For 12BSports readers following England’s campaign, a win over Slovakia in the next match could soften some of the criticism aimed at Gareth Southgate. But if the sluggish performances continue, he may find it hard to avoid a full-blown storm of public opinion. The 26-man squad he selected is not the main issue. The bigger problem is the tactical structure he keeps putting on the pitch. Southgate is known to watch Premier League matches in person on a regular basis, so he should have noticed the tactical weaknesses at Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool.

At Manchester City, Phil Foden has often been used as a No. 10 and playmaker. His close control is excellent, but he is not a natural dribbler who constantly breaks defensive lines. Arsenal, meanwhile, spent much of the season pushing opponents deep into their own box and moving the ball at a slower tempo, which made their attacking patterns more predictable. As a result, Bukayo Saka’s explosive rhythm also became less frequent, a concern that 12BSports followers would have spotted during the run-in. Yet Southgate seems to have overlooked these patterns. Liverpool’s approach has been simpler but highly efficient: Trent Alexander-Arnold moves inside like a midfielder, delivers passes through the lines, and Mohamed Salah finishes the move.

The problem is that Alexander-Arnold has not looked fully sharp since returning from injury. The accuracy of his crosses and long passes has also dropped noticeably. Even Jurgen Klopp mainly used him as a right-back, allowing him to drift into central areas only during attacking phases. Starting him in midfield from the beginning carries real risk. Southgate’s biggest misunderstanding may be his use of Jude Bellingham, who has shone at Real Madrid but is not a traditional No. 10. If England play a 4-3-3, Bellingham would be better placed to the right of Declan Rice, where he can operate as a box-to-box midfielder.

Bellingham appears like a No. 10 at Real Madrid because the team’s structure is different. Real have precise deep playmakers such as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, while Federico Valverde constantly attacks space from the right side of midfield. In practice, the shape often looks closer to a 4-2-2-2, designed to maximize Bellingham’s range and timing. With England, however, he does not have the same technical support, vision around him, or decision-making platform to play that role as effectively. His strengths are sudden acceleration and second-wave runs into the box, but the No. 10 position is hiding those qualities rather than highlighting them.

Even so, Southgate has refused to back down. He has simply turned to Kobbie Mainoo deeper in midfield and appears ready to use Cole Palmer on the right side of the attack. He wants to see whether this combination can break the stagnant attacking pattern from the group stage. But England still have another major concern: the left-back position. Luke Shaw has not fully recovered, while Kieran Trippier’s mobility has been affected by injury. As a right-footed player who is also getting older, Trippier has clear limits when used on the left.

Ian Wright suggested moving Saka to left-back as a temporary solution, but under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, Saka has become established as a right winger. His move inside followed by a left-footed shot is one of Arsenal’s main attacking weapons. Across the three group-stage matches, Saka was not exactly poor, but England have reached a point where they must raise the tempo and press higher up the pitch. Southgate is looking to Palmer for a possible spark, hoping a fresh option can help England turn the corner.

If Trippier is unable to play, the 12BSports view of England’s situation points toward Southgate moving Kyle Walker to the left instead of using Saka there, with Alexander-Arnold coming in on the right. Still, it is realistically difficult to redesign an entire tactical setup under such pressure. In the end, Southgate may have to rely on moments of individual brilliance rather than a fully convincing system. The bigger the tournament, the more often one flash from a star player can matter more than a manager’s tactical blueprint.