After three sluggish group-stage performances, England urgently need to find their groove against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen. Should Gareth Southgate reshuffle his attack, and is it time to risk Luke Shaw at left-back? Our writers pick their starting XIs below …
I would persist with Jude Bellingham in the No 10 role, which flies in the face of his performances against Denmark and Slovenia. But I just feel that as the team look/ pray for a click, Bellingham has the potential to drive it. After all of the criticism, he will be fiercely motivated; the key will be for him to master his emotions. Phil Foden has had quite the week off the field; far from ideal in terms of his preparations. He can affect the game off the bench. Kobbie Mainoo provides security on the ball, the ability to get the team up the pitch and it is time for Anthony Gordon on the left – for his threat in behind and for balance because Trippier will not overlap from left-back. Everybody is waiting for Luke Shaw but it would be too risky to start him after so long out and also because there are hopefully more games to come. Cole Palmer’s X-factor on the right stands to make a difference. David Hytner
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Shaw has to play. Pump him full of meds, strap an ice pack to his leg, anoint him if necessary. Mainoo, his Manchester United teammate, ahead of him, combining and decoying and even interchanging. The direct running of Palmer completing the triangle on that left flank (and, with Harry Kane in mind, the closest England have to a Son Heung-min). Bellingham – who after two bad games is still, in fact, Jude Bellingham – in the right channel, where his roaming instincts dovetail better with the more disciplined Bukayo Saka. So you have Shaw-Mainoo-Palmer (and perhaps Phil Foden later) as the axis on the left, with Saka-Bellingham-Kane combining on the right. (Kyle Walker sits tight; you’re essentially a back three in possession and a back four out of it.) It’s not flawless: you lack a little muscle in midfield, Kane needs to pick and choose his moments to drop deeper, and it relies on an understanding between Mainoo and Palmer that probably doesn’t exist yet. But it’s perhaps the only way of a) playing your best players in b) the places they actually want to play. Jonathan Liew
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The defence has been good to this point, so there’s no need for change. Mainoo lifted everyone after his introduction against Slovenia and he looks comfortable on any stage he’s played so far, so keep him in. Bring in Gordon for width on the left and Palmer on the right for his creativity, bring Foden – a likely buzzing new dad and someone who’s shown keenness (perhaps too much) – into his preferred No 10 role. Bellingham and Saka drop out because they look tired, nothing more, and the situation can be reappraised if the quarter-finals are achieved. Paul MacInnes
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England’s problems are all about control. They have too many players ineffectually crowding the creative spaces and too much space in deeper areas. Bellingham is great but has looked tired and trying to fit three players into the No 10-adjacent role has unbalanced a careful structure. Southgate-ism is all about careful structure. Why is he suddenly trying to become a cross between Ossie Ardiles and Jackson Pollock? Saka and Foden are lovely players but nobody’s too big to be rotated/rested when it’s sluggish. Gordon and Palmer deserve a shot. Three players in midfield who have some discipline and will control the ball for the team is a good base to start creating things again. Kane has looked zombified but merits a chance in a better structure. Shaw can come on at some point. A 1-0 win (Kane pen) is still a 1-0 win. Unleashing and unshackling can happen in another version of reality. Barney Ronay
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England’s defence has been strong, so changing it may seem perverse. But something needs to be done about the team’s quality in possession and bringing in Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back could help. Walker isn’t overlapping enough and Kieran Trippier is providing no width on the left. Unless Shaw is fit, why not shift Walker to the left? England need to alter the dynamic. Mainoo is the obvious choice to start alongside Declan Rice in midfield, no matter the youngster’s weaknesses without the ball. Make the opposition worry about England’s strengths. Make them worry about how to stop Palmer, who should replace the jaded Saka on the right. More energy is needed. Gordon isn’t a glamorous choice on the left but he is direct and quick, and Bellingham and Foden aren’t on the same wavelength. Bellingham gets another chance only because Foden has missed some training this week. Jacob Steinberg
