Gareth Southgate, England’s manager, admitted that the decision to play Trent Alexander-Arnold as a central midfielder did not yield positive results. Alexander-Arnold was substituted after 53 minutes in the Euro group game against Denmark, as he struggled in this new position for the second successive match. Southgate acknowledged the team’s ongoing struggle to find a solution for the midfield for several years, emphasizing the need to address this issue in the coming weeks. He also mentioned the team’s deficiency in pressing, which contributed to Alexander-Arnold’s challenges in his new role.

Southgate explained that the team’s pressing was not intense enough and highlighted the need for more compactness and improved defensive capabilities. He recognized the absence of the team’s best left-back and praised Trippier for his contributions and versatility in filling positions when needed. The manager acknowledged the team’s need for improvement in various areas and emphasized the importance of finding the right balance and addressing the team’s pressing and defensive challenges.