On June 22, The Guardian discussed England’s Euro campaign, stating that manager Gareth Southgate’s decision not to call up Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling was an overcorrection, suggesting that England might not progress far and could be eliminated by Italy in the quarterfinals.
The Guardian first reviewed the reasons for England’s past tournament failures: “In the 2002 World Cup, manager Sven-Göran Eriksson relied too heavily on the ill-suited Beckham, in 2006, Wayne Rooney’s impulsiveness led to a man-down situation, in 2010, Capello’s coaching was rigid and dogmatic, and in both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Euros, the team was overly aggressive, all contributing to England’s defeats.”
The newspaper highlighted the evident weakness on England’s left flank: “Kane is left isolated, Foden struggles to make an impact on the left. This England squad lacks a suitable left winger, with Luke Shaw battling injuries and Trippier not in top form. Southgate’s choice to omit Rashford and Sterling seems excessive, particularly when there are no obvious replacements in their positions.”
The Guardian indicated that this problematic England squad would struggle to progress: “For England, with a relatively weak group, topping it and advancing through the round of 16 should be achievable. However, once reaching the quarterfinals, they are likely to face Italy. Despite lacking star power, Italy is cohesive and well-drilled. Southgate’s inability to harness his team’s attacking prowess points to a clear outcome: the Three Lions’ Euro journey could very well come to an end there.”