England will face Switzerland in the European Championship quarter-finals, with Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate facing the dilemma of missing starting center-back John Stones due to suspension. According to Sky Sports, Southgate and his coaching staff are leaning towards returning to the three-center-back formation they haven’t used in a while, but the starting lineup remains uncertain.
Facing Switzerland, who eliminated defending champions Italy, Southgate is ready to overturn his tactical plan used in this European Championship so far and completely change England’s formation, aiming to give the team a broader offensive dimension and arrange core players in positions best suited for them.
Sky Sports and major British media outlets reported on Thursday that Southgate has decided to restart the three-center-back formation for the first time since the European Championship final three years ago, which means Bellingham and Foden will both appear in the No. 10 position, with a two-attacking midfielder combination on the horizon.
Sky Sports reports that Southgate’s current dilemma is who will partner Rice in midfield, which will be crucial to the success of the formation change. Two factors have prompted Southgate’s decision to make the change: the suspension of starting center-back Stones, who has been one of England’s most consistent performers in the European Championship so far; and Southgate’s private admission that the tactics he tried in Germany have failed, with his players struggling to adapt and unable to perform at their normal levels.
Based on England’s current personnel, media speculate that the three-center-back formation will be composed of Stones, Maguire, and Walker. Walker’s speed is particularly valued by Southgate, who sees him as the ideal player to sweep and cover when Swiss attackers try to break through England’s defense.
Additionally, Southgate has yet to decide who will play wing-back. Arnold, Saka, Trippier, and even Eze have been mentioned by the media, and Luke Shaw, who has recently recovered from injury, is not ruled out either. In the offensive end, Southgate has ultimately settled on a 343, 352, or 3421 formation, which will determine the positions of key players Bellingham and Manchester City’s new prince, Foden. It is reported that Southgate has practiced all the above formations in training, aiming to maximize Bellingham’s energy.
Southgate hopes to have Bellingham play in the No. 8 position, but many worry that his defensive awareness may have faded due to the lack of playing time in that position. Whether Bellingham and Foden will have enough space if they play as attacking midfielders remains to be seen – such a scenario has occurred several times in the previous four games.
According to sources, another option Southgate is considering is having Mount or Gallagher partner Rice in midfield, a common theme during Southgate’s time as England manager, but this would limit the number of attacking players on the field.
Furthermore, Kane’s position and partner are also crucial. After watching Tony’s performance in England’s comeback victory over Slovakia, Southgate believes his attacking power could benefit the team and create another threat to the opposition’s defense when Kane drops back to receive the ball. Since Southgate’s three-center-back formation features wing-backs to stretch the width, the presence of wingers seems unnecessary.
The big battle is about to begin, but Southgate’s thinking seems unclear, and the path ahead for the Three Lions is shrouded in confusion.
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