Has Gareth Southgate stumbled across England’s best XI? Tactical analysis on the team he SHOULD pick – with THREE major changes

He got there by stumbling through blind alleys and crawling out of them, but in emerging from the darkness of the group stages, Gareth Southgate has certainly found the light to put England on the right path.

Apart from the first thirty minutes against Serbia – when England flew and Jude Bellingham wore a cape – the best they played was in the closing minutes of Tuesday’s goalless draw against Slovenia.

It may not have felt that way during yet another putrid performance that hung heavy on a sticky summer night in Cologne, but there was an air of relief as I watched England attack with pace, incision and energy, albeit short-lived.

And how? Well, Southgate turned belatedly to a pair, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon, who he had kept in the shadows until now. Add to that the introduction of Kobbie Mainoo at half-time, and there you have the trident – ​​average age 21 – whose enthusiasm shook England from their slumber at the start of the tournament.

Southgate has looked lost and increasingly confused at times here in Germany, but all is not lost for England. The road to Berlin – free from the juggernauts on the other side of the autobahn – can be driven if the manager follows the signposts. And right now they’re pointing to Palmer, Mainoo and Gordon.

The replacement of Palmer and Anthony Gordon (center) helped revive the team

Kobbie Mainoo (pictured) came on for Connor Gallagher at half-time as Southgate tried to solve his midfield puzzle

He doesn’t have to start them all, but Gordon has at least earned the role of first ‘finisher’, as Southgate calls his substitutes, and a role worth far more than the two minutes plus stoppage time he got against Slovenia.

Yet that was all the Newcastle winger needed to prove his worth. He immediately made one key pass that led to a chance for Palmer, which was more than Bellingham and Bukayo Saka managed in a combined 160 minutes.

But even without the numbers, your eyes told you the difference the changes had made. Gordon dribbled, Mainoo performed a delightful feature and Palmer slipped a cute ball into the back, all in contrast to the leaden feet and loitering ghosts of the past.

Gordon replaced Foden – it should have been Bellingham – and how the Manchester City playmaker must have wished he was still there to bounce off the resilient players. Not only do he and Bellingham hit it off, it feels like they’re colliding.

Gordon and Palmer, meanwhile, are said to have grown closer in recent weeks, with their bond no doubt magnetized by mutual frustration. It was interesting to see them leaving the RheinEnergie Stadium together and chatting. Southgate’s failure to use them in the first two games – when his side lacked pace and guile – was a headache. So what she and Mainoo did in Cologne should serve as a kicker for the manager.

And that would be fine; there is no need to berate Southgate if lessons are learned. He had the sense to choose those players in his team in the first place. Now it’s time to use them. Palmer for Saka and Mainoo for Conor Gallagher are the obvious changes for round two.

Jude Bellingham (left) and Phil Foden (right) failed to click and may have even collided

Bukayo Saka could swap himself for Palmer if Southgate shakes things up against Slovakia

Gordon may even move to No. 10 for Bellingham with Foden, should the latter be back in time after ‘temporarily’ returning to Britain for the birth of his third child.

That would be bold, if not unwarranted, and Southgate has shown he has the courage to make calls.

Mainoo’s promotion to the seniors in March, for example. The Manchester United teenager took England on to the pitch on Tuesday and in the final third he had 20 touches to Gallagher’s one. It felt harsh at the time, Southgate giving up midfield misadventure No. 2 after just 45 minutes, but the impact on the team was positive.

For Mainoo, Palmer and Gordon, the hope must be that others improve through their presence. Take Foden, who was England’s best player against Slovenia but – as our graph above shows – the majority of his passes were sideways and backwards. In three games he has switched to Jordan Pickford three times and Harry Kane only once. That statistic is astonishing, but not entirely shocking.

Gordon spoke as well as he had played since, and his words were telling. “We have to find a way to be more direct and put teams on the back foot,” he said. ‘We need more threat at the back, we need more shots on target and more chances created. Because I feel like teams are putting pressure on us and we’re a bit too predictable at the moment.

‘We just need a little more creativity in the final third because I think we have a good control of the games. But it’s that predictability: teams go on the field because we are not unpredictable.’

Phil Foden has been a bright spot for Manchester City this season and could shine in his favored position for England

Gordon stressed the importance of England finding a way to be more direct in the knockouts

It was equally interesting when he added: “The group we have on the bench at the moment is on fire (in training).”

As the terrace ode to Foden reads: you cannot make a fire without a spark. England fans would do well to update the lyrics, as long as Southgate updates his squad.

The English teams that won the World Cup in 1966 and reached the last four in 1990 were different from the teams that started the tournament.

That’s why there is hope. Therefore, when there is change, there is time for change. And that’s why, after spending most of the opening round on their hands and knees, England can now begin their run for the final.