Alan Shearer wants England to ring the changes in their Euro 2024 quarter-final tie against Switzerland, with three players drafted into the starting line-up, including Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, while a fellow pundit believes Gareth Southgate has showed why he is “finished” as a top-level manager amid ongoing talk he soon faces the sack.
The Three Lions are through to the last eight of the European Championships – the fourth time in a row under Southgate they have reached the quarter-finals of a major competition. However, their quest to end 58 years of hurt out in Germany has been anything but smooth sailing, with only an incredible 95th-minute equaliser from Jude Bellingham preventing their exit in their last-16 tie against Slovakia on Sunday.
A goal from Harry Kane less than 90 seconds into extra-time saw England ultimaely edge a 2-1 win but criticism of their performances so far has been rife, with few able to get behind Southgate’s stubborness to either change his line-up and his slow reaction to bringing on substitutes in the wake of their lacklustre displays.
Until Bellingham’s acrobatic overhead kick on Sunday, England had failed to muster a single shot on goal and the growing frustration in the stands, punditry studios and across social media was palpable. Indeed, that one moment was a bolt out the blue, which had that not occured, would have seen England packing their bags rather than dreaming of potentially going all the way.
Nonetheless, BBC pundit Shearer is adamant Southgate has some serious lessons to learn and cannot afford not to mix up his side against the Swiss if England are to advance any further in the competition.
