July 7th 2024.
Former professional footballer Jamie Carragher has expressed his disappointment with England's performance as they continue their journey to potentially qualify for the Euro 2024 tournament. According to Carragher, other European teams such as Spain and France would rather face England in the final than the Netherlands due to their struggles in Germany.
Despite their struggles, England managed to survive a tough quarter-final match against Switzerland, winning on penalties to keep their hopes alive. However, they have not been able to perform at their best in Germany, only winning one out of their three group games and needing Jude Bellingham's impressive free-kick to come back and defeat Slovakia in the first knockout game.
Once again, England fell behind in their match against Switzerland, but Bukayo Saka's equalizer in the 80th minute kept their hopes alive. The match went to penalties, where England showed great composure and converted all five spot-kicks, with Jordan Pickford saving Manuel Akanji's attempt.
Carragher, who earned 38 international caps with England, admits that he is baffled by their performance at the Euros and believes that teams on the other side of the draw, such as Spain and France, will be hoping to face Southgate's side in the final. However, England's semi-final opponents, the Netherlands, have also had a tough journey, coming back to beat Turkey in an entertaining quarter-final match.
Carragher points out that England's defense has been solid, but they have yet to face a team with world-class forwards. He also believes that England must improve their performance if they want to leave Germany with a victory in the tournament. The former defender also adds that England has been lucky in their previous matches and that Southgate will have a lot to consider when it comes to selecting the team for the next match.
Despite reaching the semi-finals, Carragher believes that England's performances have not been up to par and that they have been lucky to make it this far. He also notes that unlike previous England teams, this current squad has not yet determined their best formation. In contrast, other teams like Spain and France have been more consistent and have arguably been the standout teams at the Euros.
The semi-finals of the Euro 2024 tournament will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the final being held in Berlin on Sunday. It remains to be seen if England can turn their luck around and put on a top-level performance to secure their spot in the final. With strong competition from other European teams, only time will tell if England can bring home the trophy.
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