What worries me so much about Mainoo and Palmer making an impact on the game is that it means southgate won’t play them again.

fantastic trim young man

Would like to see Gomez for trippier. He’s deceptively fast and has played LB all season. Even though he’s right footed, he’s better on his left than tripper and won’t constantly make that predictable pass trippier makes that they anticipate. Also instead of switching Walker to LB when bringing on Trent, he would work cause he is used to playing with Trent doing his thing

James Lawrence Baldcott

Regarding Jude Belligham's frustration. Every footballer knows you can't go pressing by yourself and the press starts from the 6 directing it. Forwards can't go start a press without the players behind them on the same page and ready. This is a tactical thing that Southgate has never addressed and you see Jude getting upset. The communicaton between him and the two midfielders behind him needs to be way better. Going and pressing as a forward without the support from behind will always result in you running to cut off passing lanes for absolutely no reason.

Rice needs Wharton next to him. Even Arteta realised during the season he needs someone who can collect the ball from cbs & punch the ball through the lines to atttackers. That’s not Rices game hence why the ball keeps going side to side. Hes elite at screeening but he needs his hand held next to him for facilitating.

Disagree about Gallagher. Didn't offer anything, we lacked control, he's positioned in areas where we have more quality and forced others deep because we couldnt get up the pitch.

Always love your analysis, James. Also like your half glass full approach to everything, a rare quality when it comes to us English!

The last 20mins needs contexts, Slovenia sat in deeper to protect the point they needed to qualify

Idk how english people dont get it. The problem is not trent playing in the midfieled its the 2 forwards who just drop in to the middle. Put gordon or watkins in and trent will give england a way to score goals. They have the best ball passer and dont want to use him lol. They complain about henderson but theyre asking why the players arent playing like henderson. Its so obvious in international football its the most simple obvious way to win with trent and either watkins or gordon doong what they do best

Dude! Over and above everything you say, it can't be ignored that England underestimated what this game meant to Slovenia.

I think a Trent-Mainoo-PalmER RHS would work so nicely. Giving Henderson, Salah, Trent in their peak vibes

I'd play: Saka, Kane, Foden Bellingham Rice, Mainoo Walker, Guehi, Stones, TAA Saka knows how to play a winger. He keeps the widt on the left. Walker doesn't participate in the attack. Foden doesn't know how to play winger, so his width has to be made up by someone else. No left footed fullback means that the player taking up Foden's width should be on the right instead. So Fiden should play on the right and Saka on the left. This attacking fullback is a perfect role for TAA. Minoo looks good in the right back slot when the RB moves put of position as well. The midfield needs a defender and a passer. Rice can be the defender, but not the passer. Mainoo can be the passer.

I don't understand why we're trying so hard to make excuses for Conor Gallagher. His best qualities are that he runs around. Don't tell me Bellingham or Mainoo can't run around, while also offering something on the ball

I just dont get Southgate. If you aren’t going to play a double pivot why not just play Foden at 10 and Bellingham at 8. Solves a whole bunch of problems in my opinion.

Historically England don't have enough runners and ball carriers. You think of Beckham, Gerrard, Lamps and Scoles. Amazing players but 0 runners or dribblers. Foden, Rice, Gallagher, Bellingham have a kind of similar feeling despite Foden and Bellingham being amazing dribblers it doesn't feel like they can consistently progress the game into the final third. Owen used to carry the ball solo and was very effective in that regard at international level but a great example of this is Darius Vassell. Direct running and ball carrying made an average prem player look amazing for England.

Honesty, Walker has been poor on the ball and doesn't offer near as much as TAA or Trippier going forward on the right. Why is Walker not playing on the left? Play Trippier or TAA on the right (Trippier if Englsnd isn't dominating possession and then sub on TAA).

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, swap saka and foden and play Gomez at left back, in possession it can look something like this; Kane Saka Bellingham Foden Trent Rice Stones Gomez Guehi Walker Pickford

please don't be overly nice with Southgate, he's maddening with his decisions

I don't understand why we don't just play: Pickford Walker - Stones - Guehi - Tripper/Shaw Rice - Bellingham Saka - Foden - Gordon Kane Bellingham has played as an 8 effectively at the last world cup and in 3 seasons at Dortmund prior to Madrid. I don't understand this notion that he "has" to play 10 when we have no experienced viable options for the role next to Rice just because he had a good season playing further up the field for Ancelotti. It also means we're playing Foden in his preferred position and not forcing him out wide where it's been clear we need more of a runner to play off Kane.

These videos are so cool. Started watching you at the start of the tournament. Really like these vids, keep them up 🎉

could do with turning the gain down slightly on your mic i think Jim - seems to be clipping when you get loud. Not a huge issue though, great vid!

Wanna see Trent Mainoo Saka and Palmer (drifting right from the 10) together, that would be flames

Foden was our best player for most of the match and especially in the first half. He needs to play in the 10 with gordon on the left and let foden find him. Foden is the answer to our problems because he can turn and face the opposition and run at them or create but Bellingham just can’t but rice and Bellingham need to not be scared to play the ball in tight spaces to foden

Preface this by saying there’s a reason I’m not England manager. Ik James has said this before, but I’d thought about this for Liverpool before. Since trippier has been shocking, instead of putting Trent at RB and Walker at LB, but Trent at LB and invert and let Walker stay in his position, at least until Shaw gets fully fit. As well as getting mainoo in for rice. Not to start, but rice is so negative in the buildup (as I’m sure Southgate told him to) but letting mainoo try to break the lines with his dribbling and passing ability. That’s just me idk

What has to be considered is that as well as Palmer played in that 20-minute cameo, he was up against a tired Slovenian defence. Would he have the same impact if he were to start?

Why is Foden so undroppable? Jude had a Balon D’Or worthy season as a 10 so Gareth is right to play him there. Gordon LW, Trent RB, Mainoo CM. Give Trent runners and let him dictate from deep. If you’re desperate for Walker play him LB, but let our best playmaker in Trent do his thing. I’d stick with Saka over Palmer too. Saka been our best attacker this tournament (admittedly an underperforming attack) and if he has Mainoo and Trent as a right sided triangle that is brilliant imo.

the point about bellingham is so concurrent with zaha at palace. he was often dismissed as stroppy but it was all about standards and expecting more from palace

Mainoo didn’t do anything special when he came on, and yet he was so much better than Gallagher or Trent, within minutes of him being on you could see the difference. If he has a good game, England can beat anyone.

Psychology? I liked the explanation on Bellingham- Federer. Love IT!!!!

Mainoo Off the ball movement is called Peeling. Its pulling players to create space for your team mates.

Love the content James, can I ask what you are analysing the game on? In terms of software etc, thanks!

Next video: "How Southgate should set up England in the plane home"

Fair play, I was left feeling that Gallagher was invisible in the game but you've proven that he is actually really effective.

I find it interesting how interesting James finds every aspect of the team dynamics

Great work James, this whole run through was what I was playing with last night, just without the data that you have, but this analysis has reinforced what both what I want to happen and what Southgate would pick...

It's almost like Southgate doesn't even watch these!

i'm alright thanks Jim, hope you are too!

Another problem is how slow the defence is at moving the ball. By the time they had taken 2-3 touches each and passed side to side 5 times, they’ve give the opposition time to reset and ready to defend against any attack. The press is still miles off, way too slow.

everyone and his dog is commenting and analysing England games. Yet Jimbo is doing something different and showing unique analysis, congrats.

If nearly every England fan thinks we should play Gordon on the left and a midfield 3 of Rice, Bellingham and Foden, why do you think Southgate is refusing to even try it?

What england needs is a bit of fluidity up front... they have all these players who can create something from nothing like foden, palmer etc... the way Southgate thinks is to be compact and to win with not conceding any... if we aim to just outscore them and give a bit of freedom to the players they will end up doing much better than this rigid approach... Look Germany for example... I personally want Foden as the 10 in the starting lineup... Its not the best team thats winning its the one with right balance... Play Bellingam a bit deeper with Rice as 6... Foden through the center, either Saka / Palmer in right and a natural left winger like Gordon and Kane as 9... Nagelsmann has set roles assigned for the team, even left out Goretzka who wouldnt fit in...whereas England its starting the best players rather, than to set up such that players like Foden and Bellingam play to their best

Southgate has finally got to Jim, and hes gone full 2007 Britney Spears. Sad to see the ripple effects of Southgate-ball

i remember we played a 343 against germany in that 2-0 win and i feel like that system would work well to fit in the players we have now. bellingham and rice in the middle w bellingham bursting forward n that.

I think the 24 team format with 3rd place finishers means a lot of teams can afford to play very defensively and rely on some draws to get through, against more attacking teams we could break them down easier but I don’t hold a lot of hope on theory 😂

Gallagher and Palmer Linkup has been good this season at Chelsea, play them together rather than seperately

Gallagher is not international class. Stop defending him.

How can you say Saka did nothing wrong? He took no risks. He stood no players up, he took no players on. That has to be wrong, even though he hasn’t made any flagrant mistakes

How are you so fit Jim? Rocking the new trim 🔥🔥

I’m loving this! Mainoo, Bellingham and foden draw all the players out to the left, palmer free on the right coming in with Trent on the overlap? ITS COMING HOME GUYS CMOOOOOOON

I think it was obvious to everyone except Southgate that Mainoo, Gordon and Palmer all have to start.

It must be frustrating for Bellingham, these runs he’s making are perfect for players like Kroos, and other Madrid players to find him. Trent is the only player that can hit these chip through balls, Trent of the bench at rb would be a good way to chase a goal

Gordon on the left, Bellingham-Rice-Foden in the midfield

Madison 8. work rate meets tempo setter meets roaming playmaker. Progressive passing meets off the ball runs into space. Only thing he hasn't tried only thing that will help on its own.

Gordon and Palmer both should be starting I'd play Saka at lb

Watched all 3 games. And no matter how you examine it. Kane in 3 games Not Effective and to Slow. Saka and Foden did less in 3 Games than Palmer did in 15 mins. So start with replacing these 3 With Watkins, Palmer and Gordon. All have Pace and can put it about with body strength. Midfield Mainoo has a lot more creativity which is lacking. Bellingham is used to playing in a Attacking Team. Changes up front would suit him better. Back 3 have done ok. Walker has to be in. Trippier has offered very little. So replace him.

But would Palmer provide that level of "spark" for the entire game or is it better to bring him on at the 60 min mark? Start Gordon for Bellingham though. Slovakia will be another low block team, they will want pens, so we absolutely need to have effective penetration down both wings. Edit - or start Gordon for Foden as he may not have trained ahead of the game

Trent should replace walker at right if England want to score goals

Think about it for 1 second. Southgate is a genius he’s going to 0-0 us to the final winning the next 4 games on penalties in Germany! He’s got 7 world class penalty takers. Apart from Toney they have all had game time. Knight him know. He’s a genius.

Gallagher almost cost us two goals in the first half losing the ball & I called his halftime substitution before it happened. Really don't understand what match you were watching?

What is the name of the website that you use?

Mainoo, Palmer and Gordon must must start.

I think Bellingham is just fatigued after having a really long season with Real. He played in virtually every game and its not really surprising he’s looking a little jaded for England. We have to remember he’s still very young and could be suffering from burnout.

Foden's gone home so Gordon should start -- Palmer and Saka can do a half each -- Mainoo can join Rice, Bell at 10 -- Kane and Watkins half each

The worst part about this is that he will not change anything going into the knockout stage, the changes should have been made here. Gordon to hold the width, Watkins upfront, or whatever else to help bring the best out of certain players. Instead he’s more likely to drop Saka for Palmer & end up with almost a full XI of players that need the ball to feet to make something happen 😂

phenomal analysis. i think against the lesser teams trent can do great job at rb. of course against duel warriors you need warrior. the one thing ive not heard is that trent playing in saka is different to trent playing in gordon. we need capitlise trent pinging it to a left runner - trent pinging to saka (the only runner, right foot to right side) means that you dont make the most of him. bellingham needs to be in cdm overlapping kane due to how deep kane is in this system, and trent needs to playing in a runner (NOT FODEN). From there you make a triangle between the rcm position ( trent tucked in) to gordon who would play it to kane, saka, bellingham, foden if hes central. ofc this feels football manager but i do think this unlocks the team. of course, bring grealish or whoever, but where we are now we have our squad and our manager. we played 3 games against a low block, all with very, very low scoring games. we can still go on to win this tourney, but itll be difficult. i just think gordon must play. he is THE southgate winger. either play gallagher/mainoo/bellingham next to rice, or play foden/bellingham central. gordon must play on the wing. edit: one more thing, but if foden HAS to play left wing, then u play palmer central, bellingham/mainoo cdm, and then have a fluid front 4 of kane dropping, palmer and saka interchanging. saka right side and central. foden and palmer all three.

The stathead information regarding take-ons is interesting… it just shows how stats can give a false picture with Mainoo and Palmer both scoring a 0% success rate. Palmer especially beat his man on multiple occasions and obviously impacted the game with his unpredictability

If we're playing Kane (which we have to) i think we should be playing attacking players on the wing that will make the runs inwards. Gordan and Palmer have had incridible seasons and have taken every chance they've had. Howver, Foden has also had a great season so you'd have to move him into the 10 and have a Rice, Bellingham pivot midfield. Saka has been one of the best players this tournament but unfortunately, at this time, Palmer is the better player and deserves to player. Especially with the old man Kane upfront.

It’s a trick question!! Southgate shouldn’t be anywhere NEAR the national side. Well, not if you want it to do well.

Southgate sent you to that Sean dyche haircut Jim 😅😂

Good video but if youre going to put Bellingham as an 8 and Foden as the 10, you might want to put them on sides they've been most effective this season - foden has to be given as much license to get into that right half space, while Bellingham has been playing best on the left. Foden can play inside of saka no problem - he does so with Bernardo all the time

Just see Jim in the background of green street like, “I know I forgot my knife at home but I’ve just really been thinking about our back 3 problem, we just miss that traditional Libero”.

Nothing has changed since the dawn of time. To break down low blocks midfielders including wide players have to be prepared to make runs without the ball, and everyone on the ball it’s one and and two touch, with willingness to play risky forward passes. Mainoo Gordon Bowen excellent runners off the ball, Bellingham also. Foden and Palmer can play forwards one and two touch with risk. These are the players that have to play (start and off the bench) for England to progress.

Rice requires a defensive midfield playmaker next to him, someone to sit and dictate possession. This frees up Rice to press, break play up further upfield, as his season at Arsenal has shown, he is not a DCM. I wish people would realise just what roles work in the formation being employed? If Gareth was in any doubt, why not look at what other teams at the tournament have been doing? But no, Southgate really wants that three at the back, despite the woefully negative style and fundamental lack of possession. He gots to have it!

jamaes i hope you go outside of them prem with your content i would like to see you cover other traditional team europ.

Southgate is in a situation where he has to creative , dynamic and inventive to make this all work…….and the problem is that he just doesn’t have it in him.

Trippier has been our worst defender,over lapping full back and also booked. There you go ,he's the problem

Gomez at left back, or Saka if we going cray cray

If Trippier is injured I'd play Gomez at left-back. If he's not used now I don't know what he's in the squad for. I'd start Mainoo. I'd stick with Saka on the right, and Foden on the left, but look to bring on Gordon on the left with Bellingham coming off and Foden moving centrally around the hour mark, and Palmer coming on the right around the same time. I'd also bring on Wharton, maybe for Rice, towards the end.

Mainoo was always the best option for the 3rd midfield spot, has all the attributes to bring balance to the team. He HAS to play for the remainder of our tournament!

Remember when people were calling palmer a pen merchant 6 months ago 😂

I think Mainoo can do dirty work and work hard as well. Not to Gallagher’s level, but still to a high level.

I agree with you on gallagher having his uses and i wouldnt be mad at him starting games in the knockouts, particularly if it is netherlands up next. But in a game against serbia where we're going to dominate the ball and try and break down a side in a low block, on what planet is he the guy? Match was tailor made for mainoo

Surely we understand at this point that Palmer is too good to go “but will he start him? idk.” He’s shown you he’s good enough to start, especially if the guys starting ahead of him aren’t cutting it. Not trying to take away from how good they are, but that’s just how football works (so you would hope). He just set a new benchmark for players in his bracket, in the league we all watch and we’re saying he has to prove it. He has nothing to prove.

Is Bellingham good enough defensively to play as the 8? I think so, he's just as good as Mainoo or Trent and a tenacious presser like Gallagher. So why are we not playing him in that position with Foden at RCM/10? He should still be given the license to drive forward and arrive late in the box, as long as the full-backs don't push right up. Southgate is so frustratingly stubborn. That game was the perfect opportunity to give it a go.

The problem for me is the left hand side, with Tripper always cutting back and no one running down the left everything comes inside. I think we need to get Bellingham more involved in the game, he clearly gets frustrated when he doesn’t get the ball, give him a freer role in the middle with Rice. Then put Faden in the 10, Gordon down the left, the solution is so simple to me, I don’t get why Gareth continues without addressing the left hand side.

This baldgates knowledge always spot on👌🏼

Saka this tournament has performed better than Kane, foden and Bellingham yet everyone wants saka to be dropped

Gomez and Trent for fullbacks we could go to 3 at the back when we have the ball

I thought of an ultra attacking 11 the other night I wondered how it would do, gk pickford rb trent cb stones cb guehi lb saka cdm mainoo/wharton m foden m bellingham rfwd palmer lfwd eze fwd kane, probably would get ripped apart especially with trent at fullback with saka getting high 😢

Seeing as England have to play Slovakia now and not the Netherlands, perhaps England can afford to "rest" Bellingham (looks tired), Saka (does not look fit) and Foden (who is away for personal reasons and not back til late). I would try Gordon left wing, Palmer as CAM and Bowen right wing. So far Englands attack has been disjointed, not creating much against so.called "lesser" opposition and general lacking. Putting in Gordon, Palmer and Bowen would mean having 3 players who are direct, who like to run and beat their man (Gordon and Bowen esp), who have been in form for their clubs and who will want to put in a shift and impress. They are direct, have pace and can score. Put Rice and Mainoo behind and freshen things up. Englands problems have been the imbalance in first eleven, players looking tired or players just out of form and Southgate has to stop being so stubborn and freshen it up. Things were so bad against Slovenia Italian TV said England were like "Snails on holiday" there was so little movement and desire.

absolutely love Bellingham but he isn't known for his creativity hes great at those lampard esque runs but right now hes not done that enough. personally id try like to see him as an 8 next to rice (which i think at madrid will be his position now they have to work around mbappe and kroos retirement or drop him for mainoo to be that 8/6 next to rice. so that we can have a player that can be creative. a foden, palmer or eze . id also tell kane to be a number 9, not a false 9 dropping so deep that hes practically non existent in attack. not an expert obvs but we need something to change

Jim whats with the transplant trim buddy?

Think mainoo showed enough in that second half to start next game, he is what that midfield misses

i just appreciate so much how rationale you are. cant stand most england fans entitlement. look at france, netherlands, belgium. same talent, less entitlement. although belgium after their game...

Having watched England struggle to break down 3 stubborn defences in the group stage, does anyone have any real optimism we will suddenly find a way to score goals. Against a team that will aim to frustrate in similar fashion. Even if we do, it will be a single goal, and sweaty ars*s for the remainder of the game. We're getting excited by the 'draw opening-up' but tactically a Southgate team is more likely to impress, and to score, against teams that are more expansive. Would we have beaten Germany or Belgium or whoever...probably not. But I think the performance would be considerably improved, and we could at least have pride in the team. It's ultimately lose-lose for Southgate now, unless we at least make the final. Because chances are we go out, to a Slovakia or a Switzerland or an Austria. Maybe Southgate will get some mercy if it's Italy in the QF or Netherlands in the SF. But Southgate, tactically, has given all these teams the blueprint of how to beat this England team. We aren't going to beat 3 of these teams consecutively, and break down their defences, not playing how we have been. No chance. Changes are essential, and we have to surprise the opposition. If we get past Slovakia, likely via a nervy penalty shootout. We will lose the QF against either Switzerland or Italy. I obviosuly hope I'm wrong, and will back the players regardless. But we've got little to be optimistic about. 😔

Sorry James but pretty much all pundits are asking for a midfield of rice, bellingham and foden with Jude being deeper. Then you can have Gordon on the left - its not some secret lol. Southgate will never do it. Also just how rigid is Southgate? We play awful so next game he makes a single change and plays the exact same way.

PALMER must start next game, he is class and offered a threat the minute he stepped on the pitch !

Bellingham needed a break after 80 minutes,Foden central Gordon on earlier,Or would that have meant England scoring without Bellingham and then the debate of dropping him for the next game

This is the knockouts so it’s honestly time for big calls to the 11 based on form in the euros so far. These are the changes I would make:- Gordon & Shaw have to start to revive the left sided attacking threat. We have been to over reliant on the right, especially considering saka is the only player currently who is willing to make runs in behind the defence. Replicate that with Gordon too, and we become more unpredictable against opposition defenders. With Shaw, we have a left footed LB finally that can provide overlapping runs to Gordon, play a solid cross into the box for Kane to get on the end of, and both of these guys would free up Foden to play the 10 role which we know is his best position. Bellingham needs dropping for now, I’d start Mainoo/Wharton with Rice in his usual position. Trent at RB, Walker has been overrated so far, offers also nothing in build up similar to Trippier, would actually serve England better perhaps as a right sided back 3 CB. Trent can operate in the half spaces, saka can play more of an inside forward role increasing cuttting inside opportunities now an overlapping option is there on the RW. Another quality long ball outlet to Kane from the right is also another advantage, set piece ability, Mainoo and rice can provide cover for counter attacks when Trent pushes forward.