WHAT SOUTHGATE NEEDS TO SORT OUT

THE SHAPE

A 3-5–2 made England solid but stodgy, 4-3-3 made them exciting but porous. But a 4-2-3-1 was even worse in the first half against the Czech Republic. Southgate needs a new England but is running out of options.

THE HOLDING MIDFIELDER

If England want to play out from the back, they need a player who can receive the ball on the half-turn from the centre-halves. This allows teams to beat the opposition press, open up attacking options but also avoid putting your defence under pressure (as shown in picture 2, below). Declan Rice isn’t that player. Harry Winks might do it better. But there isn’t a long queue of candidates.

THE DEFENCE

Southgate switched to a 4-3-3 because he felt Harry Maguire and John Stones had grown into world-class defenders at the World Cup and could cope. Since then Stones has had battles with fitness and lost from. Joe Gomez might have come in but has mirrored Stones. Michael Keane isn’t the answer. Fikayo Tomori might be one day. But England badly need a rejuvenated Stones and Gomez back in the mix.

THE COACH

In terms of communication and the tone of voice of the England national team, Southgate has been outstanding. Navigating the World Cup with a 3-5-2 while exploiting set-pieces showed real coaching intelligence. Yet he is slow to react when things go wrong. And that’s a fatal flaw: often it’s too late by the time changes are made.

THE INTELLIGENCE

For England to win a major trophy, the philosophy of playing out from the back needs to stay. They just need to learn when to do it and when to keep it safe and simple. England keeper Jordan Pickford should have gone long in England’s defeat to Czech Republic (picture 1, left) while John Stones’ decision to keep hold of the ball under pressure (picture 3) cost Southgate’s side a place in the Nations League final.