England head coach Gareth Southgate has reportedly decided whether to start Luke Shaw or Kieran Trippier at left wing-back against the Netherlands.
The Three Lions have underperformed at Euro 2024 but have booked their place in the semi-finals of the competition after beating Slovakia and Switzerland in the knockout stages.
Earlier in the tournament, England lacked balance on the left flank as Trippier was used as a makeshift left-back, while winger Phil Foden insisted on drifting inside at any given opportunity.
Southgate attempted to amend this problem for England’s quarter-final against Switzerland, switching to three-at-the-back with Foden and Jude Bellingham operating as No.10s.
England’s performance in the penalty shootout victory against Switzerland was certainly their best in the tournament so far, but they will likely need to improve further if they are to beat Netherlands on Wednesday night.
Trippier or Shaw to start?
Southgate felt he had to play Trippier out of position, as the only natural left-back in England’s Euro 2024 squad – Shaw – has been recovering from a hamstring injury.
READ: England players ‘too thick to learn tactics’ and Southgate should drop three of them for the semi-final
The Manchester United full-back’s last Premier League appearance came in February and he missed England’s first four tournament matches in Germany before returning to action as a 78th-minute substitute on Saturday evening.
Shaw played pretty well after coming on and has said he’s ready to start against the Netherlands. When asked on monday if he’s ready to play 90 minutes and potentially more, he said: “Yeah, of course. I think I am. But obviously, that’s solely down to Gareth’s decision on what he does, but how I feel, I feel fit and ready to go.”
However, a report from Sky Sports claims Shaw is ‘expected to start on the bench’ against the Netherlands. Regarding the reasoning for this decision, they explain.
‘Sky Sports News has been told Southgate has concerns over whether Shaw could last the full 90 minutes, having played 42 minutes in the previous round, and with his only competitive involvement almost five months before that, back in mid-February.
‘It is also thought that the England manager believes Trippier’s defensive prowess could be vital against Netherlands’ attacking options – especially the pacey Denzel Dumfries, who tends to take up the position of an extra winger on the right side when the Dutch have the ball.’
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Southgate reserved praise for Newcastle United star Trippier during his pre-match press conference.
“He (Shaw) gives us balance. But Kieran Trippier has done a fantastic job,” Southgate said.
“He’s played in so many important nights for us over the last seven or eight years.
“But also around the squad and how he is. We’re very fortunate to have him.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
