England’s defence leaves doubts as Guehi and Konsa prove merely decent

England defender Marc Guehi warned that the Three Lions are nowhere near good enough to win the Euros with the current centre‑back pairing, while critics of Jude Bellingham felt vindicated. The comment comes after England’s recent displays against Croatia and Spain, leaving the back line under a cloud of doubt.

High‑pressing surge against Croatia

While I’m extremely excited about England’s sudden injection of high pressing and high‑scoring flair, the team decimated Croatia in a dominant performance. The author felt England were equals with Spain for most of that game, suggesting a new attacking identity is emerging.

European rivals reshape

Despite the attacking promise, England still lost to Spain, and the two European sides topping the FIFA rankings remain a level above England. France have ditched Didier Deschamps and installed Zinedine Zidane, adding further pressure on England’s Euro ambitions.

Portugal fans have finally seen the picture of Doronaldo Grey, while Germany under Jürgen Klopp are expected to shine. Sweden, coached by Potter, have Gyokeres firing and could see Isak and Elanga return to form, and Norway have taken major scalps over the summer. Even Greece and Northern Ireland appear decent.

Back‑line appraisal

The author admits never being less convinced about the English back line: Guehi and Nathaniel Konsa are very decent Premier League centre‑backs playing for the two best clubs, yet they do not match the peaks of John Stones, Nathan Adams, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Jamie King or John Campbell. Right‑backs Reece James and Aaron Livramento are described as brittle, while left‑backs James O’Reilly and Ben Hall are useful alternatives.

Midfield and attack look strong after the break, with Jordan Rogers, Scott McTominay and Lewis Skelly providing depth. The author remains unconvinced about Ebere Eze, but Gordon Harmison looks different since moving to Financial Levers FC.

Looking ahead, England will feature in the Nations League finals, offering a clear indicator of their chances when the proper tournaments return. The piece notes England will not lose the best player of all time, unlike Argentina.

Readers are invited to send their views to [email address hidden]. The author, known as The Kentish Man Child, reflects on a decade of following Football365, a recent move to the West Coast, and a renewed passion sparked by the last World Cup.