We look at the issues facing England Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate ahead of his team’s crunch clash against Italy in Olomouc.
England go into their final group game of the European Under-21 Championship knowing that victory against Italy will take them into the semi-finals.
Even a draw might be enough and that’s just one of the factors that Southgate must take into account on Wednesday night.
Who drops out of the team to accommodate John Stones and how will the midfield shape up? We look at some of the decisions to be made…
Who makes way for Stones?
Everton defender John Stones has more senior international caps than any player in Southgate’s squad – including Harry Kane – so it seems inevitable that he’ll return to the team after missing the first two games of the tournament due to concussion. But with Ben Gibson and Liam Moore both having performed well, who will make way?
“I’ve got a decision to make because we’ve let one goal in and the defenders, as I knew they would, have defended with great heart and spirit,” said Southgate. “The game against Sweden was a physical contest – very direct. The two boys that played really rose to that challenge.”
Although the initial indications were that it was Gibson deputising for Stones, the Middlesbrough man arguably outperformed Moore against Sweden. Whether the more subtle skills of Italy require a different approach remains to be seen, but whatever the decision, expect England to be boosted by the return of Stones.
Role for Loftus-Cheek?
Southgate was fulsome in his praise of Ruben Loftus-Cheek after the young midfielder impressed as a substitute against Sweden. There’s a feeling that the England coach is learning more and more about the Chelsea man as the tournament progresses and crucially he likes what he sees.
He has been frank from the outset that Loftus-Cheek possesses a different skill-set to the other more diminutive midfield options and could yet be persuaded that the presence of the 19-year-old could be key. “We've got to look at physical freshness and tactical decisions,” he said on Tuesday. Does that mean Loftus-Cheek?
Getting the best from Kane?
Gibson had called him “the best trainer” in the England squad earlier this week, Italy coach Luigi di Biagio told reporters that “Kane is the diamond” and the Spurs striker even picked up a scarcely-deserved man-of-the-match award for his performance in the win over Sweden.
However, there is still a feeling that Kane has yet to truly ignite in the Czech Republic and that’s something for Southgate to think about. England have the potential star of the tournament but he’s a player who needs to be utilised properly and if they fail to do so on Wednesday then it could be too late.
“Have we created enough clear-cut chances because I don’t think we've missed glaring chances? So we've got to look at whether we've given him the right service,” said the England coach, before adding: “He’s ready, he’s focused and I'm happy with him on our team-sheet.”
Is a win or a draw needed?
England know that a win will guarantee their place in the semi-finals but a draw would be sufficient as long as Portugal beat Sweden in the other Group B game being played simultaneously in Uherske Hradiste. It adds a layer of confusion for Southgate when making his team selection.
So do England go for the win from the outset or opt for a more circumspect approach? “We’ve obviously got to be sensible,” said Southgate. “If we’re not winning with five minutes to go and the other result is going our way then that’s something we've got to consider. But it’s not the way we’re going to approach it. A draw might also not be enough.”