Three Kittens not Lions against Slovenia, but can England still win it? | Football's Greatest: Euros

What’s up with Bellingham? Just how fit is Harry Kane? And will Gareth Southgate finally ring the changes for the knockout stages? Jeff and Merse discuss England’s drab display against Slovenia. Merse genuinely still thinks England will win the Euros…but why?
They also debate if it’s the end for Steve Clarke and Scotland, assess the other contenders, ask if Austria's good form reflects badly on Manchester United and pay respect to Luka Modric and some of the other legends at the tournament.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Our next episode on Saturday is a Q&A with Merse and Jeff where you can react to anything they've said or ask them about the Euros, football or themselves.
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Football's Greatest: Euros is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios.
Three Kittens not Lions against Slovenia, but can England still win it? | Football's Greatest: Euros

[@thejtizzel]

Dont know why Merson gets stick. He actually makes good points, and better insight than most pundits.

[@AdrianHobbs-k6c]

I've always said this mate. Merse offers a lot more insight.

[@kevyarham]

People tend to judge Merson for his off field issues, but he was a great player, and he knows what he's on about because he's won trophies.

[@yippeekiyay9219]

He's humble and speaks with a cockney accent so people think he's a thicko.

[@jc6087]

The booze and coke may have addled his brain but he's still a born baller.

[@jc6087]

​@@kevyarhamPrime Merson was silk.

[@ruskoruskov3086]

Sincerely a very funny conversation....love Paul's optimism borderline delusional but sincere nonetheless.....Hartlepool supporter....Jeff is more grounded....it would be a sporting tragedy if such a character like Southgate wins this or any other competition....c'mon England.....

[@gaving9041]

We could play Barbados and Southgate would still play 2 defensive midfielders. The guy needs to grow a pair. He earns 5 times what the Spanish coach earns and for what? Being a nice guy that the players like?

[@alistairsmith5389]

He’s a political manager not a football one. That’s why he’s still in the job.

[@NH-bz9jv]

Because he’s exactly what the FA want, a yes man.

[@Glasgowliam]

Southgate reminds me of an incompetent boss I used to work with. Would I enjoy having a pint with him? Sure. Do I want him in charge of my team? Absolutely not.

[@BrixtonTone]

Merse was spot on with his comment @ 14:45 i.e sic "they're playing 442 lets go the same and match them, ,we've got better players" It was my thoughts exactly when the game kicked off.

[@thomash6497]

England have been incredibly lucky again with fixtures. Favourable draws and poor performances are what Southgate’s England are most famous for.

[@conoconnor4375]

Maybe Uefa, fifa, are feeling sorry for them, and are desperately trying to help them win something after 58 years of trying?😅

[@cathcartlepick]

ENGERLUND have been lucky in previous draws in a lot of competitions world,European whatever which hides the fact that they have failed in every competition 😴 apart from 60 yrs ago past glory is not good enough 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@conoconnor4375]

​@@garyfletcher1910Qualifying for tournament's ain't worth a hill of beans if you make no impression when you get there, 55 years to wait for just a second tournament final appearance is pretty pathetic for a country with nearly 60 million people, and it's supposedly the national game of that country!😮

[@conoconnor4375]

​@@garyfletcher1910For goodness sake man, the Netherlands with only a fraction of the English population, has reached 3 world Cup finals, and a Euro final in 1988.....

[@SimonFlynn-un1ur]

Why are you being so negative about it. Isn't it a good thing?

[@peterdinnage3552]

It would be a big call by Southgate but I think he should leave Bellingham out for the next game, he looks tired and confused. and people should remember that in 1966 Alf Ramsey left out Jimmy Greaves after 3 games and everyone thought Greaves was the best striker in the country. Sometimes you have to leave out a great player for the sake of the team.

[@ashleyburns6752]

All Southgate cares about is players wanting to play for England and them being happy, couldnt care less about winning things or pleasing the fans. How is that acceptable? Imagine a club manager being like that? Who do they think they are? The whole point of international football is to represent your country, otherwise dont bother putting on the shirt and go play on your yacht all summer.

[@Theolsty12]

Never known a manager who is more bothered about the opposition!

[@Makstarkid]

Three crabs

[@Marktb363]

😁

[@russellmathews3599]

Correction. Three Lambs .....

[@Makstarkid]

@@russellmathews3599 Lambs go forward we go sideways

[@chuak.c7349]

Three donkeys 🫏

[@Suroky232]

Rice does not really offer anything in an England attack. His role has to change for England, otherwise I would rather have Bellingham and Mainoo in the centre. 99% of his passes are either backwards or sideways.

[@chuak.c7349]

He is been doing for arsenal all the time

[@geekylove3603]

These guys literally didn't mention Mainoo apart from the fact he came on. Didn't mention if they thought he played well or not. Just shows the issues we have in English football. We don't recognise a different type of footballer. Mainoo getting on the ball and recovering the ball ensured England had their most dominant half of football. Let alone those couple of third man runs that created opportunities.

[@jjjGM007]

Love Jeff n MERSE so much

[@XQRobertz]

9:16 mins hilarious 😂 😂😂 I agree, it looks bad that England topped the group with 5 points whereas Ukraine with 4points didn't even make it to the knock-out stage.

[@jordanyoung2130]

Paul merson always overhypes english players and the prem , he was saying england are the clear favourites and that no french player would get in the england side before the tournament started , he calls man united the biggest club in the world over madrid and barca which is just not true , the prem and english players are not as good as u make them out to be

[@jamieoreilly3987]

Cry more pal

[@jordanyoung2130]

@@jamieoreilly3987 lol u want to suk off merson or something? Why do u care what im saying about another man ? Looks like ur the one crying trying to defend merson in the comments

[@dondamon4669]

England were favourites and Manchester United are much bigger than Barcelona who only won things coz of Messi

[@maveriks463]

Harsh but fair...

[@jordanyoung2130]

@@dondamon4669 barca are bigger in every way to united , more tophys won , more ucl trophys won , more legendary players and ballon dor winners , bigger stadium, more fans and soical media followers, every player dreams of playing for barca and madrid

[@audy2817]

Merson said "Kyle Walker, he doesn't have to defend". Wow....he will never say that about Trent Alexander-Arnold.

[@bobbypukes605]

He said ‘he hasn’t had to defend’. Completely different to what you said. If Walker was playing in a first eleven where he ‘doesn’t have to defend’, then of course, if defending isn’t necessary, we would put Trent in immediately. But that’s never going to be the case with England. As soon as we play challenging opponents who will deliberately target Trent and that right hand side, we will be in trouble. Walker is all we need at right back.

[@massford2767]

Great show, Guys. Great questions from Jeff & great insights from Paul.

[@NH-bz9jv]

Love Merse, wish he’d joined Chelsea back in the day. Quality.

[@Sam-jy5tj]

About once a game we run beyond defenders following a dissecting pass and we often nearly score. We just don’t do it often enough. It seems that above all else the tactic is to keep possession. No one wants to risk a pass that might not come off and damage their personal Stats, so the most popular pass are short sideways and backwards passes.

[@garygrimmett7945]

😢guhei has been the only bright spark...excellent 👌

[@pjoseph5950]

Agreed 👍 Top player

[@gh1851]

I must agree with Jeff here about 11 minutes in. It's baffles me as to why a substitution should be allowed in the 89th minute or beyond that. It's unacceptable. Make all your substitutions by at least the 75th or 80th minute, for goodness sake. Southgate has a lack of common sense frankly 😴

[@liamoneill4706]

Its an insult to the player if you ask me and maybe only acceptable if you are winning a game and want to slow things down but even then the time gets added on. Its like he gets extra commission for late substitutions. At a point now where I just want him gone as he is continually putting the wrong fuel in the engine.

[@ulfanfinneriksen4643]

The unusual thing is not getting more attacking flair out of that squad.

[@jeffto23ify]

Great comments and some solutions for the England team Merse is very optimistic about Englands chances i hope he is right but i cant see it happening . Great pod cast tho .

[@stephen3511]

Palmer Gordon / Foden / Saka Rice /Bellingham Trippier / Guehi / Stones / Walker Pickford

[@pjoseph5950]

Like it👍

[@Paddy-vc3fl]

England's performance against Slovenia was significatly better than the previous two, especially the Denmark performance, and now they go into the knockout phase on the back of their best 45 minutes of the group. I know that doesn't suit the 'it's a disaster' hyseteria, but such is life.

[@christopherpaul1272]

The mighty Slovenia

[@Paddy-vc3fl]

@@christopherpaul1272 Yeah.

[@SamMerchant-vn4or]

Merse is right about Rice, he plays further fwd for arsenal

[@MarkReynolds-c2o]

If Rishi Sunak was asked he would probably say 'they don't have a plan' Maybe the premiership isn't as good as people say it is and pundits and media build players up like Foden and Bellingham as world class, or simply they play for the best club sides in Europe?

[@paulwalker1793]

Paul merson. Brilliant 👍

[@robbo4166]

We ve been playing pedestrian football a long time before this tournament. Not sure what your seeing what the rest of us arent. No way will we win it, not a chance, France, Spain, Germany.....no way England.

[@michaels8638]

Southgate has only ever won a league cup 30yrs ago, he’s not a winner and as for patterns of play in the final 3rd you can see Saka and Foden in deep discussion before kick off, thats lack of direction , lack of confidence all of which is at Southgate’s door.

[@original.dwornboy]

Italy stunk out the World Cup tournement group stages out in 1982 but went onto win. It aint how you start its how you finish.

[@Martin-lw1bl]

Garth Southgate has got to go. He is more worried about loosing then winning. He was a defender his folofisey is defensive our best players our attacking players. He only has a plan A. When he leaves no top team will be interested.

[@iandavis8047]

Swapping GS for Pep & no change?....so in what Universe does that happen?

[@2006rossi]

Like he said he doesn't know how good the Spanish league is I can tell you now it's a piss poor league worst its been in 15 years makes jude bellingham look amazing while in reality he's just an over hyped bang average player like Dele Alli was. We all know how the English media made out Dele Alli was this world beater he never was doing the same with bellingham

[@HKVDay]

Still won the champ league

[@dondamon4669]

I know he is the biggest problem and can see other players don't like him, no one likes someone trying to make it all about themselves,and slapping there faces, he seems like he would be unbearable to be around

[@2006rossi]

​@HKVDay yea so did the Real Madrid 3rd choice goalkeeper doesn't make him world class does it 😂 he went missing in the champions league that's a fact... he's overhyped just a bang average player in a great team in a poor league

[@michaelmulhall5007]

@@HKVDayThey got absolutely battered by city. Played like a league one team set up in the fa cup everyone behind the ball and played for penalties they are not a good side Madrid.

[@cashmontoks]

If it’s bang average what does that make the English league? Spanish clubs have won the ucl and the Europa more times than any country. U are clueless

[@TheOrigamiPeople]

At last ,Southgate has put Mainoo on for a whole half. Why aren’t they talking about that bravery from Southgate. Mainoo is a better midfielder at his age than the rest.Rice is passing sideways .

We've lost nothing yet. Just get the right team on the pitch.

[@innervisionjj]

Picking the best 11 players does not mean they will make an effective playing team. I've been saying this since 1966.

[@colinmiller8361]

If there was a war and you were in the trenches, who would you want next to you, England players or Georgian players.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Mainoo and Rice makes a big difference

[@christopherpaul1272]

We need kalvin Phillips,wot a player he is,reminds me of a prime iniesta or a xavi lol

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Lol

[@garyowen4112]

didnt they start against iceland?

[@ps5andstuffhere]

That match was not taken seriously really. Palmer and Gordon also started so lol.

[@garyowen4112]

@@ps5andstuffhere would have thought they would have taken it seriously to try to get into the team

[@jamesl3546]

"Everybody seemed to believe...from the England camp anyway. Well John Stones said......! Give us a break Jeff.

[@xshannonBAKER]

I'm sorry but what is Merse talking about... Bowen doesn't win games? What games of West Ham's has he seen that Bowen has scored the winner including the UECL final!!?? His judgement of Bowen is absolutely mind boggling.

[@dondamon4669]

Merson spot on about everything! These players and Gareth basically wanting to stop free speech!! Players and teams are getting so boring now i think football will start losing popularity and tv will stop paying the money, vibe is that people are starting to dislike the premiership and England. Pep has destroyed football by making it all about tactics, systems and all players the same and not allowed to be individual and everyone copied! Every team plays the same!!

[@pjoseph5950]

Agreed 👍 Robots

[@paulclarke4360]

Mick Quinn up front with Beardsley left wing Sharpe right wing les Seeley midfield frank bruno and aj left back big daddy centre left hulk hogan right centre Warwick Davis right back stu Francis in goal rod hull

[@paulclarke4360]

Awesome 👌

[@paulmorgan6269]

As media pundits, your all the same. All living in the past and remembering what it was like in the days. The little teams slip in. Why didn't you see the Iceland result. ?? Keep thinking of Pele and teams of the past. Your in for a shock on Sunday.

[@RobertFitzgerald-ky7md]

The players are playing rubbish because they do not have effective direction....Denmark looked brilliant because they were clearly well coached...our talent is playing shit as we are not well coached .. without direction it's a bunch of individuals looking useless

[@teggyr01]

speaking about future games... ye will be out on Sunday..

[@pjoseph5950]

Yeah but you know we won't. I'm English and struggle to watch but we seem to keep getting easy draws. We have a tactically clueless manager.

[@darm1735]

Top thoroughbreds at their peak win big races, not Donkeys pulling carts, the same applies to footballers in big tournaments. Speed of thought, is as important as speed of legs. All top players, just have it. Sadly, England does not. 🤔🤔🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@badass6323]

It's the flags, they're a distraction

[@SimonFlynn-un1ur]

Why did he make a sub at half time..why did he make it so late...why did he play A why didn't he play B..what is he thinking of?.and round and round we go

[@glorytothefans]

Jeff can u ask him if he still thinks 2 French players gets in Englands team.

[@redjacc7581]

if england play 4-4-2 then they coukld use trent in the old beckham position wide right getting crosses into the box.

[@kitlow2970]

Asking Mers about early subs during his playing days is a bit of a misstep given they had one substitution a game back then compared to five now

[@ibrahimwaka3916]

Every tournament England always start as favorites but we know what happens in the end.Look at Germany less noise only getting the job done.

[@darm1735]

We are so slow, because we have nobody who can move quickly up front, it’s that simple guys. You create space with speed in dangerous areas, it’s not rocket science. 🤔🤔🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@gostepsenglish4431]

Why do they serve up these clueless 'pundits' all the time. So Merse thinks that better players are less able to play as a team than lesser able players. Amazing.

[@hamonryechinaski180]

Really? Clueless? So wasn't part of a team able to keep clean sheets for fun? Score and create despite being in that defensive set up? Part of Wenger revolution? Play a season unbeaten? Knows about pressure in and out of game? Nah, what does Merson know? Never even played the game.... So you pick a statement and extrapolate that out to him being Clueless? Funny, obviously nobody wants Gordon on left, nobody think lefts a problem, nobody thinks Bellingham is an 8 not a 10, nobody thinks Southgate is struggling or that good pkayers aren't performing.... Yeah, Clueless 🙄🤷‍♂️😉🤣🤣🤣

[@ps5andstuffhere]

He said they are over coached at there clubs. Main problem is Foden though

[@simonpeyton-n3h]

@@hamonryechinaski180 he never played a season unbeaten he was long gone

[@Sam-jy5tj]

I think he’s maybe pointing out that they are accustomed to complex playing moves that they drill over and over at club level so it’s 2nd nature.. But internationals don’t have the time for that. Players that are more fluid, perhaps have a clearer more simple set of tactics to follow can more easily execute it as a group.

[@topherklimek2259]

"The teams that are doing good is because they are actually bad and the teams that are doing bad is because they are actually good, you know what I mean?" No sir. No I don't. Sounds like extreme waffling.

[@neesewooh]

How many goals has vini scored against city in the last 3 seasons

[@michaelj63]

'The best teams have been the lesser teams, the reason is they are not great top top players' Yeah, that is the issue, England's players are too good...

[@conoconnor4375]

Yes they are too good alright........too good at being failures.....which means that maybe they're not too good at all....but folks are made to believe they are by the hype merchant delulu's who write in the shyster English press!😅

[@Razormiller]

Merson is such a PL snob. He really has no clue about the foreign leagues he regularly dismisses. Every time he's on he tries to diminish the standard of La Liga while also acting like Citeh beat Madrid. He acts like it was a one off fluke that a La Liga team beat a PL team when the truth is La Liga teams dominate Europe for the last 25 yrs or so. Show them some respect. Its a top league just like the PL, Serie A, Bundesliga etc.. Spain has also done pretty well over the last 25yr btw.. And in this tournament theyre playing great stuff. Especially Nico... Of course PL snob Merse utterly dismisses Nico doing the same v Engerland!!! Derp derp.. Merse is funny but he is a simpleton when it comes to talking about football. I can see why he flopped in management.

[@dondamon4669]

He's English so he's bound to be biased like a Spanish, Italian, German and French pundits are

[@Theminecraftwizard2018]

Did I hear this right? Because England have "top, top " players they are playing bad?

[@ulfanfinneriksen4643]

You wanna know what your first 11 is.

[@arranmelaugh5606]

Has merse been away?

[@johndirom8999]

Delusional punditry. England have never been able to play around/through a low block, they don't control games, they don't keep the ball like the good continental/world teams. Ppl credit England players with being better than they are. Is Bellingham so good because he plays with Kroos, Modric, Vini jr., Valverde etc. Is Foden good because he plays with Rodri, DeBroyne, Silva, Haaland etc. Is Kane scoring so many playing with Musiala, Kimmich, Muller, Koman etc. Is Saka so good playing with Odegaard, Trossard, Havertz, Martinelli etc. These England players are NOT as good as ppl think they are; they are behind the likes of Spain in technical ability, strategy, game management...and just being able to play the game. When a team is winning EPL titles and UCL cups with more than 4 Englishmen in the team, you might see something different.

[@simonpeyton-n3h]

merson in one sentence is praising austria for getting at teams and closing them down then next minute hes saying '''where does running around get you''' hes great but the king of contradictions with no filter

[@sandramuller-zewe8154]

Bei jeder EM und jeder WM sieht mein Herz England als Sieger. Aber dieses Jahr bin ich mehr als enttäuscht. Das Spiel gegen Slowenien war so schlecht. Ich fürchte, sie werden im Achtelfinale ausscheiden.

[@rogerharwood861]

Podcasts. I'm fed up with them.

[@pjoseph5950]

Its your choice to watch.

[@chrishallstrand5686]

Jude not Rice can beat someone 1v1.....how can you run a team from the middle when they can't even get it on the half turn. All passes backwards or square

[@chrishallstrand5686]

Sorry, jude and Rice cannot

[@tomp1808]

Bellingham has won the bundesliga player of the year and la liga player of the year by 20. Dont call him bang average Mers, he clearly isnt!

[@tommyb2603]

If they win it, playing like this, they will be an utterly boring champion.

[@legoheady]

Merse sat there like he once wasn't part of the under achievers.

[@christopherpaul1272]

Jude Bellingham is massively over rated

[@christopherpaul1272]

No pace at all,thinks he's summat special

[@pjoseph5950]

Stop complaining about Anthony Gordon having only 3 minutes to make a difference. It took me less than 2 minutes to make love and create a life. People are clueless 😐

[@sanmateoflights]

England have the easiest path to the final and they will luckily win the final on penalties by total fluke 😅

[@Spacecowboy-e3n]

He talks some bollix

[@pjoseph5950]

Nice spelling

[@daddybrooks4416]

Respect Merson but to question the integrity of Spanish league that dominates European competition over the past decade baffle’s me

[@pjoseph5950]

When you play in a league that is non competitive its easy to concentrate on cup competition. Real Madrid would finish 3rd at best in English Premier league.

[@SimonFlynn-un1ur]

You clearly know little about spanish football

[@rajakhan-lr1yx]

More like 3 chickens 😆

[@Faircloughcff]

Belgium 😂 Comon get a grip

[@mrdee2454]

Love seeing England playing so bad. Meme nation with average players

[@leonleon2276]

Three kittens 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Thomas168-tr2ux]

😊

[@KrisHubbard-w5x]

You gotta like the big man,but for the love of God, his opinions are as 💩 as his betting!i don't have sky😂

[@REX4340]

😅😅

[@marioamato7102]

First comment wooop where's my prize

[@botany500kojak]

TAA was the problem for the talking heads and muppet fans. Remove him and prayers would be answered. Happens all the time for decades. Always a scapegoat, then the same happens. Thankfully, I don't watch international football, nor support a team.

[@ralph9182]

He replaced him with Gallagher....

[@dondamon4669]

What you talking about then? Haven't watched but watch this and have an opinion 😂 get a life! Bet your wife loves you 😂

[@allbies]

TAA was poor and is not a midfielder. Gallagher also didn't influence the game in the first 45 hence the substitution. Bigger issue is definitely that we have limited width with Foden left and Saka being unwilling to run to the byline, but they're all problems. Foden needs to come central into the 10, move Bellingham deeper and play actual wingers willing to beat a man and use the width e.g. Gordon and Palmer / Bowen.

[@johnrushingvt]

Something must be done. Excellent players in the squad. Watkins Gordon Palmer Bowen Rice Mainoo Walker Guehi Stones Alexander-Arnold GK - Anybody Foden sub if available Kane sub Bellingham sub Saka sub Shaw sub if available

[@user-ul4ij2no1y]

Merse saying we wouldnt do any better if Pep took over mid tournament. Errrrr.......

[@minimead368]

Basically Spain play the same style of football with the same patterns of play from the youth ranks up to the national team. Similar with the German team. Plus they play the best player they have for a given position. They very rarely try to shoehorn in players just because they’re good (ie scoles on the left, foden on the left) as it unbalances the team and ruins the basic tactics these players have played for years. English international football has been a joke for years because the media and therefore the fans always focus on the individual rather than the strategy. It’s a team sport made up of individuals not individuals who make a team.

[@TrooperLFC]

Jurgen Klopp spent his entire playing career as a full back in Mainz. Yet, he masterminded the most aggressive heavy metal football ever.

[@TrooperLFC]

@cheetah8667 everyone borrows from people. bottom line is, with the players England have, Kloppo would have finished the group with 9 points and a goal difference of 23-0. Not all defenders play defence-minded football. Southgate is a national disgrace

[@tyronevaldez-kruger5313]

​@cheetah8667 Klopp and Pep didn't just copy. They took over and made it to the best existing styles. Soon or later other managers will do the same to them 😂

[@drdassler]

He scraped a lot of results & settled for a lot of draws. 😄

[@shiftylad9938]

He understands what hurt him

[@maheshwaranpillai]

@cheetah8667 True, Cruyff modelled his philosophy from Rinus Michels and Rinus from the Hungarian team of the 50's.

[@WOOOPdoctorFROGhere]

don't know why there's this obsession with "playing rice further up the pitch". He's so wooden when he gets the ball on the edge of the box he has absolutely no idea what to do with it and hasn't got the agility to turn with any kind of guile. He's englands best tackler. When an opponent takes a heavy touch or shows him too much of the ball, he takes the ball off their feet every time and has the vision and composure to move it forward quickly. He's the only option we've got as the deep midfielder. We have enough creativity further up the pitch so it's baffling that these pundits seem to think rice is steven gerrard going forward.

[@naseibonsu8120]

🔴 I agree with most of what you have said! But I think that playing Wharton at the base is perfect and probably better than playing Rice there because Rice is not a 6. He can't play it, he can't dictate. He doesn't pass the ball forward quickly enough, takes too many touches before releasing and doesn't break lines with forward passes. He passes side ways and backwards. I believe Wharton can do it and play that role better. Wharton's first through is forward and at international level that is key 🔴

[@stephen3511]

Southgate’s record is good against poor teams, but awful against the top teams. And this is with a talented squad of players

[@Junglist-zr4ui]

Go back too 4 4 2 play like england play with wingbacks overlapping runs and crossing the ball into the box these teams can't handle two centre forwards they're not used to it because no one plays 442 no more most teams now play one up front

[@dondamon4669]

Can't wait for that to come back and it definitely will. There's no way every team can keep playing with this keep the ball and don't lose attitude as people will stop watching

[@ronnyron4681]

You got no proper leftback who can cross with left foot

[@Junglist-zr4ui]

@@ronnyron4681 SAKA natural left foot

[@ronnyron4681]

@@Junglist-zr4ui Can he defend against top opposition?

[@Junglist-zr4ui]

@@ronnyron4681 I don't no he hasn't played there for years and there's no top teams until the semi finals and final so I would play him would be more balanced on the left as long as England attack more less pressure on a defence

[@VautourDX]

The off-the-ball movement is strangling England. Gordon's more than a winger, he runs from outsside to in and beyond the last defender. Palmer and Gordon have to play. Bellingham loses every physical duel, he's getting bullied in midfield.

[@amuoyhengcooking]

Yes, I agree. Not because Gordon is a Newcastle play, of which I am a fan, but because he really is good and will make impacts.

[@robk4070]

Yes, that's the problem in a nutshell. There is NO movement off the ball. It's Foden's strength, but Bellingham keeps getting in the way.

[@SimonDelaney-uq2gz]

Top comments by Merson

[@leslieaylett5375]

No Paul you don't "have" to have your best players on the pitch...You have to have the 11 that play as a team under a system.....sometimes that means NOT having the "best" players on the pitch.🤷‍♂️

[@carlaspinall7418]

The england vs slovenia was putting me to sleep😡🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@elicastelli9728]

"You gotta have your best players on the pitch.." not when they're unfit and playing badly, Kane. Bellingham plays in a great midfield - the England midfield isn't balanced - he & Foden looked visibly frustrated against Slovenia. They haven't forgotten how to play.

[@keithgoodrick-meech3921]

Gareth's secret plan. He's trying to make the opposition to fall asleep and then a secret hatrick while they are snoozing. 😂😂😂😂😂

[@simonpeyton-n3h]

are u 5 yrs old

[@keithgoodrick-meech3921]

@user-pw6gm1tu6q if you can't have a laugh at Englands performance so far, I suggest that you don't have a sense of humour 😉. Moron.!!

[@DannyBoy777777]

​@@simonpeyton-n3hYou spell like you're 5.

[@gary1961]

Harry Kane looked knackered after the pre-match warm-up!!! He was panting and sweating, for god's sake.

[@michaporzyczkowski7710]

My English friends, with Southgate you will not win against France, Portugal, Germanu, Spain etc. England, unfortunatly, has zero chance. Next time you need to get a proper couch.

[@Royboy50]

Merse is correct people have sacrificed a lot to support this team and they should be giving back loads ,I’m sure everyone is glad England are top but they need to show a bit of fire

[@intunewithcars9484]

i could listen to merse for hours talks so much sense...