Terry Butcher knows a thing or two about taking part in an international tournament for your country, having played in three World Cups on the bounce, and Tribalfootball is only too happy to pick his brain following England’s 1-0 opener at the Euros.
“I didn't think either team was going to score in the second half, but England allowed Serbia to come at them. They dropped right off. And the crosses that were coming in for Mitrovic, Vlahovic and all these tall players, just one slip, one mistake, one deflection, and it could have been 1-1. Then everybody would be 'my goodness, they only drew the first game'.
“But in tournament football, just win your first game. It doesn't matter how you do it. Win the first game. What I was disappointed with was, when England went ahead in the semi-final in 2018, they dropped right back. When England went ahead against Italy in the final of the Euros 2020, they dropped right back. These were early goals and because they dropped right back, they allowed the other team to gain control of the game.
“I think England are strong enough and good enough to take control of the game and put it away. To do what Germany did, and what Spain did, score more goals and finish the game. But because they didn't do that, Serbia had nothing to lose at 1-0. It's always a delicate scoreline,” Butcher says of a game in which the England midfield perhaps relinquished a little too much control?
“When Kane drops right off, the midfield drops off and then the back four goes back. So, you end up defending and if you've got clever players, they're going to find space. Christian Eriksen for Denmark will always find space because he's clever.
“You need to deny those players the space by pushing up and pressing up. England just had a low block, whereas a high block, or even a medium block, would have been better suited to the way that England wanted to get the ball back and take control of the game again.”
The only small surprise choice in the starting line was Trent Alexander-Arnold and Butcher believes the Liverpoolstar did enough to secure a recall.
“I think Southgate will keep the same team. I think Alexander-Arnold did all right in the game. Defensively, he's not like a Declan Rice, but he'll learn from that.”
An issue has been made of the fact that Kieran Trippier is filling in on left back with Luke Shaw still chasing fitness, but having played in the England defence for a decade, Butcher doesn’t see the problem.
“I played alongside a Mick Mills, who was England captain. He played as a left back and was right footed. Trippier is not going to dribble past players like Foden and Saka can do. What Trippier does, gives you solidity, strength and experience. I don't mind him there because he's experienced, clever and good passer of the ball. He knows what to do, so I don't have any worries about that,” says the Ipswich legend who wouldn’t change anything for the next game, against Denmark on Thursday.
“I would just say to the players, play further up the pitch. I think the front two of Jonas Wind and Rasmus Højlund from Denmark complement each other well and they’ll prove a very different challenge than Mitrovic and Vlaovic. I like Højlund, he's strong and he's got a bit of pace about him as well.
“So, push up a bit more and press the back three. Without being patronising I think the back three of Denmark could be where England get at them. That could be the most vulnerable point because of the pace, because of the movement of the England players.
“We've got to get past that Danish rearguard which is easier said than done. Watching Denmark against Slovenia, it was a great game, lots of action, lots of shots. It was really good to see two teams having a right go at each other. And I'm sure Denmark will do the same against England. They'll have a go because even the first place is still up for grabs.”
- Terry Butcher was talking to Tribalfootball on behalf of Free Bets