Siobhan Chamberlain talks England's Euro 2024 chances

Former Lioness, Siobhan Chamberlain, talks England's Euro 2024 chances, what needs to change & questions key Gareth Southgate squad omission.

• "It just seems like there's a real uncertainty around which player is coming on, at which moment, for which strengths. It seems a little bit messy, to be honest."
• [Jude Bellingham's goal] "That's what's been missing in this tournament, so far. It's all been very flat, it's all been very organised, and they've just been going through the motions."
• "You know, with the type of goal it was, the player it was, that celebration, and how the public and the media have been with this England side... it's got to be one of the most iconic moments we've seen in a long time."
• "England have got to switch things up, moving forward; our attacking ability should be our best form of defence. Don't worry if you're going to concede a couple along the way..."
• "With 26 names, you can afford to bring a few extra players in for cover; you're not going to use all of those players, and we've seen that already, in the number of subs he's used so far. But, by not taking Chilwell, you're then putting a lot of pressure on Luke Shaw who - evidently, at this moment in time - is not fit, and you're then playing people out of position. That was a bit of a surprise for me."
• "He's got such a wide variety of players that he can bring on; I don't know whether that makes things a little more difficult. You could argue it's a good thing, because there's so much choice, but at the moment, it just seems like there's a real uncertainty around which player is coming on, at which moment, for which strengths. It seems a little bit messy, to be honest."
  

The fact that England got the job done is the most important thing. The camaraderie around that moment, and how that makes you feel as a player; getting over the line in a game you probably didn't deserve to win... finding a way in the very last seconds, and Jude Bellingham being the one to score it... it just gives the team a huge buzz. And you could see they were feeding off that buzz, going into extra-time, because they went out and got that second goal so quickly.

That's what's been missing in this tournament, so far. It's all been very flat, it's all been very organised, and they've just been going through the motions. There hadn't been that buzz of excitement at any point - you know, you look at what Paul Gascoigne did in the past, and Wayne Rooney too... we were still waiting for a moment like that. Well, that Jude Bellingham goal was one of those moments, and hopefully it gets the nation supporting and believing again.

You've got to say that goal has to go down as one of the biggest moments in English football at an international level for some time. You know, with the type of goal it was, the player it was, that celebration, and how the public and the media have been with this England side, and the manager, over the past couple of weeks. It's got to be one of the most iconic moments we've seen in a long time. And hopefully it's the most iconic, because hopefully it's THE moment because it's the turnaround for this team to kick on, find another gear and win the trophy... I'm trying to be positive, by the way!

And then, of course, Harry Kane gets the goal in extra-time to put us ahead. Now, had that goal have been a Golden Goal, which would have put us through there and then, that could have been such a high, but the last 25 minutes was a really hard watch again. And it was always going to be; you know, you're tired, you're defending your lead, you're hanging on in what's been an emotional rollercoaster.  

Put it this way, a lot more needs to be done if we're going to go any further. 

It's not been the most positive of tournaments up to this point, from an England perspective. But you've got to remember, we've got players who are capable of scoring goals... Ivan Toney came on against Slovakia, and he created a moment. You've got Jude Bellingham who has already proved he has a big moment in him. Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka haven't quite been at their best up to this point, but we know they've got that in them; there's more to come. And then, of course, you've got Harry Kane, who has already scored a couple. 

On top of that, we've looked quite steady at the back, as well. We haven't looked rock solid, and we're yet to have been tested hugely, but we have looked steady up to this point. And that was the big question mark at the start of the tournament around this team; everyone was talking about our attacking options, but the worry was in that defence. You've got to say, though, they've done a good job so far, and it's in attack where we've struggled at times. But, again, I go back to that point, and all of those names... you can't rule this England team out in games when it comes to going forward - there are so many players who can create something special out of nothing, and just carry us over the line. Kane's not had the best of tournaments so far, but he's scored two goals, and we all know he's got so much more in him. Even though he's not reached his own high standards, he's still scored the winner which has kept us in this competition, and so it would be brave to write us off.

England have got to switch things up, moving forward; our attacking ability should be our best form of defence. Don't worry if you're going to concede a couple along the way, but back yourselves - and the attacking players you have - to go and score more goals than your opponent, whoever it may be. We've got to go out there on the front foot, be energetic, and put it on the opposition. Yes, you've got to be switched on defensively, and that does mean you're going to leave yourself a little more exposed at the back. But if we let our attackers free, and let them do what they do week-in, week-out for their clubs, then there's enough in place which is going to worry the opposition. That switch of mentality, going front-footed and utilising our strengths, rather than sticking to this rigid, and predictable formation... that's the way forward, for me.

 As for Saturday's game, I'm going with a 1-0 England win, with a Harry Kane penalty deciding the game.

I think that if you're playing Switzerland, you can play Bukayo Saka at left-back, as long as everyone else at the back knows that they can't necessarily commit themselves too much, and that they'll probably have to cover for him. You know Saka is going to get forward, and you know he's not as strong in defence as others. You've got to, then, pull Kyle Walker in a little, and you've got to get Declan Rice to sit a little bit more. But that won't necessarily be new to these players; at club football they'll play alongside full-backs who are more attack-minded than others, and they work around it.

There are six days between the Round of 16 game and the quarter-final... that's a long time in tournament football to work on something like that, and drill something into this team, to prepare for Switzerland. As long as the defence knows their roles and responsibilities, and knows they'll have to filter round and cover Saka at times, then you can afford to play him at left-back, for sure. 

That being said, though, I think that if Luke Shaw is fit, he's got to come into the side, if Kieran Trippier is out.

 With a squad of 26 players, I think Gareth Southgate could've afforded to have taken a few risks. I was surprised Ben Chilwell didn't make the squad, to be honest; I'd have taken Chilwell and Shaw. As I said, with 26 names, you can afford to bring a few extra players in for cover; you're not going to use all of those players, and we've seen that already, in the number of subs he's used so far. But, by not taking Chilwell, you're then putting a lot of pressure on Luke Shaw who - evidently, at this moment in time - is not fit, and you're then playing people out of position. That was a bit of a surprise for me. 

We were told Shaw might have been back for the second or third group game, and obviously he's suffering from something. I'm not sure, as a club, Manchester United, from a managerial or medical side, would be too happy with him being rushed back quicker than needed. It's a difficult dynamic, but England want him on the pitch, and they're going to be doing everything they can to get him back up there. 

I really want to see Anthony Gordon, and I'm not really sure why we haven't seen him. He's a player who gives you something different from that left-hand side. Phil Foden is obviously a fabulous player who has just had an immense season. But the dynamic of where he is at the moment, and what he's doing, means he's not playing as well as we know he can. Maybe you could drop Jude Bellingham in alongside Declan Rice, and play Foden in the middle, and then you can bring Gordon in on the left... that's an option. But, if you're in a position where Bukayo Saka finds himself at left-back, can you then afford to have two number 10-type midfielders in there in the shape of Foden and Bellingham, or do you need someone who is more capable of sitting in alongside Rice and doing that defensive job? Kieran Trippier's fitness levels are going to really impact what Gareth Southgate can do, moving forward. 

I'd like to see the other attackers getting more of an opportunity earlier on in games. Cole Palmer's had a chance, but hasn't quite had time to find his feet just yet. It's just so hard as an attacking player to come on, with not a lot of time, to get yourself into a game and make a difference. 

What's frustrated people up to this point is that the manager has got the squad to be able to make effective changes. The depth is there, the option for variation is there. It's tricky because he obviously knows who his starting eleven players are. That midfield position was the one which he's tinkered with but, as for the rest of them, the manager knows who he wants to play, and where. If he only had, say, two obvious changes, then those changes are quite easy to make. But he's got such a wide variety of players that he can bring on; I don't know whether that makes things a little more difficult. You could argue it's a good thing, because there's so much choice, but at the moment, it just seems like there's a real uncertainty around which player is coming on, at which moment, for which strengths. It seems a little bit messy, to be honest. 

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