Gareth Southgate welcomes back to England Sam Johnstone, the custodian from Crystal Palace, and Lewis Dunk, the defender from West Ham United. Along with the debuts of Chelsea’s Eddie Nketiah and Levi Colwill, there’s also the injury withdrawal of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka. Nevertheless, Arsenal star Bukayo Saka had to make due without Gareth Southgate.
Ollie Watkins and Harry Kane will be in attack, while Jude Bellingham, James Maddison, and Declan Rice will form a midfield trio. This article will cover the starting lineups for the England and Australia national football teams.
Protectors
It is the duty of the defenders on the England national football team to protect their goal and prevent goals from being scored by opponents. It’s not an easy assignment; players have to be physically fit enough to predict opponents’ movements swiftly and coordinated enough to regain shape when threatened; if they don’t, they run the risk of giving up crucial ground and giving opponents momentum.
Playing with speed and winning possession in opposing territory are key components of the defensive approach employed by the England National Football Team. To counterattack rapidly, they must swiftly read their opponents, which necessitates effective defence team communication.
With a strong roster and a strategy developed over six years, Gareth Southgate’s England team is one of the favourites to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They could be prevented from winning this tournament, though, by a number of challenges.
Due to their propensity for giving up the ball in midfield and their inability to effectively attack opposition opponents, England has found it difficult to play with aggression. Changing their gameplay to be more strategically orientated would be one way to get around this problem.
Defenders also need to be at ease while in control and pose a threat from above. Additionally, they must to be able to assist an attacking transition through passes and defend against adversaries.
England’s national football team needs depth at various areas, while having some young, skilled players. This is especially clear in Southgate’s central defence, where he has to identify a worthy successor for Harry Maguire before Euro 2024. His ability to efficiently occupy space during defence and his supremacy in the air will be missed.
Players who can readily transition between roles—especially those who can overlap and cross—will probably be selected by Southgate. Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell are two versatile defenders that he has demonstrated a fondness for, but their injury histories mean they are unlikely to make the team. Lewis Dunk of Brighton might get an opportunity since he can play a variety of defensive positions thanks to his versatility.
Midfielders
In the match against Australia at Wembley Stadium, Gareth Southgate will start an experimental England team. This will allow him to evaluate a number of fringe players, including West Ham United wide-forward Jarrod Bowen and AC Milan midfielder Fikayo Tomori, who are both expected to make their debuts for their countries, along with Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal and Levi Colwill of Chelsea.
In order to defend the defence and thwart Australia’s attacks, Massimo Luongo and Keanu Baccus will probably play together in central midfield. Awer Mabil and Martin Boyle should supply speed from either wing, while Jackson Irvine, who shone for Grasshopper the previous week, should offer creative outlets.
Though Marc Guehi, Lewis Dunk, and Kieran Trippier might all play, Southgate may choose to start Harry Maguire and John Stones of Manchester City at centre back.
With two strikers and a defensive midfielder at each end of the pitch to begin the match, Southgate might choose to start his team in the 3-5-2 formation that was so successful against Russia. With this, England should have adequate midfield balance to properly manage the game.
Jack Grealish of West Ham should be given the opportunity to play on the left side of the attack, and Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa might replace Harry Kane up front.
Even though they played poorly, England defeated Australia 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday night. In their match against Italy in four days, England will look to get better; they must play with greater urgency and tempo in the final third and more clinicality when finishing possibilities present themselves. Despite this poor performance, England should win this encounter because they are a superior team. England should also win the next time they play Italy because a better team will probably win than Australia. James Maddison and Ollie Watkins showed promise, but they might struggle more when regulars return to the squad.
Moving Forward
Gareth Southgate now has to pick his center-forwards wisely, when England used to have a lot of options. Although he depends a lot on a select few players, they are all in fine form and are in skilled hands.
England might win their first major tournament since 1956 under the leadership of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, and Jude Bellingham. But, their coach will have to make sure all of his forwards have the platforms they need to succeed in Qatar.
According to IFFHS, England is presently ranked fourth. Their exceptional defensive strategy and potent offensive arsenal are equally responsible for this accomplishment. England, one of the few teams in Europe that scores goals on a regular basis, has evolved a successful strategy that consists of rapid counterattacks, long passes, and dribbles, all of which frequently create space for crosses or forward runs.
With their ability to counterattack, England can generate large interlinear distance and create a significant amount of space in the defensive systems of their opponents. Additionally, their wing backs take on more advanced positions while their defenders maintain control over midfield zones.
But because of their inferior ball retention and movement when in possession of the ball compared to their opponents, England’s attackers aren’t as proficient at scoring goals in the final third as those on other European national teams. This might be the result of having less shooting accuracy than forwards from other countries, who are more adept at moving with the ball when in control.
Since England lacks a number 10 who can serve as a liaison between the offence and defence, they frequently rely on their wingers to undertake this duty.
Another England striker who might be a serious threat at Euro 2024 is Eddie Nketiah. Despite his lack of production, he is still a threat because of his ability to run into the penalty area and finish well.
Goalie
The England national football team’s goalkeepers need to have confidence in their ability to convert penalty kicks because they will probably face Switzerland in a shootout during their quarterfinal Euro 2024 match. After losing all three of their group matches in this year’s competition, Gareth Southgate will want his team to leave a lasting impression.
Jordan Pickford is one of the many accomplished goalkeepers that England is fortunate to have. This season, he has been outstanding at Everton. Pickford is without a doubt the best custodian in England. He is a strong presence with the physical prowess and technical skill needed to make saves.
At Rangers, Jack Butland has just lately emerged as a reliable goalkeeping option. This season, he has had an incredible season thus far. Jack is a strong runner who can offer more defensive depth. When England is selected to lead the country into battle on defence, these attributes may prove to be crucial.
Another elite stopper is Manchester City’s John Stones. John is their defence captain and can play centre back when needed. He is strong with the ball and can take a game on his shoulders.
Michael Keane, a defender for Everton, is another seasoned player who can play left or centre back and also provide attacking alternatives off the bench. England will greatly benefit from his versatility.
Sam Johnstone received an invitation to the senior England squad in recognition of his excellent play for Burnley this season. He has been in incredible form, so it’s likely that he will play.
Newcastle United’s Kieran Trippier, who has had a poor season at St James’ Park, might be more comfortable playing left back than right. Although they would serve left back positions better in this competition, he is excellent at set pieces and right-sided play. Cole Palmer of Manchester City was a vital element of their team this season due to his work ethic and commitment; Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, and Jordan Henderson might also be viable possibilities at wingsback. His removal is more surprising.
