Gareth Southgate sacked, defensive headache, England win - Final Euro 2024 verdict before Serbia

So this is it. Here we go. England are set to embark on their journey at the 2024 European Championship and the feeling is, well, average at best?

Possibly the best group of players since, what, Qatar 2022? Going further back this is just the next in a long line of so-called Golden Generations for England. They have the best player from Spain, Germany, and England in their ranks. The talent is overflowing, but the injuries are stacking up.

Gareth Southgate discourse is back. Does he hold England from fulfilling their true potential or has he got more from the Three Lions setup than anyone since Sir Alf Ramsey. Are you Waistcoast in or out? Is this the last dance?

These are some of the narratives heading into Germany. England's group is both remarkably easy-looking but also filled with terror and low-block horrors. The pathway to the final includes playing France, and Ezri Konsa at right-back just doesn't seem to cut it.

But this is a major tournament, and the tension mixed with excitement cannot be escaped. A group of players who genuinely care for the shirt they will be wearing are about to head out to try and bring silverware back for England. There are those that think this is the minimum they can do and others who would love to see it crash and burn.

That is the beauty, if you can call it such, of England and competitions like this. It exists in a vacuum. The debate is no longer tactical or tribal - or at least, not as much - but is about the players and who is available. Why is the player from your team not starting but he is? Does Southgate even know how to invert a full-back? Where is Slabhead?

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This is both the brilliance and ugly side to international football. For four weeks maybe everyone starts to believe just a little bit though. Even the doubters of Lewis Dunk or whoever partners Declan Rice in midfield might get a tingle of optimism when it all kicks off against Serbia on Sunday.

That feeling might last three minutes or an entire tournament. That is what it is all about though. And here are what the football.london writers' guts are telling them on the dawn of the next chance to write history.

Tom Coley

Three weeks ago I might have said England were just below being joint favourites. Even with the disappointment of the March internationals there was a sense that this team was coming together. How bad can a group with Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Declan Rice, and Cole Palmer really be?

But the defensive injury problems of the last month have really shredded much of that hope. England now, for me, are much of a muchness in the chasing pack. There are probably five teams that can win it and England are somewhere near the back of that group.

There's just too much uncertainty at the back. John Stones isn't fit, Marc Guehi doesn't have a certain partner, Kieran Trippier at left-back isn't as bad as it sounds but the chemistry of them all is off.

The glue to it all has be Rice. He will need to drag this team with him through the group stages and put up all-timer performances against the big dogs. The rest, on their day, can be matchwinners. But most of them still have a way to go to actually do it with England.

Only Kane has managed to so far when it matters. So there's questions around England and of Southgate. That won't bother them but the reality is clear. Unless England really do show that even in these circumstances they are alongside the best then it may well be Southgate's last dance and for that I am completely grateful.

He has made me enjoy watching England again (maybe even for the first time). That cannot be overstated. He could be the thing that stops England or the one that inspires them on to greatness. The line will be as fine as ever in an international tournament, but it will be a proper journey nonetheless.

Isaac Johnson

Optimism of a first trophy lift for 58 years has dwindled (albeit not totally fizzled out) in recent weeks as the injury news has filtered through. For all his criticisms, Harry Maguire’s absence causes a lack of stability in the back line while Luke Shaw still has not played since February.

The defence is a concern and I am baffled by Jarrad Branthwaite’s omission. Marc Guehi is a good defender but neither he nor John Stones are particularly aggressive front-foot characters.

However, I still think England are within the top two favourites, France being the other candidate and Portugal being a nearby third. Gareth Southgate has got options from the midfield forward, which is a major plus.

The major caveat is if Harry Kane or, at the other end, Jordan Pickford become unavailable at any stage - we could struggle without them. Nevertheless, England will be feared and can absolutely beat any team in this competition on their day across a single 90 minutes.

The key is not to worry if we start slowly - it’s better to grow into the tournament than go all guns blazing from the off and burn out. Popping my realistic hat on, I think we make the semi-finals for a shoot-out against France, where winner probably takes all in the final (it might well not be us).

But it’s a fascinating and exciting time to be an England fan and so - swapping my realist hat with an England bucket hat - I’m choosing to be optimistic and bellow ‘whom shall we fear?!'... before probably ending up on the floor crestfallen once more. We're allowed to dream, at least.

Kieran King

A couple of weeks ago, I saw England as destined to reach at least the quarter-finals - and maybe a candidate to win Euro 2024 alongside the likes of Germany, Spain, France and Portugal.

However, injuries to key players, lack of proper preparation and leaving certain stars out of the 26-man squad has lowered expectations ahead of the tournament. Could that be a good thing? Maybe, but I still feel that Gareth Southgate doesn't know his best XI yet which is a real worry.

Is Phil Foden going to play on the wing or in midfield? Who is going to partner John Stones in central defence if fit? Will Declan Rice have another defensive midfielder alongside him? These are all questions yet to be answered and I don't think that is particularly ideal at all. Southgate may have it all planned out and in mind - which I most certainly think he will have some inkling - but it has not given me confidence going into the Euros at all.

With that in mind, I see England drawing against Serbia, losing to Denmark and beating Slovenia to sneak out of the group in second, with Serbia in third with three points and Denmark winning the group with five. That means Slovenia finish bottom with two points.

How far England go from that point is a lottery, but I would not be shocked if they get knocked out in the last 16 to Germany. Yes, I said it.

Lee Wilmot

Can England win Euro 2024? Of course they can, but will they? I am not convinced.

We have attacking talent galore and the likes of Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer could win matches for us quite easily. But in defence I'm worried.

No Harry Maguire, no natural left-back and John Stones is currently ill. Can what we have left cope?

We should win our group, but France should win theirs too and if we both do that we'll meet Les Bleus in the semi-finals. Again.

We may have a better front six than France, but they are far superior in defence and their front six is not much worse off than ours in my opinion, so they should beat us. But, I still hold hope that this is our year.

No matter what happens, Gareth Southgate has done a great job and will leave his position with his head held high.

Joe Doyle

I think it's fair to say my expectations for England going into this tournament are a little lower than either the last Euros or the World Cup in Qatar.

While the likes of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden are among the most talented in Europe (let alone Harry Kane up front), I'm not sure Gareth Southgate's side will have enough to get it over the line this time - although given my prediction track record, you should probably back them to do just that.

The big issue for me is obviously the defence. While Kieran Trippier can do a job at left-back, he's not a natural there and I think it's a little unbalanced. Luke Shaw may be back sooner than hoped, but he's had very little football this year.

It's all about building partnerships in international football, and in reality there aren't any in England's back-four to start the tournament. They may be able to get away with it in the group stages and early knockout rounds, but I think they could get found out against the better sides.

Oliver Jones

Vindaloo and World in Motion on repeat can only push those nerves deep down so much. This is one of those situations where your heart says yes but your head says no. Which do you listen to?

Going into the tournament, England are without one of their most reliable stars in the form of Harry Maguire on top of a John Stones that's been struck with illness and no natural left-back that's fully fit. And while our attacking and midfield lines are looking better than it has even in the last few years with the additions of some brilliant young talent, there's still that major worry nagging in the back of your head.

Given England's track record of growing into tournaments under Gareth Southgate, is this the year they finally don't grow into it? Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia aren't push-over matches but there is the undeniable talent to see the Three Lions as one of the favourites.

The 58-years of hurt may become 60 before the next World Cup in 2026 but I think we'd all love to see England go one step further than they did last time out in this competition. To be the best, you have to beat the best and that's something England haven't been able to do time and time again under Southgate and finally say 'We're gonna score one more than you'.

Josh Holland

Ever since England lost 2-1 to France in Qatar in 2022, I have been confident that they would win Euro 2024. The players at Southgate's disposal all hitting form has been near-perfect and the run of form between the two tournaments hasn't really changed that.

After spending some time going through the squads and England's rivals, I'm more wary. Portugal and Spain are my two dark horses to win the competition and I do fear for England's defensive problems.

However, with the kick-off nearly here, my confidence is back and I just can't see anyone stopping the Three Lions. They should have too much for their opponents, it's just whether Southgate can lead them past the big boys.

Jack Flintham

Unlike some, I feel that Southgate gets pretty rough criticism from certain sections of the England fanbase. It is easy to forget how bad a position the Three Lions were in before his arrival and how disappointing they had performed with the last 'Golden Generation'.

That being said, Southgate really needs to win this tournament if he wants to maintain his position as manager beyond Germany. Will he do that? I am not entirely convinced he will.

We are stronger than the World Cup in Qatar but the defence is a bit of a concern. However, if we can manage to keep the ball in the opposition's half, we won't go far wrong.

My prediction will be that England exit when they have to face France. Should things go to plan in the group stages that would be in the semi-finals which would be a respectable finish.

If the French go out dramatically like they did at the last European Championships then this could be anyone's tournament to win and England will have as good a chance as anyone. As for Southgate, even glory in Germany may not be enough to convince him to stay and it would be a fitting send off for one of the better managers of recent years.