Gareth Southgate’s latest snooze-fest prompts Dream Team Euros gaffers to ditch England players
DREAM TEAM EUROS managers have access to unlimited transfers before Matchday 4 and many will use this time to ditch their underwhelming England assets.
Gareth Southgate’s side produced another insipid display against Slovenia on Tuesday night and the while the 0-0 draw ultimately earned them top spot in Group C and a place on the favourable side of the knockout draw, their performances suggest the Three Lions’ days in Germany are numbered.
Harry Kane (£7.5m), Bukayo Saka (£6.5m), Phil Foden (£6.5m) and Jude Bellingham (£6m) mustered just nine points between them in Matchday 3, a pitiful return given their collective cost and popularity.
Both the former and the latter have been the most-selected player in Dream Team Euros at one stage but their popularity should decrease dramatically ahead of the round of 16.
Bellingham played well in the first half against Serbia but has looked increasingly fatigued and ineffective as the tournament has progressed.
Kane scored a typical poacher’s effort against Denmark but he too lacks his usual sharpness.
More broadly, England’s uninspiring and ponderous build-up play has severely limited their attacking threat.
Somehow they have topped their group despite scoring just two goals in three outings – Germany have scored eight goals in the same time frame, for comparison.
There is a case for remaining loyal to Jordan Pickford (£4m) and the starting defenders as the lifeless nature of England’s games has also inflicted their opponents thus far.
Everton’s No1 has conceded just one goal – only Spain boast a better defensive record – and is currently joint-second in the Dream Team Euros rankings among assets in his position on 19 points.
The concern is that teams with more attacking pedigree than Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia may be able to capitalise on England’s lethargy in a knockout environment.
Whatever the verdict on Pickford and company at the back, surely only the most patriotic gaffers will continue to stand by the likes of Kane and Bellingham when Spain, Germany and Portugal (and others) offer considerably more appealing options?
The stats reinforce what fans have observed.
Among all the teams to have played three games at the tournament, only Scotland and Serbia have generated fewer expected goals (xG) than Southgate’s side.
Similarly, only Scotland, Serbia and Slovenia have registered fewer shots.
It’s no wonder Kane and Bellingham are currently the most transferred-out players ahead of Matchday 4.