Euro 2020 (in 2021)

[Prime Time]

I'm not sure I'd make a lot of changes, to be honest. I'd probably give Kane a run out here with the idea that maybe he can get himself a goal before the knockouts. But if he doesn't there, radical as it is you might have to consider dropping him (though I'm not sure I like any of the other options there and might consider a false 9).

I think the defence is going pretty well, and I don't know that I'd make any major changes there. I don't think Maguire is so much better than Mings that when the latter has the shirt and is playing well, you have to pivot back to Maguire immediately. I'd probably leave them as they are. I don't think any of the full backs have played themselves out of contention as yet either, so how you choose to start there is still quite open (maybe a run out for Chilwell at some stage?)

I think the only person I'd be dead set on giving a run out to is Jadon Sancho.

[Gooner]

I'd still pick Kane to be honest and if he's not having a great game then hook him off after 60 minutes. I just can't ignore the fact that he's arguably our only world-class player. And it only takes one goal to get him going. Furthermore, the service to him has been fairly poor (especially vs Scotland) and he did create the space for Sterling's goal against Croatia.

I would however make a few changes still

Pickford
Walker Maguire Stones Shaw
Phillips Mount
Sancho Grealish Foden
Kane


EDIT: Billy Gilmour has tested positive for COVID19 - I suspect some England players may be sweating on that as it can take a few days before a test result comes back positive. Though of course no one got near Gilmour during the game so maybe nothing to worry about! But still, joking aside, that's a hammer blow for Scotland.

[Freeman]

What do ye make of Kane lads? Has to be dropped for the next game I reckon. Far too big a risk after those two performances.

And I'm not knocking him. He doesn't often go through bad spells but when a striker is clearly out of sorts the go with someone else. Rashford and DCL provide two excellent alternatives.

He needs to mix it up I reckon. He has Bellingham, Grealish, Saka and Sancho all mad to get on the field. Would be awful shite if they messed up against Czech Rep and 6 or 7 of them didn't even get a look in.

All of this. I'd be tempted to go with this team in the next game:

Pickford

James Maguire/Mings Stones Shaw

Phillips
Bellingham Mount
Sancho Grealish
DCL

That team shouldn't lose to the Czechs, but if you're struggling you could always put Grealish in the middle and take advantage of the very productive Rashford/Shaw partnership on the left.

[Shee]

What do ye make of Kane lads? Has to be dropped for the next game I reckon. Far too big a risk after those two performances.

And I'm not knocking him. He doesn't often go through bad spells but when a striker is clearly out of sorts the go with someone else. Rashford and DCL provide two excellent alternatives.

He needs to mix it up I reckon. He has Bellingham, Grealish, Saka and Sancho all mad to get on the field. Would be awful shite if they messed up against Czech Rep and 6 or 7 of them didn't even get a look in.

[Gooner]

He doesn't appear fully fit, no. I agree, Scotland looked more likely to score.

[Freeman]

I thought Scotland looked the more likely to nick a goal actually. Bit disappointing that England only mustered up 1 shot on target with all that attacking talent in the team.

Speaking of which, Harry Kane doesn't look right to me at the moment, seems to be slowing down the attack somewhat.

[Gooner]

I agree, Croatia have just equalised, but overall the Czechs look a tidy side. Outside bet for quarters if they get through in 2nd place and play the winners of Group E.

EDIT: Well, that was a disappointing result for England, albeit somewhat expected as the nature of these games are never easy. Scotland played well, they could pull off an upset against Croatia.

[Oliver]

Obviously I have a bit of a vested interest through Soucek and Coufal, but this Czech team look like they could go a fairly long way in this tournament.

[Gooner]

Oh absolutely, it will take something special to beat that goal. Very slick from Schick!

[Freeman]

I actually forgot Rice was playing as his name didn't seem to be mentioned that much on commentary. However, I do think he's one of those players who you don't notice that much when they're playing, but once they're out of the team, you really miss him. He kinda reminds me of Carrick in that respect. Phillips was very good. Would love either of those two players at United actually. In fact, I really like that midfield trio, they seem to compliment each other really well.

Yes, goal of the tournament contender from Schick yesterday for sure.

[Oliver]

Yeah, I think credit to our midfield in our match - Mount, Phillips, and Rice worked really hard to cut the transition from midfield to forwards out all match and it shows when you look at how view touches the Croatian front 3 had all game - less than 90 in total, and a lot of those were in their own half as well. They just never got to dictate attacking play, and that led to the likes of Modric having very sterile possession.

That goal from Schick yesterday was something special. I thought he'd just lobbed him from a long way out, but there's such a massive amount of curl on the ball. It's outrageous.

[Gooner]

I actually thought we did alright considering. Foden was millimeters away from putting us one up inside 5 minutes, we never really looked like conceding and Harry Kane missed a sitter by his standards. We managed the midfield very well against a side that is all about the midfield and bar a 10-minute spell after halftime, we looked cool and composed.

From the first round of fixtures, with the exception of France vs Germany, you could argue that this would have been the fixture that was the closest to an even contest on paper. So having won that quite comfortably I think it bodes well.

As for the other games, I've only caught highlights mostly, but I did see Spain vs Sweden last night. For all their possession, they'll get found out before too long. Toothless up front. Better teams will catch them on the break.

[The Cook]

Yeah I don't think we played particularly well at all, Phillips aside. And with Scotland having lost they're going to be even more up for Friday.

Thought Italy looked very good, them and Belgium look to be teams that'll be going deep in the tournament.

[Oliver]

Kalvin Phillips looked as good as I think I've ever seen him on Sunday. Absolutely outstanding performance from him, I thought.

We didn't exactly put the rest of the teams on notice with that performance, I expect, but it was overall pretty decent. In the opening 20 or so it felt like if we scored one we'd score three, and I wouldn't be surprised to see us really nail a 20-30 minute spell at some point in the next couple of games and put a couple of chances away. That said, I thought there were a few moments where we looked a little bit disorganised at the back, and while I like Trippier I don't think it's right to have him playing at left back - basically every time he got the ball in an attacking position he had to cut back and get the ball on his right to deliver a cross, and it slowed us down.

[Freeman]

I was slating him for picking Sterling, who played well to be fair and for having 2 in form left backs in the squad, only to drop them both for a right back. Sometimes I just need to accept these people know more about football than I do.