Harry Kane was ‘static and lumbering’ as he faces calls to be dropped by England

England beat Serbia but the initial reaction is incredibly negative, with Harry Kane in particular getting a kicking.

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Oh wow
Southgate would dress Salma Hayek in a trench coat.

Total pleb.
Luke U

Time to drop Harry Kane?
How did Harry Kane remain on the pitch for the duration of that match?

Two touches in the first half, gave the ball away more than is acceptable for a professional footballer in the second half and didn’t score the one chance he did get. Far too static and lumbering given the creativity available to England.

Does Gareth have the courage to be ruthless and drop Sir Harry of Kane for Palmer perhaps or will the powerful tabloid outrage that kept Lampard/Gerrard in the England team ahead of Scholes be too much?
Eoin (not convinced by Foden’s role either) Ireland

MORE ON SERBIA v ENGLAND FROM F365:
👉 England player ratings v Serbia: Bellingham runs the show, Kane quiet, Saka shows positive signs
👉 Jude Bellingham’s England (just) beat Serbia: 16 Conclusions on an unnecessarily nervy opener

Manchester unites in England despair
City fan here. To summarise so far.

England massively over-hyped before the tournament? Check.

The only disorder before any opening games involving England fans? Check.

The only supporters to boo and whistle the opposition’s National Anthem being the English? Check.

Harry Kane becoming largely invisible in an England shirt again? Check.

Yet another underwhelming England performance against so-called ‘lesser’ opposition? Check.

Lack of timely tactical changes by Southgate and, instead, the reliance on individual brilliance to achieve a result? Check.

Oh, right then. Situation perfectly normal.
Mark (Wish I could enjoy it for what it is like the Jocks do) MCFC

…Pre-match thoughts:
Excitement and hope gets a kicking as I see Southgate has opted to play 6 defenders, and no one deeper in midfield who can progress the ball… unless we’re expecting TAA to do so, or relying on Rice to be that shuttle. Let’s hope both do better than they did in the warm ups! At least the CB partnership is right. Yippee.

Oh god, here we go.

And from the off, TAA is demanding the ball, passing it sideways to the full back and then running off beyond Bellingham while the attackers come deep to get it. F*** me sideways. But it’s ok, Stones has started by heading the ball to the opponent striker. Please get better than this.

Half time thoughts:

Turns out the plan was in fact for Bellingham do do it all. Deflected right foot (!?!) cross from Saka to make it get some air and thank god for Bellingham, who is basically doing everything good. Without him we’d be screwed. Is he a Rooney regen?

Saka is doing well enough, got his man on toast though the end product is being let down by the lack of someone to sweep it in… three times now I think. Rice very tidy and prodding things forward, Guehi settled and good.

Other than that, Serbia (33rd, 29 places below us) look far too comfortable.

But oh dear… Trent caught again and again, nearly cost a goal; dude is just not a midfielder with a touch like that. But hey, he stretched and blocked a pass, and used his terrible touch to win a free kick he then wasted, so there’s something good. Still waiting on his passing game.

Foden barely involved; wasted on the left as expected, even with his “free role”. Apparently Kane is on the pitch? I saw some guy getting and giving fouls. Was that him? Seems amazing that we can’t find our record breaking striker. Please let the second half be better.

Second half thoughts:
Well, we survived, having basically conceded the initiative in a way that gives flashbacks of the Italy final. Classic Southgate, taken to the next level by removing Trent for an even more defensive option who achieved the impressive feat of doing even less, for better and worse.

On comes the buzzing fly to replace our second best attacking threat, but immediately delivers a right footed cross from the right for our best chance of the entire match. Who knew that would work. Shame it was a one off. In the end, he just becomes a seventh defender, as planned.

Kane just will not stay up front, keeps coming deep (deeper than the entire midfield in fact) to get involved and then there’s no one to pass forward to, no one to press the defence back, and no space. Foden not good, although was regularly double/triple marked, and with his space filled by Kane and Bellingham.

Final thoughts:
God that was terrible. A scrappy win absolutely lacking in dominance (bar Bellingham) or serious threat against a team 29 places below us, who nearly scored a couple of times. But it’s still a win.

Just “not quite” the swagger of Germany (16th) vs Scotland (39th) or Spain vs Croatia (8th vs 10th).
Badwolf (I’m guessing our odds just got longer)

Boo to the Daily Mail
After England’s win over Serbia in their opening match of Euro 2024 can we all just take the time to give a massive BOOO to the Daily Mail who instead of focusing on how good Jude Bellingham was decided to focus on which players were bad.

Honestly I think the English media doesn’t like it when we win.
Dan, London