Serbia 0-1 England Review

Euro 2024/Group C/Round 1

MOTM: Jude Bellingham

Other standout performances include: Marc Guehi, Declan Rice & Bakayo Saka

Notable Stats:

• There was 11 shots between Serbia (6) and England (5) last night, that’s the lowest of any game at the Euros since 1980.

• England have become the first team in the history of UEFA European Championship to keep five consecutive clean sheets in the group stages of the competition.

• Jude Bellingham is the first European player to make an appearance at three major international tournaments before turning 21.

Match Stats: Serbia 0-1 England

• xG: 0.27 - 0.96

• xThreat: 0.9 - 1.3

• Possession: 47.2% - 52.8%

• Field Tilt: 48.6% - 51.4%

• Penalty Box Shots: 1 - 2

• Deep Completions: 6 - 5

• PPDA: 15.1 - 11.4

• High Turnovers: 6 - 1

Serbia 0-1 England

Here is how the two teams setup with England in-possession. Width provided by Saka and Trippier. Foden drifting into the left half-space. Trent in the right half-space as well as making rotations with Bellingham and Saka.

The back three of Walker - Stones - Guehi is likely the base they use throughout the tournament with the adjustments coming further forward.

Mitrovic would drop into midfield whilst Vlahovic stayed up top, helping out Serbia in the midfield to get onto the ball during a first half England did very well in-possession. Rotating positions. Occupying the half-spaces.

The goal by England was a brilliant move and one they should be drilling in training for the tournament. Pass through to Saka by Walker. He crosses into the box to find the late run of Bellingham.

Just like Germany had to do against Scotland, breaking down a 5-4-1 is not easy to do and the approach by England in the first half in-possession caused Serbia many problems. Trent Alexander-Arnold working with Bellingham and Foden in the half-spaces. Saka offering the penetration on the right flank.

Serbia pushed their wing-backs up high and used their back three as a base to buildup when in possession. This gave us a look at England out-of-possession. Serbia looked for a pass in-behind or out wide to then set up crosses for their two strikers. England were too passive in their press to stop it.

Here is that plan in action during the game by Serbia with their two strikers making runs in-behind and wing-backs pushing up.

This was a big chance for England after Walker makes a run in behind and crosses into the 6 yard box. Neither Kane or Foden manage to get on the end of it.

You can see from the passing network included below the struggles that England had without Luke Shaw providing width on the left. Both Bellingham and Foden almost getting in each others ways at times in the left half-space.

England purposely went long in the second half as they attempted to exploit the 3v3 Serbia left at the back and didn’t have options to play it out. A clear plan by the team that relied on Kane winning his duels and knocking it onto Saka or Foden. He struggled to do that and the deeper midfielders for England would get drawn into that which reduced the space for Kane to work with. A thankless job for him in this match.

Including Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield is about getting the best out of his passing ability alongside Declan Rice. Passing between the lines and the long passes in-behind is not a strength of Rice.

Against Serbia we didn’t see enough of those passes and instead the negatives of playing Trent in midfield with his back to play were on display. Tight turns under pressure and making the short passes to control tempo. One example is included below losing the ball that leads to a shot by Serbia.

For me the partner to Declan Rice still remains open and the likes of Adam Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo should be considered in the next game. If you want to play Trent then use him at RB with the play in front of him.

Marc Guehi had a number of doubters heading into the tournament after Harry Maguire missed out with an injury. This game he showed why he’s trusted by Southgate. Due a big move in the summer and this tournament he will show everyone why.

Jarred Bowen had a very bright cameo off the bench and setup a great chance for Kane which the keeper tipped onto the bar. That’s one area to watch heading into future games given the amount of options England have off the bench. They’ll need them. Cole Palmer. Eberechi Eze.

I’d imagine that once fit Luke Shaw will take the place of Trippier in the lineup to offer his overlapping runs and fit into that role much being left-footed. You’ll get more out of Foden with him there.

There is clearly some work to do for England by getting the dynamics right in the midfield. When players rotate and who occupies which space. They also need to release the ball better to others when in space as seen in this example.

In the next match England need to be better out-of-possession by not being passive and knowing when to hold position, staying compact. I’d like to see Foden operate centrally and Jude play in the left half-space instead, that will suit those two much better.

Adjustments will be needed in the buildup when a team goes man-to-man since they could only go long to Kane. They need to be better prepared to win second balls if they do that or have a midfielder willing to drop deeper for Pickford to play out short.

The other option to consider is moving Jude alongside Rice, Foden into the ten and bring in Gordon to play left wing.

Whilst England do have some issues to solve, they can be solved within the tournament and with the squad they have. All of the top teams that played so far have impressed and shown flaws. England are no different.

Those adjustments need to be made if they want to go far in the knockout rounds.

Poland 1-2 Netherlands

The Netherlands came into the tournament overlooked as a contender despite the talent they have throughout the team. Options off the bench but concerns over if the manager will set them up in the best way. Will their attackers seize chances in the box.

The passive press from Poland gave the Netherlands plenty of time on the ball, particularly with Nathan Ake on the left-side. By remaining deeper in the buildup, it gave him more time since Frankowski had so much space to cover. Press Ake or leave Gakpo 1v1.

On the other side you frequently saw Dumfries free for a long pass by Verbruggen which also got the Netherlands some joy down the right-side.

As they moved the ball up the pitch Simons would move inside as the right #10 and Reijnders as the left #10. Looking to get Gakpo isolated on the left and always having comfortable possession in their back-line since Poland sat off.

The first goal by Poland came from a well worked routine, Depay not blocking off the run.

The first Netherlands goal was Nathan Ake intercepting the long pass and feeding it into Gakpo. Continuing to make his run into the box that gave him the space to score. Trying to cover the left half-space and preventing Gakpo getting into it proved a problem for Poland throughout the first half.

The second goal game from Ake pushing higher up on the left side as the freeman, driving into the box and picking out the near post run from Weghorst.

Throughout the game the Netherlands wasted a number of chances, failing to take those chances in the first half made the game far more tense and required the bench to win it for them. They lack some pace in midfield to shift the ball quickly so they are dependent on pulling the opposition apart to make the space. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Weghorst start the next match in place of Depay.

Having Frimpong, Malen, Geertruida, Zirkzee, Maatsen and Bergwijn all as options off the bench will help the Netherlands a lot during this tournament and we saw that against Poland.

Slovenia 1-1 Denmark

The second match of the day went under the radar compared to the Netherlands and England matches. Neither of these two are seen as contenders but we’ve seen Denmark be successful in previous tournaments.

Loads of teams have used a three at the back in possession this tournament, Denmark are no different but have used their full-backs to provide the width. Their back-line tasked with the buildup. Solvenia struggled to prevent Denmark getting the ball out wide.

A reminder early in the tournament how effective a throw-in routine can be with this goal. Flicked on by Wind into the path of Eriksen arriving into the box. He was also a threat throughout the match for cut-backs but failed to put one away. Oblak made a number of fine saves.

Rasmus Hojlund is excellent at making runs into the channels and wining those balls. Something to remember heading into the game against England whether it’s on the side of Walker or Guehi.

Benjamin Sesko was recently linked to a move this summer and twice he showed his ball-striking ability with the two shots outside the box. A threat even if Slovenia are not in control of the game.

Deflection for the Slovenia goal but in tournaments that slice of luck can make all the difference, getting them a point in a match Denmark should have won more comfortably.

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