nitrogenNothing can prepare a defender for that; the demands, the pressure, the intensity, the sheer ruthlessness. They’ve probably heard the stories, especially at the big games. But until they do, they don’t know. Yes, playing in front of England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is certainly something else.
“It’s just the amount of talk,” linebacker Mark Gay said with a smile. “It’s a lot, but it’s good. I would say I’m not particularly used to Jordan, and it was a bit of a shock at first. But when you see it, you realize he’s awesome. It’s constant communication, constantly making sure you’re on your toes.” , his clean sheet record speaks for itself.
Guy will face many challenges at Euro 2024. This is his first time on the big stage.
He’s surrounded by stalwarts – not just Pickford, but Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier at full-back and John Stones at centre-back; they’re all good friends and have been around in recent years. Great friendships forged in England’s most watched game. They were missing one player – the injured Harry Maguire – and Gaehy had to fill his shoes. Will the foundation remain solid?
Because, let’s not forget, there are some doubts, mostly personal doubts, perhaps starting with Guy, but they add up to a collective question mark. If there is a reassuring familiarity and deep understanding of Stones and Maguire, the same cannot be said for Stones and Gay.
Before coming to Germany, they had played together twice – the infamous 4-0 match at Molineux against Hungary in June 2022, and the 0-1 defeat to Iceland at Wembley on the eve of this tournament. Contest. In the latter, Guy is understandably rusty. After missing three months with a knee injury, he did not return to the Crystal Palace starting line-up until the final day of the Premier League season. Is this all too much for him?
Stones suffered a minor injury against Iceland and has endured an inconsistent season at Manchester City. The same goes for Newcastle’s Trippier; he’s also just returning from a long injury absence. Additionally, he will have to play in the wrong position at left-back, throwing the team off balance as Southgate awaits Luke Shaw’s return to fitness from injury.
As England reflect on their disastrous experience in the group stages, ultimately finishing top of their group, and look forward to Sunday’s last-16 clash with Slovakia, the pre-match narrative has changed dramatically. Southgate’s defense deserves respect.
Things haven’t always been smooth sailing. Take Guy for example. There are some errors. In the second game, he was intercepted by Danish substitute Alexander Bah, although he fought back and completed the save. In the third game against Slovenia, Gay clashed with Stones and ended up receiving a yellow card for a foul on András Spolar. Will the better team punish him in the knockout rounds? Meanwhile, the problem of getting Trippier to make do on the left continues.
However, as a defensive team, the numbers speak for themselves, with the most telling stat from Opta showing an expected goals average of 1.15, easily the best in the competition. Next is Germany with a score of 1.80. England’s expected goals per shot was 0.04, again the lowest of any participating nation.
Pickford has kept two clean sheets in three games and conceded once against Denmark’s Morten Humander from distance. The goalkeeper made 11 appearances in 22 games, an England record.
Geich had zero points, but one stat jumped out at him – 26 receptions, which tied him with Hungarian player Willi Orban for first place in that category. Guy showed his power in one-on-one situations and is undoubtedly one of the best players in England. Through it all, he’s been fumbling his way back into match sharpness and essentially forming a partnership with Stones.
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“It’s a dream to play with John,” Gay said. “He makes my life so much easier. He’s like a big brother who puts his arm around you and takes care of you. He’s leading, planning everything, and I’m learning every day.
Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, who has yet to play here, described the England defense as “very good at the back” and Gay as “excellent… watching this from the bench” What a great scene.”
Geich said he was “pleased” but made clear the work was far from done. “If we want to go far in the championship, the defense has to be strong,” he said. “It’s important that we continue to build and that’s a testament to the whole team – the pressure up front, the midfielders helping us communicate.”
Walker’s rhythm on the cover is a key part of this fusion. “But it’s more than that,” Guy said. “He’s not just a one-trick pony. His reading of the game, his intelligence, his positioning are fantastic. It’s his toughness, his leadership. He’s a top, top guy. professional players.
Guey’s speech has a maturity beyond his years, everything is based on humility; there is also a strong desire for self-improvement. “I’m told every day, and I tell myself, ‘I can’t be too hard on myself,'” Gaich said. “I’m very, very critical of myself. After the last game I played, I had a brief chat with the manager about it… It was just a joke and he said don’t beat yourself up.
It would be easy to assume that this guidance was issued after the Iceland game. Gay has since gone from strength to strength, but he won’t rest on his laurels. Pickford will take note of this.
