Deadly Israeli airstrikes pound Gaza as Doha talks raise hopes for ceasefire    Egypt accelerates coastal protection projects amid rising climate threats    Egypt's PM calls Israeli war on Gaza 'most dangerous crisis' at BRICS summit    Egypt's FinMin urges BRICS to support debt sustainability    Egypt's gold prices up on July 6th    Venezuela vows to uphold sovereignty on 214th independence anniversary    ADIB Egypt publishes second sustainability report for 2024    Egypt, Saudi FMs discuss Gaza truce, Iran-Israel tensions    Over 215,000 projects funded under Mashrouak, exceeding EGP 33bn in May: Minister    Egypt, Norway hold informal talks ahead of global plastic treaty negotiations    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    UN conference cites Egypt's 'NWFE' programme as model for development finance    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    China's factory output expands in June '25    Philip Morris Misr announces new price list effective 1 July    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger    Egypt's FM, China's Wang discuss Iran-Israel escalation    Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed to Q4    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's EDA joins high-level Africa-Europe medicines regulatory talks    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Southgate's formation headache causing problems for England
Published in Ahram Online on 12 - 10 - 2019

England's first tournament qualifying defeat in 10 years on Friday was not a cause for panic but the uncertainty over their best formation has given manager Gareth Southgate plenty to ponder ahead of Monday's Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria.
Top of Group A with a far superior goal difference despite the 2-1 defeat away to the Czech Republic, England are still set to reach their sixth straight finals but any success at next year's tournament could come down to resolving tactical flaws.
During England's World Cup campaign last year, Southgate deployed a 3-5-2 system to great acclaim as his team conceded just four goals en route to the semi-finals in Russia.
However, partly to accommodate England's attacking talent, Southgate has evolved his formation into 4-3-3, modifying that further against the Czechs by playing Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho and Mason Mount together from the start.
The problem for England in a lacklustre first-half display in Prague was the lack of a link in midfield, with holding midfielders Declan Rice and Jordan Henderson crowded out and unable to provide service to their four-man attack.
"They're having no impact on the game," former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane said at halftime with the teams level at 1-1 after Harry Kane had put England ahead with a fifth-minute penalty that was cancelled out by Jakub Brabec.
Defenders Michael Keane and Harry Maguire were forced to make more passes with fewer options and that often resulted in long balls being easily dealt with by the Czechs, with England's switch to 4-3-3 in the second half also proving ineffective.
The Czechs still looked dangeours and grabbed a late winner through 30-year-old substitute Zdenek Ondrasek on his debut.
System Change
So should Southgate revert to a 3-5-2 system against the group's bottom side Bulgaria? Defensively England have looked much more vulnerable since the formation switch, having conceded three goals in a 5-3 win at home to Kosovo last month.
Czech Republic had 17 shots in Prague, the most England have faced in a qualifying match since March 2013.
Southgate can either still try to fit Kane, Sancho, Sterling and Mount -- not to mention Marcus Rashford and Callum Hudson-Odoi -- into the same team or sacrifice some of those players to bring solidity to England's formation once more.
If the manager feels he does not have the right players, especially in midfield, to deploy a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 shape, bringing in Liverpool Trent Alexander-Arnold and Leicester City's Ben Chilwell as wing backs looks a viable option.
Alexander-Arnold had more assists (12) than any defender in a Premier League season in 2018/19 and only Manchester City's Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has created more chances in the current campaign, while Chilwell has played a crucial role in Leicester City's impressive start to the season.
This change would allow Southgate to deploy three centre-backs again, while giving England an extra attacking dimension.
"We've always maintained that there's a lot of work to be done to be a really top team," he said after Friday's loss.
"We didn't look any more solid, and we were poor at using the ball in the first half.
"We collectively have to accept the result but, of course, as the manager then I have got to accept that as well."
The performance against Bulgaria, with a system that ensures England do not look vulnerable at the back while retaining their attacking threat, is now as important as the result.
England remain on the brink of qualification for Euro 2020 but, with just two competitive games left after Monday's clash, time is running out for Southgate to find a tactical formula that could bring success at next year's tournament.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)


Clic here to read the story from its source.