âIâm putting it on the playersâ â Rooney & co continue England inquest
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The inquest is continuing after Englandâs dire display in their 1-1 draw with Denmark on Thursday at Euro 2024.
BBC Sport pundits Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas and Alan Shearer joined Gary Lineker to further dissect the Three Lionsâ performance.
Here is how they think Gareth Southgateâs side could improve â and you can watch the full 18-minute chat on BBC iPlayer here.
The tactics: âI donât think thereâs a planâ
England looked tactically inferior against Denmark and had fewer shots, shots on target and touches in the oppositionâs box. The Three Lions were also criticised for their negative approach and lack of pressingâŠ
Rooney: âI think it was a flat performance, there wasnât energy or balance in the team.
âIâm putting it on the players as well. If Harry Kane says he didnât know what to do after the game [thatâs a problem]. The players have to take responsibility.â
Fabregas: âIâm trying to still understand what they want to do in each game.
âSpain have a clear plan, they are aggressive. It can go right or wrong but at least you see a clear thing of what they want to do.
âEngland vary too much, I want to see more confidence when they go forward.
âI think Harry doesnât have the legs anymore to press high. You can see the other ones â Bellingham, Saka, Rice â press really high, but one person not doing it can kill the function of the whole game.â
Shearer: âWe have world-class players, itâs the managerâs job to get the best out of those players.
âFor 35 mins in the first game we saw that. Second half of the first game, no chance. And for yesterdayâs game we were awful.
âI donât think there is a plan. Thereâs a complete lack of energy, I donât know if anyone knows whether to come or to sit.â
The players: âTrent experiment hasnât workedâ
Trent Alexander-Arnold wasnât a conventional pick in the centre of midfield in this tournament and, so far, it doesnât appear to have paid off. But who should come in?âŠ
Rooney: âWhen the squad was announced I wondered where do you fit Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden into the same team, and I think thatâs shown.
âFor me [Southgate] should be playing Bellingham a little bit deeper and give Foden the freedom.
âIâd really like to see Anthony Gordon in there. I love Trent Alexander-Arnold as a player, but in midfield thereâs better options.
Shearer: âGareth is meticulous in everything heâs done. I was really surprised with his words after the game on [Kalvin] Phillips.
âI donât go along with that. Adam Whartonâs came on to the scene. Kobbie Mainooâs been that option.
âHe has experimented with Trent and that hasnât worked. That has to change for the next game.â
The manager: âThe players look confused⊠that comes from the managerâ
While Rooney believes the players have to take responsibility, Shearer says the way theyâve been playing âcomes from the managerâ. Can he now make the required changes?âŠ
Shearer: âThey look confused to me as players as to when and how to go and when they want to press the opposition.
âThat, for me, comes from the manager. In the first two games and certainly the last game, it was far too easy for the opposition.â
Fabregas: âEvery team has a gameplan. If youâre telling me the striker doesnât know what to do, thatâs a problem.
Rooney: âI think for Gareth and Steve Holland Iâm pretty sure theyâre working on a gameplan.
âGarethâs got a chance now to reassess, I hope he makes a couple of changes to get us back on the front foot.â
The preparation: âSouthgate might regretâ comments
Englandâs defeat by Iceland in their final warm-up game before Euro 2024 set alarm bells ringing for many â and those concerns have yet to be allayed. Southgateâs own admission after the defeat by Denmark that using Alexander-Arnold in midfield was an âexperimentâ hasnât helpedâŠ
Fabregas: âThe most successful coaches go into the detail. What you see yesterday with Denmark you saw a proper team. A team I see who is ready to face every game. You saw a gameplan.
âIf you donât go into the details, nowadays everyone is so good and ready that the line is very thin.
âIf itâs well planned and you have the principles, you can do it. But obviously there is something wrong.â
Rooney: âYou canât go into a major tournament and say youâre experimenting. That is a strong word to say.
âIf England donât go far in this competition, [Southgate] might regret that.â
The lack of experience: âYou need voices⊠I wouldâve taken Hendersonâ
Despite a difficult season which started in the Saudi Pro League and ended with Ajax, Jordan Henderson was a surprise omission from the squad, having featured heavily throughout Southgateâs tenure. Have England missed his experience?âŠ
Rooney: âThereâs a lack of experience in the team and voices, you need voices behind. I would have taken Jordan Henderson, heâs a voice.
âThe lack of experience, for young players, especially when you go a goal up, you panic.â
Shearer: âEven in the first game, when we scored the first goal automatically we sat back. We didnât play too well the other day but when we scored the exact same thing happened.â