Pundits Left Stunned at Southgate’s Lack of Substitutions
The Euro 2024 match between England and Slovakia left high-profile pundits in disbelief as Gareth Southgate failed to make any halftime substitutions despite a lackluster first-half display by the Three Lions. Gary Neville, Ian Wright, and Roy Keane, who were watching from ITV’s Berlin studio, expressed their shock and called on Southgate to be more bold in his approach for the second half.
Roy Keane, known for his straightforward and no-nonsense analysis, warned that Southgate’s job could be on the line if he didn’t make changes soon. Keane urged the England manager to go out on his shield and try something different. Neville echoed this sentiment, drawing comparisons to England’s infamous defeat against Iceland in 2016. He emphasized the urgency for Southgate to “rip up” his tournament plan and take more decisive action.
Neville also suggested multiple substitutions, stating that it wasn’t enough to make just one change. He advocated for the introduction of Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Anthony Gordon to shift the narrative of the game. The pundits believed that a complete overhaul was necessary to turn things around for England.
However, to the disappointment of fans at home and the dismay of the pundits, Southgate did not make any halftime substitutions. The hashtag “Southgate Out” started trending on social media as frustration grew among supporters. The lack of action from the England manager only added fuel to the fire.
It wasn’t until the 66th minute that Southgate finally made his first change, bringing on Cole Palmer for Kieran Trippier. This substitution also saw Bukayo Saka move to left-back. But by this point, it seemed too little, too late.
The match took another twist shortly after when Phil Foden scored what appeared to be an equalizing goal. However, VAR intervened and ruled the goal out for offside. This further highlighted the need for Southgate to make earlier changes to impact the game positively.
Overall, the pundits’ criticism of Southgate’s lack of halftime substitutions seemed justified as England’s performance failed to improve significantly. The match served as a reminder of the importance of proactive decision-making and adaptability in high-stakes tournaments like the Euros.