England’s Rocky Road To The Final: A Story Of Collective Suffering

England started as favourites yet they won’t be arriving in the final with the same status. Despite their star-studded lineup and high expectations, drama and underperformance have haunted Gareth Southgate’s squad throughout the tournament.

On paper, they are among the best, but few would rank England as one of the standout teams of the competition, even though they’ve reached the final. Their journey has been far from classical, filled with trials and tribulations. 

Nonetheless, they have a chance to rewrite their narrative and avoid the heartbreak of the EURO 2020 final. Here is their story.

Flawless in the Qualifiers

England were the clear favourites in a group that included Italy, Ukraine, North Macedonia and Malta. Despite facing Italy, the reigning European champions, the Three Lions were expected to dominate.

England lived up to those expectations, finishing the qualifications flawlessly and remaining undefeated. In their eight games, they secured six victories and two draws.

Only Ukraine (1-1) and North Macedonia (1-1) managed to halt England’s march to perfection. Highlights of their qualification campaign included a 7-0 demolition of North Macedonia and two decisive victories against Italy (2-1 and 3-1). 

Throughout the qualification phase, England looked unstoppable, further cementing their status as tournament favourites.

Group C: England Disappoints

The reality was starkly different for England in Group C. Despite Southgate enjoying the services of stars like Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Harry Kane, England managed to win only one match.

Paired with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia, England’s sole victory came in a lacklustre 1-0 win against Serbia. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring with a brilliant solo effort in the first twenty minutes. Still, Serbia found numerous spaces in England’s lines, even though they failed to capitalize on them.

For the first game, it didn’t seem too bad, even when the Three Lions were expected to play better given the relatively weaker opposition. However, this performance was a far cry from the dominance shown during the qualification stage. The British arrogance about their team’s chances quickly turned to frustration with the team’s poor display.

Things only got worse against Denmark (1-1), as England struggled to string three passes together. Denmark’s brilliance was limited to a regular pressing team, but it was more than enough to ridicule England, which, at this point, seemed clueless and disjointed.

The final group game against Slovenia was a must-win for England. Slovenia, a team that hadn’t participated in the tournament since 2012, needed only to avoid a loss and rely on other results to advance. Despite the expectations, England’s performance was barely an improvement. 

England lacked the tools in the final third, having no player playing wide. Slovenia parked the bus, which proved sufficient to hold them at bay.

England did end first of the group, but it was a hollow achievement. The fact that Group C, which saw every game turn into a sleepfest, was branded as the worst group of the tournament. The group stage left many questioning England’s ambitions and their ability to progress further in the tournament.

Navigating Further Disappointments

The critics multiplied, and England’s manager, Gareth Southgate, faced significant backlash, even having beer cups thrown at him – a clear sign of the discontent surrounding England’s performance in the tournament.

England was paired with Slovakia in the knock-outs, and the performance mirrored the lackluster display against Slovenia. 

The only difference was that Slovakia is a superior team in the technical department, led by Napoli’s Stanislav Lobotka, who delivered a playmaking masterclass.  

Slovakia seemed poised for victory until a last-minute effort from Jude Bellingham sent the game to extra time as he jumped for a bicycle kick. Harry Kane then doubled the score, and England was through. 

Despite the victory, fans expected more from the team. Southgate continued with his excuses, claiming his team struggled under the weight of being favourites. Bellingham’s bicycle kick was England’s only impressive goal since his effort against Serbia.

Next up were Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Switzerland proved to be a good opponent, opening the score against The Three Lions. However, England equalized five minutes later through Bukayo Saka, sending the match into extra time. Another 30’ proved to be unproductive, with both teams hesitant to take risks.

The much-dreaded penalty session arrived, which proved to be England’s expertise. It probably shows how England has improved since the last tournament. They won the shootout 5-3, setting up a semifinal clash with the Netherlands.

Turning the Tide Against the Dutch

After qualifying for the semi-final, the fans were more than happy. More importantly, their opponents, the Netherlands, aren’t known for being defensively solid, as the 2-3 defeat against Austria showed in the group stages. 

Nonetheless, this was another game where England needed time before dominating the clash, but they finally showed a half-convincing display. By the standards they had set in the competition, this was the best performance The Three Lions had. 

They were freer, as Phil Foden wasn’t constrained to the left wing anymore. Harry Kane also proved to be key, and Ollie Watkins finally solved the puzzle. 

England seemed more flexible as a collective unit for the first time in the tournament. This comes as a relief, especially as the much-awaited return of Luke Shaw is expected against Spain. 

Shaw’s inclusion is crucial as he was the missing part of Southgate’s puzzle; his absence had meant there was no attacking threat from the wide areas in England’s setup.

Final Showdown: England’s Hope and Strategy

There’s no hiding that England will not be the favourite for the final, despite what it might suggest on paper. This tournament once again proves that names alone aren’t enough; they need to form a cohesive unit. England has much to learn from Spain, which boasts fewer stars but a clearer, more effective plan.

I wouldn’t surprise anybody if I were to say that England has an excellent defence, but it won’t suffice (France tried that, and Spain managed to penetrate their defense).

If England wants to be optimistic about their chances in the final – and avoid a negative outcome like against Italy in EURO 2020 – they need to deliver a better offensive display, similar to what was seen against the Netherlands. 

The responsibility lies heavily on Gareth Southgate, who has arguably become England’s best manager in the history of male football. He needs to devise a strategy to counter Spain’s midfield domination, from which most of their threats originate.

If Southgate can neutralize this and match  Spain’s midfield numbers, there is hope for England to finally secure the trophy they so desperately desire. This would allow fans to sing ‘It’s Coming Home’ with genuine belief, rather than being met with skepticism.

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