England vs Denmark LIVE: Reaction as Three Lions booed off after dire draw – The Mirror
England played out a draw with Denmark, but their dire performance has led to major doubts over their hopes of winning Euro 2024, with Gareth Southgate admitting his side were not good enough
Well that didn't go as planned.
England come away with a draw from their second match at Euro 2024, after struggling to a dire 1-1 with Denmark.
The Three Lions weren't good against Serbia on opening night, unconvincing in their 1-0 victory – bit this was a step backwards rather than forwards. Gareth Southgate's men didn't keep possession, gave up chances and the Danes were the better side. They'll be unhappy at not claiming all three points.
Captain Harry Kane had put England ahead in the first half, but Morten Hjulmand’s thumping strike cancelled it out. When the full-time whistle came, boos rung out around the Frankfurt Arena from everywhere except the Danish end behind the goal.
England defender Kyle Walker said: "We've got a point, we're top of the group and we'll move on."
But given the manner of the performance, there may be some recriminations in the coming days ahead.
Kyle Walker has come under fire for his comments immediately after that draw, but England cricket captain Ben Stokes believes the right-back said exactly the right things.
Stokes tweeted: "Class interview that from Kyle Walker…made sure everyone heard they are top of the table but knows there is loads more to improve on, get behind the team and leave the hindsight and negativity to the pundits aye…..come on ENGLAND."
A night when England were far from their best
@johncrossmirror gives his take on a disappointing display in a 1-1 draw with Denmark#deneng | #euro2024 pic.twitter.com/Z5NS3SMLxG
Jamie Carragher believes a lack of communication is costing England, following their draw with Denmark.
"Trent & Rice are far too deep when Denmark have the ball, they are too concerned with what’s behind them," he tweeted. "They need to stop what’s in front of them. Centre backs need to be screaming at them to get out to enable them to push out."
Former England star Matt Upson is concerned about England's balance in midfield.
"The play before Harry Kane's goal was steady, England were knocking the ball around and Denmark were feeling their way into it," Upson said.
"Kane's goal was a reaction point from Denmark. They lost their fear and they started to play the game – England couldn't get to grips with it.
"England didn't get hold of the ball, they couldn't apply pressure and looked disjointed in midfield – that is catalyst to the problem. We get away with it and it is a point Are England on a good run of form? No. They are not playing very well."
Micah Richards believes it's time for Harry Kane to change the way he plays if he is to rediscover his form.
"I think Harry Kane needs to adapt. He's used to playing in that number 10 role but when we look back to that goal and his movement he is always going to know where to be inside the box," Richards said.
"He needs to trust the players around him – Foden, Bellingham and Saka – to be able to get the ball in the half spaces and play the ball into him."
There were glum looks on the faces of England fans at the final whistle.
Ross Williams, 38, an IT worker from Barnsley, south Yorks, said: “It was a tough watch.
“We were not expansive enough. We did not seem to want to go forward enough.
“I think the best we can hope for on that showing is the quarter finals.”
Construction worker Ricky Beck, 35, also from Barnsley, said: “It was terrible. Absolutely terrible.
“We always start slow (in tournaments) but that was really slow, it was painfully slow.
“We went to watch Ukraine v Romania in Munich and that was far better than what we saw here.”
Roy Keane has delivered a worrying verdict on that England performance, warning something is "amiss" in the team.
"There's something amiss. We're talking about the balance, Trippier at left-back, Trent in midfield. You look at your star player today Bellingham, he's going down every time he touched it, he's waving his arms," he told ITV.
"This is a big test for Gareth. It's a big test, a big challenge. He looks like he's overthinking things. He made the substitutions, bit of bravery which I admire. But there's something amiss with this group."
Kieran Trippier has urged England supporters and pundits to remain calm, despite Thursday's poor result.
"Very proud to get 50 caps for my country, but my main focus is the result – it wasn't there for us tonight," he told BBC Radio 5 Live:.
"Four points two games and we know there is so much to improve on. We stay will calm, stay positive and stay together – that is the most important thing.
"We understand the supporters' frustration from the outside, but as a staff and a team we need to stay together. It is tournament football, it is difficult no matter who you play against.
"We know as players we can take it up so many levels. There is no need to panic, the performances we know we can do better. One game left in the group and we look forward to that one."
Harry Kane has been brutally honest about that dire performance.
"I think we said before the tournament there's no easy games and I think that's showing," he told BBC Sport.
"We've got levels we can reach and we can be better both with and without the ball. I think the sign of a good team is when you're not playing at your best and still find a way to get results like we have in the last two games.
"We're top of the group. We know we can improve. I know there will probably loads of noise and a bit of disappointment back home but we experienced this in the last Euros as well when we drew to Scotland.
"Step by step, we'll get there. I think it's something we've got to get better at. I think we're starting games well but when the teams are dropping deeper we're not quite sure how to get the pressure on and who's going.
"In the second half we tried to change a little bit but it was difficult. Credit to Denmark, they caused us some threats. Overall we've got to look back and see where we can improve."
Gareth Southgate is not hiding after that, he's admitted England need to improve.
"Clearly not what we would have hoped. We're not using the ball well enough. There's another level we've got to find," he said.
"No [telling the players to sit deep]. We've played teams that are quite fluid and we're not getting pressure on them. Keeping the ball has also been a big part of the problem.
"We wanted energy we need to press better. He's [Alexander-Arnold] had some moments where he's delivered what we thought he would. We don't have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips.
"We needed energy, we've had two games in a short turnaround. We needed fresh legs. Harry's only had one 90 minutes in the last month so that's the decision we took.
"There's a huge amount of work. We understand people will be disappointed with the performances and rightly so. We've got to do better."
There's no getting away from it, that was a very disjointed, poor performance from the Three Lions.
Collectively it wasn't good enough. And not enough individuals can point to themselves and really say that they did themselves justice either.
Marc Guehi was outstanding. Kyle Walker solid, John Stones too. Jordan Pickford had no chance with the goal but did whatever else was asked of him. So defensively, they stood firm.
But going forwards and what they were doing with the ball? It's nowhere near where they need to be.
There's a lack of clarity, of ideas. Attacks are either rushed or too slow. Too often the simple and right option isn't being picked. Harry Kane got his goal but his back injury is stil there and hampering him. It has to be.
The Phil Foden question was asked after the draw with Serbia and we moved no further forwards with regards an answer to that here. What we did get an answer for however is that the experiment with Trent in midfield must end.
England were outnumbered, outmanouvered and largely dominated in there. Credit Southgate for trying it but it hasn't worked. He now needs to end it.
Gary Lineker has also criticised Kane for his performance, insisting Southgate needs to have a word with his captain.
Lineker said: "As a striker you have two jobs, score goals, which Harry Kane has been good at all his career, and make space. He needs his manager to come to him and ask a little bit more of him. I would have expected that if I'd put in that kind of performance.
"Against a back three he has to stretch the play, run one way and then come short so you don't have to come too far to receive it. He needs to make more space for the midfield players behind him to create chances."
Harry Kane is coming under fire after another poor performance.
The striker had just 22 touches, with only one of those coming in the Denmark box, very worrying indeed. Alan Shearer believes the captain needs to change his style going forward.
He said: "As I got older I needed pace in and around me. I could still score goals, head the ball, get into positions in the box, but one thing I could not do is run in behind.
"Harry Kane is the same now, he needs players that have the legs to run beyond and make the space. That's why I would have Anthony Gordon in the team, Phil Foden is occupying the same spaces as Kane at the moment and it's not working."
Alan Shearer has launched a stinging attack on Gareth Southgate, insisting he is not getting the best out of England's star players.
He said: "Gareth Southgate will get serious questions. You see the players out there…Phil Foden and what he has done all season for Manchester City, Jude Bellingham turning up in the first game and not so much tonight, John Stones and what we have seen him do at club level. There is far more to get out of those players than he is getting at the moment."
How Group C stands heading into the final game:
1. England – 4 points
2. Denmark – 2 points
3. Slovenia – 2 points
4. Serbia – 1 point
It's all over. England 1-1 Denmark. What a dreadful performance that was from the Three Lions. Southgate has a lot to ponder
Gallagher wins a free-kick just inside England's half. Everyone goes up with Pickford taking it. But he plays it short to Kyle Walker and the right-back fires his pass straight out for a goal kick. Awful. England 1-1 Denmark
It's really poor from Rice again, with a short pass back to Guehi allowing Denmark to break through. The defender gets back just in time though and makes a great tackle on Bah. Denmark then go close to scoring from the resulting corner but Christensen's shot flies over the bar. England 1-1 Denmark
It's been a lacklustre performance from England, with a real lack of urgency. Alan Shearer has also spotted issues with the Three Lions' pressing strategy.
He said: "The way England are pressing at the moment makes me think they haven't worked on it at all. When the forwards press the midfield are stood 20 yards behind them, which is not enough. You can't just go in twos and threes, you need to do all of the team together or nothing."
Seems like a good move to bring Watkins on at this point, an assessment Alan Sherare agrees with.
He said: "The defenders are playing a very different game now that Ollie Watkins is on. They have had 70 minutes of luxury, no one running in behind. What his runs will do is make space for the likes of Jude Bellingham to operate in the ten."
Pickford has to make a decent save down to his right as Hoijberg tries to fire one in from range. Warning sign. England 1-1 Denmark
Great ball through from Bellingham finds Watkins racing through, but the striker can't squeeze the ball under the keeper. England 1-1 Denmark
As far as triple substitutions go, that's really something from the England boss.
He's really rolled the dice with this one with 20 minutes to go.
England have been poor, but they're three of your main match-winners you're sacrificing there.
The three guys coming on have all had outstanding seasons themselves though and will be entering the game on a high.
Let's see what they can manage.
Watkins, Bowen and Eze come on for Foden, Kane and Saka. That should wake England up. England 1-1 Denmark
Overeager from Gallagher after he loses the ball. The Chelsea man leaves one in on Christensen and picks up a booking for his trouble. England 1-1 Denmark
Wind comes off for Damsgaard, while Kristiansen is replaced by Bah in a double change from Denmark.
Much better from England. Saka beats his man on the right and pulls the ball back to Foden on the edge of the box. The midfielder lines up a shot and it crashes back off the post, with Saka putting the ball over. England 1-1 Denmark
Despite his improved last couple of minutes, Alexander-Arnold is coming off. Gallagher on in place of the Liverpool man. England 1-1 Denmark
A ball goes over the top from Alexander-Arnold, Saka can't bring it down but he jumps up to head the ball into the side netting. England 1-1 Denmark
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