Whatever the make-up of Gareth Southgate’s England starting line-up against Croatia on Sunday, there will be few surprises within the squad.
The clamour for Jack Grealish to start among the England supporters is likely to be unfulfilled, with Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland admitting the shape of the team and the personnel have been known for some time.
Holland, sharing his thoughts with the media before the opening match of the tournament in Rome, hinted at a conservative selection in the early matches with the emphasis on not conceding. Reading the tea leaves a familiar line-up begins to take shape with Harry Kane flanked by Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford up front, and Mason Mount the link with the defensive midfield shield of Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips.
A central defensive pairing of John Stones and Tyrone Mings is likely with Kyle Walker at right back and Luke Shaw battling it out with Ben Chilwell for the left-back berth.
For those desperate for a sprinkling of Grealish, Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho and Buyako Saka, Holland pointed out that the team that finishes a tournament is rarely the same as the one that starts it and that England were determined to make liberal use of the five substitutions allowed.
“In the end you hope that you make the right choices, but we are very clear on the direction of travel for Sunday,” Holland said. “Gareth is the guy that has to accept the full responsibility, he knows what comes with that and he makes the final call. But I’m eight years with Gareth now. Very rarely are we a million miles apart.”
Noting the bold predictions of some of the players in what is the second youngest squad in the tournament after Turkey, 13 of whom have yet to play a senior international tournament, Holland was keen to play down the idea that England might invert the course of history at the flick of a switch.
“I am 51 and, before Russia, I have seen England in two semis in 50 years. We get optimistic. It is what we do. It is a good way to be. [But] there is a reality check there. We have not managed in my 50 years on the planet to consistently get close in major tournaments with England. There was Italia 90 and the semi-final. In 1992 and 88 we did not win a game in the Euros.
“There was Euro 96. In ’94 we did not qualify for the World Cup. In 1998 we got to the round of 16. The next challenge is to build a team that can consistently go close and then maybe we have the foundation to believe this is our time.”
And then as if to tease, there was a moment burnished with optimism. “That could be now. Certainly a pressure we are happy to have. There is not a conversation in the building behind us that is not based on creating the feeling that to win is possible. That is our objective and what we will give everything to achieve.”
Predicted England XI vs Croatia: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Mings, Chilwell; Mount, Phillips, Rice; Rashford, Sterling, Kane
More from i on Euro 2020
- i’s Euro 2020 predictions – winners, dark horses, golden boot and more
- Daniel Storey’s guide to all 24 teams – from hot favourites to no hopers
- Home nations guides on England, Scotland and Wales
- How to watch every Euro 2020 match on TV and online in the UK
- Why England players are taking a knee at Euro 2020 – in their own words
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3gcZNrE
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