Southgate the problem? England have some of the world’s best, let them have fun

England have turned up at a party but forgotten to join in.

Everyone’s having a brilliant time here in Germany, letting rip, especially the hosts, but England are being standoffish. They’ll stay on at the party, bore people, get knocked out and carried home on a wave of disapproval. 

England need to liven up sharpish. They certainly didn’t raise the roof in the Frankfurt Arena here during the 1-1 draw with Denmark.

So many other teams are throwing themselves into attack, the young Turks bringing so much to the party, but not England.

It says everything that Gareth Southgate’s best player over their two Group C games has been a defender, Marc Guehi; he also took responsibility when making a mistake to race back and rectify it.

Otherwise England looked almost asleep, three lie-ins on a bed-shirt, against the confident, better-organised Danes. 

Southgate praised his players’ commitment. He emphasised they do care, and they do. Anyone who has spent any time around Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, Jordan Pickford, Bukayo Saka, well all of them, knows how much they care.

“If anything, they care too much,” Southgate said. 

These are good players, three of them voted the best in England, Germany and Spain this season. But they weren’t as well-prepared as Denmark, weren’t as compact or as effective in the press.

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Yet these are club captains, experienced internationals, some of them valued as £100million, and four of whom have conquered Europe at club level. It’s so frustrating.

These are good players. At club level, seven are regularly selected and prepared for action by such exceptional managers as Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and, until recently, Jurgen Klopp. Good managers, good judges. And the players have delivered for them. 

So is Southgate the problem? He rarely gets much criticism from the media because everyone rightly lauds the cultural changes he’s made to England, because the squad were leaderless and clueless before, and because he’s genuine.

Talking to England fans after the game it was clear their unhappiness but their mood was certainly not mutinous towards Southgate. 

One fan pointed out that for Denmark’s goal: “The best striker in the world (Kane) gave the ball away and the best midfielder in the world (Bellingham) didn’t track back. They messed up. That’s not on Southgate.”

He did add that, stationed in the centre of the Block 109, England’s most loyal following, there was “the most discontent I’ve seen from an England crowd since we lost 4-0 to Hungary at Molineux” two years ago.

“We need the fans,” Southgate said. “They have been absolutely brilliant in the stadium and I completely understand their frustration at the way we played. 

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The fan pointed out, in defence of Southgate, that given concerns going into the tournament the back four has been fine. So he’s organised the defence. But the attack? England are too fearful, too conservative.

Southgate’s giving everything he has to steer England to a trophy. But is his best good enough? Can nice guys finish first? These questions have to be answered. 

And he can answer them. England, stung by the criticism, can easily top the group, heading into a last 16 tie in Gelsenkirchen on June 30 against the third best side from the group containing Poland, Austria, Netherlands and France.

He has improved at his changes, moving more quickly against Denmark, albeit to no effect. He changed players but not the cautious mood as a Guardiola, Arteta or Klopp would. 

“It’s for me to find better solutions than in the last couple of matches,” Southgate said.

Building around Bellingham as his No.10 is a must. He might have to commit an act of heresy and omit Phil Foden for the natural width that Anthony Gordon brings on the left; it would be a huge call.

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He needs to urge players not always come for the ball to feet, but to attack in behind as, in fairness, Saka tried. 

Most of all, he must restore England’s joy. The irrepressible Jack Grealish is certainly a miss.

Reflecting on the party feel of this European Championship, the Denmark head coach, Kasper Hjulmand said: “People come here to celebrate football.” England need to do that, to entertain more. They have to get rid of the anxiety.

England have some magnificent players but they are less than the sum of their substantial parts – that’s down to Southgate.

It’s not too late to join the fun as embodied by Germany here, to turn from wall-flowers to the life and soul of the party.

But Southgate needs to let England’s players live a little.

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