England’s main problem revolves around GS’s insistence on playing 4-2-3-1, and the fact that it doesn’t suit the players available.
Kane needs service, and the current formation doesn’t offer him that. He either needs a strike partner (which a 4-1-3-2 would give him) or attacking wing backs & and a busy ACM (5-3-1-1) or faster, more attack minded players playing behind him, that push on (the 4-2-3-1 that Bayern play).
You really only want Kane operating in a rectangle the length of the penalty area and width of the goal area.
Kane’s approaching 31 yrs of age, and he needs the perfect set up at this level, otherwise he struggles. I don’t think he’s fully fit and because he’s captain, he’s the first name on the team sheet. Having seen this at close quarters, I’m surprised GS hasn’t taken Rashford, as he offers a bit more of what we need.
The midfield 3 behind him that is meant to offer the set up play is unbalanced and narrow. England are faced with a modern version of the Gerrard, Lampard, Beckam & Scholes problem, with Cole, Foden, Bellingham & Rice (possibly even Mainoo).
Problems could be addressed by dropping one of the DCM’s, but Southgate has now made it the hill that he’s prepared to die on, hence the Phillips comment.
The full backs aren’t pushing on enough and are too happy to take short passes from the CB’s and drop short passes into the DCM’s or back to the CB’s. If you do play 2x DCM’s then in theory it gives you the ability to be more gung-ho because you’ve got cover.
Walker is currently the shadow of Man City self and it’s criminal that we’ve not got a left footed LB.
I’d also hazard a guess that Grealish (possibly Rasford) is a very popular person in the changing room, and his dropping has pissed players off.
Anyway, that’s what Google says, and I agree.
*Edit: according to the web we were playing 4-3-3 last night. 🤷
