July 4th 2024.
Could Southgate consider playing both Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham in the no10 roles for England's upcoming match against Switzerland? It seems like this may be a possibility as Gareth Southgate is exploring a new formation and tactics for the team. The Three Lions have struggled in their recent performances, but were able to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 thanks to Bellingham and Harry Kane's heroics in their last game against Slovakia.
In an effort to revamp the team's performance, Southgate is considering a switch to a back three formation, which the team has not used in a competitive match since their loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final. This change may open up new opportunities for Foden and Bellingham to play in central roles behind striker Harry Kane. In fact, reports from Sky Sports suggest that this possibility has been tested in training this week.
One of the challenges facing Southgate has been how to make the most of both Foden and Bellingham in the team. Foden has been playing on the left side of an attacking trio, with Bellingham on the right and Bukayo Saka in the middle. There have been suggestions for Bellingham to drop into a deeper midfield position alongside Declan Rice, but Southgate has yet to try this out in a match. Instead, he has experimented with different players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Gallagher, and Kobbie Mainoo to partner with Rice in midfield.
With the upcoming match against Switzerland, Southgate may also be considering a switch to a back three formation due to the absence of Marc Guehi, who will be serving a one-match suspension. This could see Ezri Konsa take his place in the side, with John Stones and Kyle Walker joining him in the back three. Although Stones was seen wearing strapping on his leg during training, he has assured the media that it is just a precaution and he is fit to play.
While the team is keeping their tactics under wraps, Stones did mention that they have been working on different pressing, systems, shapes, and build-up play in order to improve as a team and bring out the best in each other. With one more training session before the match, the team is focused on fine-tuning their performance and hopefully securing a win against Switzerland.
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