“Croatia 2-1 England” (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by bellefox rendezvous
With the domestic football season coming to a close in England, attention is being switched to the international stage. Euro 2020 is fast appearing on the horizon following last year’s unavoidable postponement.
24 of Europe’s best teams will battle for the trophy but there is a focus on England who are among the tournament favourites. Gareth Southgate’s side will enjoy home advantage in the group phase while the semi-finals and final are also scheduled to be played at Wembley Stadium.
Southgate’s Options
Having made it to the semi final of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, England have the potential to go deep into the tournament once again. Manager Southgate will be looking to claim England’s first major trophy in 55 years but, with just a few short weeks left until the Euros begin, he seems unsure of his best formation.
Naturally, a number of pundits are having their say on the situation and many feel that the coach should go back to the format that produced success in Russia. Former England midfielder Danny Murphy has said that the current team lacks creativity and that Southgate should go back to a 4-3-3 formation. For the semi final against Croatia in Russia, England went in with a 3-5-2 but Murphy acknowledged that this suited the players that Southgate had available at the time.
Murphy went on to state that the 3-4-3 used during the 2-0 defeat to Belgium in November was problematic as it was alien to many of the players. Only West Ham’s Declan Rice plays his club football using this formation.
There are many permutations to consider and the manager only has a few weeks to settle on his best option moving into the Euros.
England’s Chances
The best sportsbooks from around the digital sphere can provide clues as to how a team may perform in any tournament. In regards to Euro 2020, odds provided via sbo.net show England as narrow favourites, just ahead of reigning world champions France.
It’s tight at the top of the market with Belgium, Germany, Portugal and Spain also in contention. Italy and the Netherlands, who have both won major silverware, cannot be ruled out either. As the Euros draw closer, it’s conceivable that the odds will change and that England may become joint favourites with France and possibly Belgium.
Whatever happens, sbo.net will be on top of things and the Euro 2020 betting market will be updated to show any fluctuations. Any reader looking to get behind England or another national side should also be able to find offers and promotions which can provide added value. Along with those bonus details, there will be a choice of sportsbooks to sign up with and a choice of funding methods.
Key Personnel
It’s only been three years since Gareth Southgate guided an England team to the semi finals of a World Cup for only the third time in the nation’s history. However, since that time, a number of key players have dropped off the radar in terms of team selection.
Attacking midfielders Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard both scored in Russia but, as the 2020/21 season began, both men were out of favour at Spurs and Manchester United respectively. Tottenham’s Eric Dier has suffered a dip in form while Jordan Henderson has endured injury problems at Liverpool.
Kieran Trippier, who scored England’s solitary goal in that semi against Croatia has also been on the fringes of the squad since moving to Spain. With around half of Southgate’s first choice starting XI unavailable or unselected, the manager has needed to seek out new combinations that would best suit his current crop of players.
Many agree with Danny Murphy’s assessment of the side and would favour a 4-3-3 set up going into Euro 2020. Of those who are certain to start barring injury, captain and main striker Harry Kane will lead the line while Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford will start alongside the skipper.
The remainder of the starting XI is less certain but, while the question of personnel is up for debate, the 4-3-3 formation appears to be the best option heading into the Euros. It’s one that will get the best out of Kane and the supporting strikers while opening up the midfield and enhancing the creativity that runs through the centre of the pitch.
