Can England really go all the way and take their first bit of silverware in donkey’s years? Thommo thinks they can.
During the break after the Euros 2024 semi-finals Paddy ambassador Phil Thompson’s delivered his thoughts about England’s efforts so far and why it all went so right against the Netherlands.
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Kieran Tripper or Luke Shaw?
The big question for the Final is whether Kieran Tripper will start ahead of Luke Shaw. The thing with Shaw is that they’re not sure if he can last a full 90 minutes.
There was probably a plan in place between Gareth Southgate and the coaching staff about this and in the Netherlands game they would have wanted Tripper to bed in and get themselves into the game and then bring on Luke Shaw and he’ll get 45 minutes, maybe more.
Because of the quality of Spain, especially in the wide positions, I would think that they’ll probably start the same again with Tripper starting. Then, if needs be, he’ll bring on Shaw to have more of an attacking influence.
It worked very, very well for Southgate. We don’t complain and say “Why is he playing as a left wing back instead of at right wing back. He’s a right footer.” Certainly not too many were complaining after the win over the Netherlands.
My Message to Harry Kane
Harry Kane has to get his own game in action. That’s the biggest thing. You are the captain and people look up to you, you’re the captain for a reason.
You have to make sure that even if thing are not going, or you’re not playing well you rally the troops. You keep everybody on their toes.
You have a little word here and there because you know your players. You have to have the right word at the right time, you know the ones that can take a rollicking and the one’s who can’t, you put a little bit of an arm around them, a little bit of “Come on, you, you’re better than that,” and for the other ones, “You get your finger out.”
That is where a good captain comes into it. He’s got a big responsibility. But what a responsibility it is if he can win a trophy, how good would that be?
England have to stick with Kane up front
We stick with what we’re doing. Look, Ollie Watkins has done great, Ivan Toney’s done really well too, but Kane is your leader for a reason.
I know that Harry Kane’s never had great pace but he’s a clever footballer and when he does drop back into those midfield positions, we saw it against the Netherlands and the Swiss and he was doing it because his support players weren’t providing him with balls with pace where he likes them.
So Kane retreats a big, gets the ball and swings in some brilliant crosses but then you’re looking for Harry Kane in the middle to get on the end of those balls and he obviously cannot be in two places at the same time.
At times, he’s England’s most creative player. He will start and, like against the Netherlands, he knew he’d run his course and was quite happy to come off for Ollie Watkins who has that extra pace. By Southgate’s standards, that was a very good decision.
Trent Alexander-Arnold can swing the game
There are probably seven or eight of the players who are set in stone regarding the starting XI. You can see with this England side that they’re a fantastic squad, there’s a real bond between them and they’re all happy to have their roles.
Trent Alexander-Arnold started the tournament in that midfield position and found it extremely hard and I’ve said with this side that England doesn’t need two holding midfield players, I’d rather have Trent out on the right side. But, if Southgate needs him later on in a game, needs a bit of creativity late on, then Trent’s the man.
England will give Spain plenty to think about
We’ve seen a big change with the team. He’s gone from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 which has suited everybody as it’s given the team a bit more flexibility.
Bukayo Saka has come into his own on one side and Tripper has looked good on the left and Shaw can come on there too. The change has given England what Southgate still likes to have, those two players in the centre of midfield but with the wide defenders pushing on they look far better and they’ve given the opposition teams more to think about.
SPAIN V ENGLAND BETTING TIPS
- Euro 2024 Predictions: Mark Lawrenson’s backing England with 10/1 shout in his final fancies
- Football Tips: Our tasty 12/1 treble for Spain v England Euro 2024 final
- Spain v England Predictions: Phil Thompson has a 10/1 shout among his best bets
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