England vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina Friendly: Tactical Breakdown
England secured a decisive 3-0 victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina in their penultimate friendly match before Euro 2024. With a provisional squad of 33 players, this match gave Gareth Southgate an opportunity to decide which seven players will be cut from the squad before the European tournament.
Despite a disappointing first half, the team came back strong in the second half, completely dominating their opponent and creating multiple scoring opportunities. With an xG (expected goals) of 3.12 compared to just 0.03 for Bosnia, England demonstrated their superiority on the field.
Starting Lineups
Southgate opts for a 4-2-3-1 formation with Lewis Dunk and Marc Guehi as central defenders and Ezri Konsa as right-back. The problem arises on the left wing, where Luke Shaw is the only candidate for the left-back position. With Shaw injured, Southgate chose Kieran Trippier.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Gallagher play as the double pivot with Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze as attacking midfielders. Cole Palmer takes on the number 10 role, a position he has become familiar with at Chelsea recently, and Ollie Watkins plays as the lone striker.
Match Report
First Half: Lethargy and Lack of Action
The first half was lethargic for England, who failed to establish a coherent pace. Despite dominating possession, the only notable moments came from Palmer and Eze. Palmer created the best chance of the half by setting up Ollie Watkins, who found himself one-on-one with the Bosnian goalkeeper but missed the opportunity to score. Otherwise, England’s play lacked inspiration and dynamism.
Bosnia, on the other hand, had only one scoring chance but couldn’t convert it. Nevertheless, they defended well and managed to keep the score at 0-0 until halftime.
Second Half: Radical Transformation
After the break, England came onto the field with a revamped attitude. In the 59th minute, Cole Palmer converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Ezri Konsa, opening the score for the hosts. It was Palmer’s first goal for the national team and a significant moment for the young player.
In the 85th minute, a superb team effort led to England’s second goal. Jack Grealish sent a precise cross to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who finished with a spectacular volley into the bottom corner of the net. It was an exceptional execution by the Liverpool defender, showcasing his offensive capabilities.
Harry Kane seals the Score
In the final moments of the game, Harry Kane scored the team’s third goal, capitalising on a poor clearance by the Bosnian defence. Kane’s goal resulted from a combo between Maddison and Bowen, who created chaos in the opponent’s box. Kane was in the right place and sent the ball into the net, securing a comfortable victory for England.
Tactical Analysis
England’s Formation and Positioning
On the field, England adopted a 2-4-3-1 shape, with the two full-backs pushing up in line with the two pivots (Alexander-Arnold and Gallagher). This allowed England to restore numerical balance in the midfield during the build-up phase. When advancing, Trippier overlapped on the outside with Eze, often taking a more advanced position than Konsa. This allowed Eze to cut inside towards the box and utilize his dribbling skills.
Cole Palmer, who constantly patrolled between Bosnia’s defensive and midfield lines, along with Eze, were the standout players in the first half, responsible for the most dangerous plays. Both made a strong impression in their debut match for the national team, demonstrating that they deserve a place in the EURO 2024 squad.
Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze Start Strong
Cole Palmer and Ezri Konsa had a fantastic evening for England against Bosnia and Herzegovina, helping the team secure the victory. Palmer showed calm and confidence when converting a penalty, marking his first goal for the national team in his full debut. He has a perfect 9/9 penalty record for Chelsea this season.
Eberechi Eze also stood out, demonstrating impressive technical skills and remarkable tactical intelligence. With elegant dribbling and precise ball control, Eze was crucial in breaking down the opponents’ defence. Alongside Palmer and other debutants, Eze contributed to diversifying the national team’s tactical options and preparing them for upcoming competitions.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Pivot and Right-Back
It’s interesting to examine the role, or rather roles, played by Trent Alexander-Arnold in this match. He started as a pivot, pairing with Conor Gallagher, distributing the ball in depth and acting as the team’s metronome.
We can see on the passing map above the close connection between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Gallagher, with their average positions being very close to each other.
In the 63rd minute, when Southgate made a massive wave of substitutions, Adam Warton took on the pivot role alongside Gallagher, and Trent Alexander-Arnold shifted to right-back (his natural position, so to speak), while Konsa moved to left-back. Although he performed well as a defensive pivot, Alexander-Arnold shone in the right-back position.
His collaboration with Jack Grealish yielded positive results in this match. His diagonal long balls to Grealish led to a significant scoring chance, and conversely, Grealish’s switch to the right wing culminated in an exceptional volley by Alexander-Arnold, doubling England’s lead.
Dacă ne uităm peste pasele lui Trent Alexander-Arnold, vedem că cele din a doua repriză sunt concentrate mai mult dinspre flancul drept al terenului, față de cele din prima repriză când acesta a jucat pe rolul de pivot și a avut o libertate mai mare de mișcare.
Conclusions
This match was a crucial test for Gareth Southgate in the final selection of the squad for the European tournament. Despite a disappointing first half, England managed to demonstrate their superiority in the second part of the game. Notable performances from debutants like Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze brought fresh energy to the team, indicating that these players could play an important role at EURO 2024.
In the first half, the team struggled to establish a rhythm, but the second half brought a radical transformation, culminating in a 3-0 victory for England. The statistics clearly show England’s dominance, with an xG of 3.12 compared to just 0.03 for Bosnia, highlighting the team’s efficiency as they scored in line with the statistics and expectations.
