“,”elementId”:”880ed032-6d36-4818-8c5b-9012781a7279″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Benjamin Sesko is fit to start so Slovenia are unchanged.
“,”elementId”:”5efaadbe-ac63-413b-bcb7-020b5a371247″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
England (4-2-3-1) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Gallagher, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane.
Substitutes: Shaw, Alexander-Arnold, Ramsdale, Konsa, Dunk, Toney, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Eze, Gomez, Henderson, Palmer, Wharton, Mainoo.
“,”elementId”:”eecd1360-9ffa-4f79-9304-b48e98407dd0″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Slovenia (4-4-2) Oblak; Karnicnik, Drkusic, Bijol, Janza; Gorenc Stojanovic, Gnezda Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar; Sporar, Sesko.
Substitutes: Balkovec, Blazic, Stankovic, Verbic, Lovric, Belec, Kurtic, Horvat, Vekic, Vipotnik, Celar, Brekalo, Zugelj, Zeljkovic, Ilicic.
“,”elementId”:”27d9e4bd-f477-451f-8f9c-4e7499ee72ae”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Referee Clement Turpin (France)
“,”elementId”:”c7648adc-274f-46db-a9b8-f6b86cd2d856″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1719337881000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.51 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1719338350000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”13.59 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1719337980000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”13.53 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”13.53″,”title”:”Team News: Gallagher in the starting line-up”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Tuesday, June 25, 2024 14:07 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First Published Tuesday, June 25, 2024 13:30 EDT”},{“id”:”667b01f88f0839bc2f0031fe”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
- \n
-
England need a win to be sure of topping the group, though they could still do so with a draw.
-
Slovenia need a draw to be sure of reaching the last 16, though they could still qualify with a defeat.
\n
\n
“,”elementId”:”e1f8b835-3e65-44b5-8ad8-0414a142832f”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1719337464000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.44 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1719337541000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”13.45 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1719337541000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”13.45 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”13.45″,”title”:”A very simple list of what each team needs”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Tuesday, June 25, 2024 14:07 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First Published Tuesday, June 25, 2024 13:30 EDT”},{“id”:”667945b78f089e1574dbd306″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Football is a performances business. It’s no longer acceptable to take four points from your first two games at a major tournament; not if you’re England, not if you play as drowsily as they did against Serbia and Denmark. Tonight in Cologne they need two things against Slovenia: a result – imagine the reaction if they play poorly and lose – and a performance that registers at least 8.0 on the Guardian’s exclusive Itscominghomeometer™.
“,”elementId”:”b053c938-06bb-4e16-a13d-736f7cc6f5ff”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Since the Denmark game there has been a surrfeit of hot air, navel-gazing and fantasy XIs that look persuasive on paper but surely wouldn’t work on the pitch because he hasn’t played in that position for his club since 2020, and one of the last times he did so for England they lost 4-0 at home to Hungary, so it’ll be nice to have some actual football to break up the news cycle.
“,”elementId”:”301e3a14-0233-4380-8493-000181a4e2ac”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
The word is that Gareth Southgate will make only one change to the team that played Denmark, with Conor Gallagher replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield. That will increase the intensity of England’s pressing, which many identified as the biggest problem in the first two games. But it won’t address the lack of pace in attack, unless Gareth has decided to stick two fingers up at the lot of us by starting with a front two of Gallagher and Kyle Walker.
“,”elementId”:”e722391a-0151-436f-aab5-9ca44c18f44c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
It’s easy to forget, this being an English newspaper and all, that this is an even bigger game for Slovenia. Unlike England, they have the chance to make history. They were denied their first win at the European Championship by Luka Jovic’s 95th-minute equaliser on Thursday, but they are still right in contention to reach the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time. A draw tonight would do the job, though a narrow defeat might also be enough depending on net run-rate in Group F.
“,”elementId”:”2e4978c2-08d5-4c5b-9f73-2814ab2531ed”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Performances be damned, Fun Boy Three are talking gibberish. In Slovenia tonight, football is nothing but a results business.
“,”elementId”:”8cf66c21-5673-491a-bc22-a47e995f606d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Kick off 8pm.
“,”elementId”:”7fb16955-daf6-4649-96d3-982f0b5a321e”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1719336602000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.30 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1719336427000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”13.27 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1719336602000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”13.30 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”13.30″,”title”:”Preface”,”Contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Tuesday, June 25, 2024 14:07 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published Tuesday, June 25, 2024 13:30 EDT”}],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”id”:”key-events-carousel-mobile”,”absoluteServerTimes”:false}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:false,”updateLogoAdPartnerSwitch”:true,”assetOrigin”:”https://assets.guim.co.uk/”}”>
Important Events
Austria beat the Netherlands 3-2 France finished top of Group D after drawing 1-1 with Poland.
That means France will be in the top half of the draw along with Spain, Germany and Portugal, while England will be in the bottom half if they win Group C.
Don’t act like you haven’t thought about it, Roy knows what you’re going to do.
Team news: Gallagher in the starting line-up
As expected, the only change for England was Conor Gallagher He replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield.
Benjamin Sesco is available to participate, so there are no changes to Slovenia.
England (4-2-3-1) Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier, Gallagher, Rice, Saka, Bellingham, Foden, Kane.
Subs: Shaw, Alexander-Arnold, Ramsdale, Konsa, Dunk, Toney, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Eze, Gomez, Henderson, Palmer, Wharton, Mainu.
Slovenia (4-4-2) Oblak; Karnik, Durkšić, Bijor, Janza; Gorenc Stojanović, Gnezda Čerin, Elsnik, Mracar; Sporá, Cesko.
Substitutes: Barkovec, Vlajić, Stankovic, Belibic, Lovric, Berec, Kurtic, Horvat, Vekic, Vipotnik, Zeller, Brekalo, Zugheri, Zerikovic, Ilicic.
Judgment Clement Turpin (France)
Easily view what each team needs in a list
-
England They need a win to secure top spot in the group, but a draw could still give them a shot at top spot.
-
Slovenia They need a draw to guarantee a place in the last 16, but a loss could still secure qualification.
The other match in this group is Denmark vs Serbia. You can follow along with John Brewin to find out how it happened.
The opening match between the Netherlands and Austria (One of the players who could face England in the next round) is a fantastic player. You can watch the last 15 minutes on Barry Glendenning’s show.
RB Leipzig striker Benjamin CescoHe has attracted the attention of a number of English clubs but is doubtful for tonight’s game and it would be a huge loss if he doesn’t make it.
preamble
Football is a performance business. Taking four points from your first two games in a major tournament is no longer acceptable. If you’re England, you can’t play sleepy like they did against Serbia and Denmark. Tonight in Cologne against Slovenia we need two things. One is a result. Imagine the reaction if they played poorly. and Lose – and perform to score at least 8.0 on the Guardian’s proprietary Itscominghomeometer™.
Since the Denmark game, there has been a plethora of empty talk, ego talk and fantasy XIs that look convincing on paper but certainly won’t work on the pitch, because he hasn’t played in that position for the club since 2020 and the last time he played in that position for England, the team lost 4-0 at home to Hungary, so it’s good to have some actual football to watch to break up the news cycle.
Gareth Southgate is rumoured to make just one change to his squad for the Denmark game, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold with Conor Gallagher in midfield. This will allow England to press more intensely, something that many have pointed to as their biggest problem in the first two games. But unless Gareth starts Gallagher with Kyle Walker at the top and gives us all the finger, the lack of pace in attack is unlikely to be remedied.
Because this is a British newspaper, it’s easy to forget, but this is an even more important game for Slovenia. Unlike England, Slovenia has a chance to make history. Luka Jovic’s 95th-minute equalizer denied them their first European victory on Thursday, but they still have a chance to reach the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time. A draw tonight would be good enough, but even a narrow defeat might be good enough, depending on the net points distribution in Group F.
Performances don’t matter, the Fanboys are saying nonsense, tonight in Slovenia football is all about results.
kick off 8:00pm.
