Euro 2024 column: Assessing England's midfield quandary

Denmark's draw in the early kick-off against Slovenia means it would take a dramatic and unwanted meltdown for Gareth Southgate's side not to qualify from this point.

Victory over the Danes on Thursday, which looks entirely possible on matchday one's evidence, and England will be home and hosed.

In the inquest of England's meek second-half performance, it can be lost that they did actually win the game. The area of the pitch everyone was most concerned about, the defence, stood firm and did not bow to Serbian pressure.

If you were Southgate, would you make changes? I think Trent Alexander-Arnold's position is perhaps the only one under threat.

We wrote on Tuesday that Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden's performances on Sunday were a further endorsement for them to play together in midfield. But, in reality, it would be incredibly bold for Southgate to change policy after one underwhelming, but victorious, match.

Alexander-Arnold is England's best passer. He has fantastic range and quality with the ball at his feet. I don't think he's as poor defensively as many make out either.

Where he falls down is a lack of familiarity at receiving the ball with his back to play. He has the technique to play in midfield but it's a very different skill playing around corners and withstanding pressure with your back to play. He is used to receiving the ball with the pitch in front of him.

Over time, I'm sure he will become more accustomed, particularly if Arne Slot sees a future for him in the middle too. What is in the Liverpool's man's favour is the other options are unproven.

Connor Gallagher seems to have assumed the 'Jordan Henderson' role in the squad. Useful, sometimes effective but unsexy. Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton are untested, though the skillset of the latter would undoubtedly benefit the national team.

My gut feeling is that as the opposition difficulty ramps up, so will Southgate's pragmatic urges. Gallagher will eventually oust Alexander-Arnold but perhaps for the knock-out rounds.

At left-back, I think Kieran Trippier will stay put despite his attacking limitations. Luke Shaw might get 20 minutes, depending on the game state, and then start the final match if England are already guaranteed qualification.

Denmark's 3-5-2 could offer more space for England in the wide areas, coupled with the fact that a defeat would leave them sweating on their place in the knock-out rounds.

So I think Southgate will hold fire on the changes. Same again, lads, but with one eye on what might follow if England show similar patterns in their performance.

Euro View - Dan Barnes

Scotland’s tournament might have got off to the worst possible start but don’t write off Steve Clarke’s side just yet.

Kicking off the group campaign against hosts Germany was always going to be tough, but fans were hoping to see a lot more fight than the 5-1 drubbing served up at the Allianz Arena.

Things got off to a bad start and when Ryan Porteous was sent off for a reckless lunge on Ilkay Gundogan on the stroke of half time, it became clear that a big score was on the cards.

However, the Scots proved in qualifying that they have what it takes to win matches and, on paper, there is no reason why they can’t beat Switzerland and Hungary to book their place in the knockout rounds.

Switzerland got off to a winning start against Hungary over the weekend thanks to goals from Kwadwo Duah, Michael Aebischer and Breel Embolo.

Barring a spell in the second half when Hungary got themselves back in the contest, it was a promising display from Murat Yakin’s side, who looked well-drilled at both ends of the pitch.

They might lack depth compared to the bigger nations, but there are certainly matchwinners in the squad. Premier League fans will be familiar with Manuel Akanji, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, while Yann Sommer has a wealth of experience at club level and on the international stage.

Scotland have had a few days to dwell on their drubbing against the Germans but they must put it out of their minds when they step over the white line tonight.

Victory would set up a massive clash with Hungary and, of course, the Swiss still have to face Germany. However, defeat would almost certainly end the Tartan Army’s hopes of finally making it past the group stage.

TV View – Marc Iles

Andros Townsend has been the clear TV winner after the first round of Euro 2024 games.

Clearly, at the point of his playing career where he is considering what comes next, he hasn’t phoned a single co-commentary in since the start of the competition and his solid research shines through.

It is very, very difficult to get through on charisma alone, and Ally McCoist is one of the few who manages to make most games watchable, simply because it sounds like he enjoys his job.

But there is another level to it all, and Townsend has been well ahead of every commentator – even the old campaigner Clive Tyldesley – when it comes to spotting infringements, explaining refereeing decisions and tactical nuances, which only comes with the eye of a recent professional.

You want a co-commentator to offer you something that either hasn’t already been described, or something he is more qualified to say, and on both of those fronts, Townsend has been a refreshing addition.

And in that same vein, Christina Unkel is the strict school ma’am that I didn’t know football needed, rising to absolutely zero bait when discussing a nonsensical Belgian handball in the build-up to Romelu Lukaku’s second disallowed goal the other night.

No waffle, no fence-sitting, no trying to sneak extra screen time with funny asides or jokey remarks, here’s the rule – like it or lump it.

You will never convince me that VAR in its current form is good for the game, or more importantly spectators, but between Unkel’s no-nonsense approach and the semi-automated offsides, there have been a few timely wins for the system so far.

Do I think a snickometer will catch on? Sadly not. That will go the same way as the little robot cars that used to deliver the match-ball before kick-off.