Gareth Southgate has warned England that skill alone won’t be enough for victory following their 1-0 loss to Iceland at Euro 2024.
After struggling in their final warm-up match before heading to Germany, Southgate remained confident in his squad despite John Stones leaving Wembley with a foot injury.
England’s defense was shaky, and they were disorganized in attack, struggling to recover from Jan Dagur Thorsteinsson’s early goal.
Southgate hopes the loss will serve as a wake-up call, highlighting concerns about the team’s lack of enthusiasm without the ball.
“Any complacency that our skill alone will win us the championship is misguided,” Southgate said. “We were far from our best tonight, and Iceland deserved their win.
To succeed at this level, you must focus on all aspects of the game.” He added that Iceland had more chances at halftime, which should sharpen the team’s focus for next week.
Southgate substituted Stones at halftime as a precaution due to an ankle knock. With Luke Shaw out with a calf injury and Harry Maguire missing the match, England faced further defensive concerns. Southgate stated, “We decided not to risk Stones because he is vital for us.”
England will need to regroup before facing Serbia in their Group C opener on June 16. “We’ll perform better against Serbia,” Southgate said.
“We were managing many situations with a young squad and made six substitutions. We had several physical issues that raised concerns.”
Southgate emphasized the importance of refining their approach.
“We must press harder, be more compact, and seize our opportunities. This is a chance to focus on the key elements of winning football games during training.”
Reflecting on the match, Southgate noted the fans’ reaction. “We didn’t play well enough to keep them engaged.
We had a few chances that could have changed the game’s momentum but didn’t address our evident shortcomings. I learned a lot from this game.”
Midfielder Declan Rice attempted to stay positive. “Our talent on the ball is clear, but we may need a slight mindset shift.
At times, we were more spread out than usual. We have work to do before the next game, and I feel the disappointment.”
