Chris Waddle has called for a major change to England's starting XI ahead of their Euro 2024 semi-final
Cole Palmer has been limited to substitute appearances for England at Euro 2024(Image credit: Getty Images)
England’s wealth of attacking options means some players will inevitably be disappointed with their game time at Euro 2024. The likes of Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze have been limited to cameo roles, while Anthony Gordon has barely featured.
Gareth Southgate has opted to stick to his tried and tested starting XI, with Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka getting the nod. Bellingham has made some big contributions despite some subdued performances, while Saka was excellent in the quarter-final against Switzerland.
But Foden has struggled to translate his club form onto the international stage, and former England midfielder Chris Waddle has called on Southgate to give others a chance ahead of a semi-final clash with Netherlands.
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"If I was Cole Palmer or Eberechi Eze, I would be having a word with the manager asking him to give me some minutes when the scores are level rather than coming into a game when England are staring down the barrel of a defeat, because the likes of Bellingham and Foden simply aren’t doing it," Waddle told Prime Casino.
"Our performances have improved when Palmer and Eze have been introduced. We look like a much better team in terms of the football we’re playing with them in the side. Bellingham and Foden are getting into the team in front of Palmer and Eze because they work a little bit harder off the ball and Gareth likes his midfielders to graft.
“He has definitely sacrificed creativity for discipline in my opinion. The thing is, I think you can find a better balance in midfield that blends a bit of steel and hard work with creativity and technical ability. We haven’t managed to do that. Spain have the perfect midfield blend.”
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Phil Foden has yet to catch fire at Euro 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)
On Harry Kane’s struggles at Euro 2024, Waddle added: "When he’s dropping deep, he isn’t bringing the opposition centre half with him because teams are defending very deep at this tournament. He isn’t really adding anything to what England are trying to do going forward by coming deep, and by doing so, we’re losing any kind of presence up front. It’s all very easy to defend against.
"Harry needs to stay higher up the pitch. It’s not working at the moment and it hasn’t been working for the entire tournament. Kane needs to stay a lot higher up the pitch and be in and around the penalty area – he doesn’t need to get on the ball to make things happen because England have players that are capable of doing that. He needs to be getting on the end of things. Get in the box and make yourself a nuisance."
Callum is a football writer who has had work published by the likes of BBC Sport, the Independent, BT Sport and the Blizzard, amongst various others. A lifelong Wrexham fan, he is hoping Ryan Reynolds can lead his hometown club to the promised land.
