLY OUTFOXED BY SLOVAKIA – AND HOW IT TURNED AROUND
England’s last-16 tie against Slovakia promised a fresh start but the imbalance and tactical problems of the group stage continued in a shambolic first 45 minutes.
Gareth Southgate decided to make just one change to his team, with Kobbie Mainoo replacing Conor Gallagher in midfield, but saw his team fall behind after 25 minutes to Ivan Schranz’s goal.
Once again, England build-up play from the back was laborious. They struggled to play through or around Slovakia’s early pressure before struggling to break down a deeper defence later in the half.
Much to the surprise of England fans everywhere, Southgate decided against making any half-time substitutions. Following the late introduction of Ivan Toney, Jude Bellingham scored a spectacular overhead kick to save England from defeat before Harry Kane scored the winner in extra time.
This was how Slovakia outmanoeuvred England in a first-half performance that prompted unwelcome memories of Iceland 2016, before England scrapped their way out of a tight corner.
Targeting Kyle Walker
It was a clear tactic from the Slovakians in the first half an hour - every time they got on the ball they looked to attack down their left flank to get behind Kyle Walker. The Manchester City right-back is considered among the best one-on-one defenders in his position, so the best route was to bypass him. When he broke forward himself, Slovakia exploited the space behind him and created chances, with one needing a brave block from Marc Guehi to save a goal. They also looked for reverse balls inside Walker to Lukáš Haraslín towards goal. When playmaker Stanislav Lobotka was facing the other direction, he would turn and switch play to Walker’s flank.
Centre-back communication
Harry Maguire’s presence is sorely missed in big matches like this. He is a talker and organiser of a back line and would have made a difference in the first half when Gareth Southgate’s defenders were getting dragged around. Guehi was England’s best player in the group stages but he is not a shouter. Communication with John Stones seemed to be an issue for Ivan Schranz’s goal, with both jumping for the same ball in the build-up. Guehi’s early booking did not help for his one-on-ones.
Failing to beat Slovakia’s press
Slovakia were bold in the early stages of the match, pressing high with a Jurgen Klopp-style 4-3-3. Their three forwards and three midfielders formed a tight block of six that England struggled to play through. With England building with an orthodox back four stretched across the pitch and Declan Rice and Mainoo in front, it was a numerical match of six vs six plus Jordan Pickford as the spare man.
England have not been very creative in their positioning of Pickford throughout the tournament, so were unable to utilise him as the extra player who could attract one of the Slovakia front six. Instead, Slovakia encouraged the ball to be played wide to Walker or Trippier before pressuring them with their nearest number eight, locking on man-to-man.
The risk Slovakia took in these moments was leaving the pockets of space around deep-lying midfielder Stanislav Lobotka. Ukraine managed to manipulate Slovakia’s press and pop up behind their midfield, but England could not manage it. There were little to no third-man runs or counter-movements, and England were all too easily trapped.
There were occasions such as below when there was room for Foden or Bellingham to appear behind Slovakia’s midfield, but England’s lack of ball progression prevented them from being found.
Letting Kieran Trippier have the ball
England’s opponents know that they struggle to move the ball down their left flank and so funnel their build-up play to that side. Slovakia showed Trippier the ultimate in professional disrespect by deciding that he was the England player they were happy to have the ball. Time and again, England attacks slowed at Trippier’s feet as he turned back inside. In the second half, Southgate turned to Bukayo Saka as the solution to a left-sided problem that echoes the late Nineties and early Noughties.
Soaking up England’s aimless crosses
After executing an impressive pressing strategy early in the game, Slovakia grew more comfortable sitting in and defending their penalty box. England lacked natural width and most of their crosses, bar one that was headed wide by Harry Kane, were repelled by a wall of blue shirts. Somewhat ironic then that England’s two goals, when they came, were created by putting the ball in the mixer. The result was adequate on this occasion, but at 0-1 England looked short of ideas for long periods.
Failing to make subs
Unlike the last match against Slovenia, Southgate resisted making half-time changes. He may have looked at the last 10 minutes of the first half and saw that Slovakia sat right back and tried to defend their lead. England were getting back into the game and enjoyed their best period of the match - but it was still a half where they failed to get a shot on target and freshening up the attack was an option. It could be argued that Phil Foden had a goal disallowed early in the second half, so attacking was not the problem. Yet the likes of Cole Palmer or Anthony Gordon would have provided a different angle of attack. In the end, it was the Slovakians who made the first changes of the game, even if Toney’s introduction late would prove a positive Southgate change.
How the game turned around...
Two up top
England had played 360-plus minutes of the Euros before Southgate decided to play two strikers. It was a Hail Mary that worked for him, as Ivan Toney’s presence had a hand in Jude Bellingham’s equaliser, creating space behind him. The Brentford striker then set up Harry Kane’s extra-time goal with a well-directed header to the far post. There is surely a case for Southgate to start with two strikers for the quarter-finals. It would allow Kane to operate in a free role and have an attacker on the shoulder of the last Swiss defender.
Switch to left-back
It was not a change Southgate wanted to make but Trippier’s calf injury flaring up meant he was forced into a change at left-back. Trippier, playing on the opposite flank to his usual right-back position, has been cutting back onto his right foot, which has been an issue attacking. England looked much more attacking when Bukayo Saka went to full-back. They had no choice as they had to attack at that point. Eberechi Eze filled in there during extra time. Should Trippier fail to make the quarter-finals, there is the option of Ezri Konsa or Joe Gomez to step in. Saka admitted last week he was not the long-term solution.
2024-06-30T17:43:07Z dg43tfdfdgfd