England didn’t need to winwhich was not even too bothered by its goalless draw against Slovenia, because it certified its first place in group C without any problems, with the whole game under his control, almost by inertiabut at a distance still inappropriate to the level that the name of its footballers and its presumed status as favourite awaken, increasingly in doubt with each passing match.
The best is the first position, which took on even more, unexpected dimension throughout the afternoon. Not only did it provide a more accessible matchup in the round of 16, but it included it at the bottom of the draw. On the other hand, Spain, Germany and Portugal were already traveling beforehand. France joined them. England avoids them all until the final, as long as they are able to overcome stages while growing in their performance.
If you get it… Because it’s still going away from the team that is assumed. Not even in Southgate’s systematic and attractive repetition of the imposing-sounding offensive front made up of Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane, starters for the third consecutive day, nor in the change they introduced in the middle, Gallagher for Alexander-Arnold, did they find everything they were looking for. He did not flee from the disappointment that still haunts him.
At 25 minutes, for example, their possession was eloquent, 73 percent, but they had not shot, neither inside nor outside, apart from a goal disallowed due to an obvious offside. Until the middle, with a centered shot from Kane into the hands of Oblak, the result of a personal decision, not a collective play, he launched for the first time. A Foden foul, in the 34th minute, was the second. Nothing else. Too little for the collection of stars at his service.
Slovenia didn’t even flinch. In his rhythm, time was in his favor. The draw was a pleasant result, which propelled them to the round of 16, beyond their entire history in a major competition, regardless of the score in the other match between Serbia and Denmark. It was his mattress. A condition that allowed him to control the risks, with some sporadic attacks, like Karnicnik’s cross that put Pickford on edge.
Unprecedented in the first two meetings, Southgate suddenly turned to Cole Palmer, the young Manchester City phenomenon who signed for Chelsea a year ago and who has scored 25 goals this season, but, above all, he has something special when he receives the ball between the lines, when he gives a pass, when he sees the space… It was striking that he had not yet had a single minute in this Euro Cup, with his performance on the course. He gave it a try in the 71st minute, with some overflow, with some detail, with something more.
The coach called him and introduced him to the field to seek a reaction, in which anodyne rhythm in which England’s frustration moves from side to side. It seems like a team without a soul, with no other recourse than to try, although almost everything comes to absolutely nothing, with many passes in irrelevant areas, on no occasion, with zero ambition. Palmer’s only shot was too weak.
Before, Declan Rice’s volley briefly altered the English torpor. He went outside. But it was something. At the disappointing levels at which the current European runner-up, a shot illuminates a completely bleak panorama, even though it still remains invincible, is first in the group and can see the horizon with the calm of not seeing France, Spain, Germany or Portugal in its path. Until the final; an impossible stop at this level.
– Data sheet:
0 – England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guéhi, Trippier (Alexander-Arnold, d. 84); Rice, Gallagher; Saka (Palmer, d. 71), Bellingham, Foden (Gordon, d. 90); Kane.
0 – Slovenia: Oblak; Karnicnik, Bijol, Drkusic, Janza (Balkovec, d. 91); StojanoviÄ+, Adam Gnezda Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar (Celar, d. 86); Sporar (G. Stankovic, d. 86), Sesko (Ilicic, d. 75).
Referee: Clement Turpin (France). He gave a yellow card to the Englishmen Trippier (m. 18), Guehi (m. 68) and Foden (m. 77) and the Slovenians Janza (m. 22) and Bijol (m. 72).
Incidents: match corresponding to the third day of group C of Euro 2024, played at the Colonia Arena in front of around 43,000 spectators.
