I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing what Southgate does selection-wise. My pre-WC presumption was it would be a back four until England faced someone with an attack they genuinely feared, which would be France.
However the 4-3-3 has worked sufficiently well at enabling low risk/low event football I think he may now stick to that. I think his one adjustment might be Phillips for Henderson, and he'll tell Kalvin to spend 90 minutes getting in Griezmann's way, leaving Bellingham and Rice to scrap it out with Tchouameni and Rabiot, and leave Walker and Shaw 1v1 with Mbappe and Dembele. If there is any type of centre forward Stones and Maguire will feel confident facing it's Giroud. I say that as a (Chelsea) fan of Gorgeous Ollie; just that he isn't going to scare then with pace and they'll feel they can compete in the air and on the ground.
I think both attacks have got goals in them and both defences/keepers rickets in them. I suspect an odd-goal-in-three winner, 50/50 either way. Might not be a game of great football but it might yet be a great football game.
I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing what Southgate does selection-wise. My pre-WC presumption was it would be a back four until England faced someone with an attack they genuinely feared, which would be France.
However the 4-3-3 has worked sufficiently well at enabling low risk/low event football I think he may now stick to that. I think his one adjustment might be Phillips for Henderson, and he'll tell Kalvin to spend 90 minutes getting in Griezmann's way, leaving Bellingham and Rice to scrap it out with Tchouameni and Rabiot, and leave Walker and Shaw 1v1 with Mbappe and Dembele. If there is any type of centre forward Stones and Maguire will feel confident facing it's Giroud. I say that as a (Chelsea) fan of Gorgeous Ollie; just that he isn't going to scare then with pace and they'll feel they can compete in the air and on the ground.
I think both attacks have got goals in them and both defences/keepers rickets in them. I suspect an odd-goal-in-three winner, 50/50 either way. Might not be a game of great football but it might yet be a great football game.