July 15th 2024.
Former England striker Alan Shearer has shared his thoughts on the tactics used by manager Gareth Southgate during the Euro 2024 final against Spain. According to Shearer, young midfielder Jude Bellingham was visibly unhappy with the tactics employed by Southgate as England faced a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Spain in Berlin.
Despite the Three Lions' valiant efforts, they were unable to secure their first European Championship title and end 58 years of hurt. The game started off with a cautious and uneventful first half, but things quickly changed as Spain took the lead shortly after the break. England made some substitutions and managed to equalize in the 73rd minute, but ultimately, it was Spain who emerged victorious with a late goal from substitute Mikel Oyarzabal.
Shearer admits that the better team won on the night and that he noticed Bellingham growing frustrated with Southgate's tactics. Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer said, "Bellingham wasn't happy. He was stuck on the left again. You could tell he wasn't happy at all. He had a disappointed look about him, his arms were up, he was looking towards the bench for guidance."
Shearer also observed Bellingham's visible emotions and disappointment with the lack of pressing from the team. "He's not a left midfielder, so I understood his emotions. I was really surprised that Southgate went back to four at the back. Our best 45 minutes of football in the whole tournament was when we played three at the back in the first half against the Netherlands," Shearer added.
The former England striker also mentioned that he expected Southgate to use the same system again, which seemed to work well for the team. He also pointed out that players like Bellingham and Phil Foden were not comfortable playing on the left in that system.
Fellow former England striker Gary Lineker also shared his thoughts on the team's tactics, hinting that some players were frustrated with the approach used by Southgate throughout the tournament. Despite being one of the favorites, England seemed to play a passive style of football in most games, often falling behind before showing any attacking intent.
Lineker revealed that he spoke to some of the England players after the match, and they were understanding of the criticism they have received. "They were disappointed and despondent, but you could tell they weren't happy with perhaps the way things went," Lineker said. He also pointed out that the only time England played attacking football was when they were behind, with the exception of a few first-halves. However, even in the final against Spain, they resorted to sitting back after equalizing.
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