Alan Shearer is advocating for significant changes to England’s starting lineup in their Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland, suggesting three new players, including Chelsea’s Cole Palmer. Meanwhile, a fellow pundit argues that Gareth Southgate’s decisions are indicative of why he is no longer fit to manage at the top level, amid speculation about his job security.
England has reached the quarter-finals of the European Championships for the fourth consecutive time under Southgate. However, their journey has been challenging, narrowly avoiding elimination against Slovakia thanks to a last-minute goal from Jude Bellingham. Harry Kane’s early extra-time goal secured a 2-1 win, but the team has faced heavy criticism for their performances, with Southgate’s reluctance to make tactical changes and slow substitutions being major points of contention.
Until Bellingham’s spectacular goal, England hadn’t managed a single shot on target, leading to frustration among fans and pundits. This moment of brilliance kept their hopes alive, but without it, England would likely have been eliminated.
Shearer insists that Southgate must adjust his lineup if England is to progress further. With Marc Guehi suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, Shearer suggests options like Lewis Dunk, Ezri Konsa, and Joe Gomez as replacements. He also calls for the inclusion of Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer, indicating that underperforming players like Phil Foden might need to be benched.
On his podcast, Shearer stated he would keep Palmer and bring in Gordon and Mainoo, choosing Konsa to replace Guehi. Co-pundit Gary Lineker also highlighted the left-back dilemma, noting that Luke Shaw is not ready to play despite being on the bench against Slovakia, and suggesting Bukayo Saka as a potential, though unconventional, solution.
Criticism of Southgate’s leadership intensified after the Slovakia match, with pundit Jamie O’Hara asserting that Bellingham’s goal saved Southgate’s job for the time being. O’Hara believes Southgate’s persistent mistakes and lack of adaptation suggest he is no longer suited for high-level management. He noted the poor performance of the team and Southgate’s ineffective substitutions, expressing frustration at the lack of progress and adaptation in Southgate’s tactics.
O’Hara also criticized Bellingham’s overall performance before his goal and suggested that Saka should be deployed as a left-back against Switzerland due to the ongoing issues with the current left-back options.
