June 4th 2024.
In a recent friendly match against Bosnia, England manager Gareth Southgate decided to give star striker Harry Kane some playing time. However, when England was awarded a penalty, Kane made an "audacious" request to come off the bench and take the spot-kick. Southgate, however, shut down this idea and let Cole Palmer take the penalty instead, which he successfully converted. Southgate explained that Kane's original plan was to only play for half an hour in this match and then start in the upcoming game against Iceland.
The match itself was a bit slow in the first half, but England turned up the heat in the second half and ended up winning 3-0 with goals from Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and a late one from Kane. Southgate was satisfied with the intensity and competitiveness of the game, as it allowed some players who needed minutes to get some playing time. He also praised the performance of some individual players and expressed his relief that there were no injuries.
Looking ahead, Southgate will have to make some tough decisions as he needs to cut down his provisional squad of 33 players to just 26 before the match against Iceland. Palmer and Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze have both made strong cases for being included in the final squad, with Eze impressing in his starting role against Bosnia. Southgate was particularly pleased with how both players played with freedom and confidence, showcasing their abilities on the international stage.
Southgate also praised Palmer's ability to link up with his teammates and was happy to see him score his first goal for England. As for Eze, Southgate was impressed with his movement and power, and believes that with a bit more decisiveness, he could have scored a few more goals. Overall, Southgate was pleased with the performances of both players and is excited to see how they will continue to develop in the future.
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