The reasons why England can still win the 2024 European Championship

In the final 16 of Euro 2024, England had a severe scare until Jude Bellingham's game-saving overhead kick saved them from a humiliating loss to Slovakia.

It set up a quarterfinal encounter on Saturday in Dusseldorf against Switzerland, who defeated holders Italy with style in their most recent game.

Although England's dismal results in Germany thus far have diminished their standing as one of the pre-tournament favorites, they still possess a fantastic chance should a talented team live up to its full potential.

Click Here To See Euro 2024 Match of Day Predictions.

Therefore, when we approach the last stages of Euro 2024, why should we have any optimism that England may still prosper?

Centurion Southgate is capable of making the right choice.

Despite manager Gareth Southgate's tactical error, England has survived to have an opportunity to turn things around during the tournament.

Shortly after halftime, Southgate called off his "experiment" of putting Declan Rice alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool in the second Group C encounter against Denmark. Against the Swiss, Southgate will be in charge of his 100th managerial match. Conor Gallagher replaced Alexander-Arnold in the following game against Slovenia, however he left the field after just 45 minutes.

England's progress to the round of eight has been mostly due to Bellingham's sporadic bursts of brilliance, even if Phil Foden has been a menace and has often been forced to play off the left side.

Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo performed admirably against Slovakia, but the team looked uninspired, unbalanced, and extremely fortunate to win following yet another awful display.

Southgate is fortunate to still be able to afford this luxury, considering England's showing in Germany. It appears that this has made him realize how urgently things need to change.

Additionally, a back three substitution is implied by the absence of defender Marc Guehi from action. It's also an opportunity to maximize what looks to be an abundance of offensive resources, giving England more balance and potency.

To give England more structure and shape, Southgate might also arrange Foden, Bellingham, and Harry Kane in a golden triangle.

On Friday, he took a combative posture, saying, "At 53 years old, I'm not worried about things going wrong or about losing." The drawbacks don't bother me.A measured risk is all that is necessary. I have continued to use that tactic the entire competition."

Southgate and England are fortunate to have this opportunity, but if they wish to use it, they will need to make significant progress.

The Bellingham factor

Bellingham's incredible display against Slovakia with 86 seconds remaining demonstrated why he is one of England's "X-factor" players and kept their Euro 2024 campaign from ending in disaster.

He scored a goal during injury time with an overhead kick that went viral right away. More importantly, though, given their mediocre at best performance, it kept England from facing an almost certain humiliation, it gave Southgate a chance to reset. Again

After winning La Liga and the Champions League in his first season at Real Madrid, Bellingham's tangible confidence and self-belief that he is the player who can make the difference for England were reinforced by the "who else?" celebration.

Even though Bellingham's individual performances against Slovenia and Denmark were lackluster, he has already proven himself with game-changing contributions such as the winning goal against Serbia in England's opening match and that exciting moment against Slovakia.

Bellingham is the only player in Berlin on July 14 who may provide hope that the seemingly unachievable goal is achievable. .

England can improve.

The England team that left with such high hopes and expectations and headed to the Weimarer Land Spa and Golf facilities in Blankenhain is a shell of its former self.

A wonderfully talented group of players have come off as jaded, disjointed, and, strangely, uninspired for a squad with their level of attacking threat.

Southgate has understood that a system overhaul is required in order to turn things around, as so much has been lacking.

Kane has not been the same threat despite his two goals. Even though Foden has been the most dangerous player for England, there is still a feeling that, with the right tactical approach from Southgate, he can do much more.

England VS Swiss Results Prediction

Bellingham is brilliant, but it was only in those two spurts, not regularly. Going into the final eight, Southgate can only hope that his top men have more to offer.

Considering that they have arrived in the favorable half of the draw, it would be really regrettable for both him and England if they returned home feeling that they could have done better.

Had they been given the chance to defeat Switzerland, followed by either Turkey or the Netherlands, in order to get to the final before departing, they would have undoubtedly accepted.

Southgate stated: "There has been a lot of expectation on the team in the early part of the tournament. It is in their hands, and they have shown signs of improvement."

"I believe that the team's mentality has changed during training. They seem more fluid, therefore I think we'll perform better."

If England is to live up to those expectations, they cannot afford to play Switzerland badly again.

The Italia '90 echoes in England

The La Repubblica newspaper in Rome ran the headline "Is This All There Is To England?" after England's boring 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland to begin their 1990 World Cup campaign in Italy.

Those words might have been spoken once more after Southgate's team's valiant victory over Slovakia and their draws with Denmark and Slovenia.

It is difficult to dispute that Germany has closely examined and criticized England, and that criticism was well-founded.

There was more to that particular vintage as manager Bobby Robson showed when he switched to a back five system against a Dutch team that had Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Ronald Koeman, and Frank Rijkaard in the following group encounter in Italy.

England under Paul Gascoigne advanced to the semi-finals before losing to West Germany on penalties. At center back were Terry Butcher, Des Walker, and Mark Wright, who scored the winning goal in the last group game against Egypt.

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To help energize his team, Southgate has named Kyle Walker, John Stones, and Ezri Konsa to start in England's back three against Switzerland. However, it also looks like he has taken a bold step to rectify his team's imbalance.

Halfway through a tournament, making such a bold move suggests a poorly considered starting approach. History, however, shows that it is possible. If it brings out the best in players like Bellingham and Foden and gives main marksman Kane more ammunition, it's a risk worth taking.

England has the players to make such a system work if they can unlock the potential that is buried in Germany. Can they now successfully complete it?

Watch out, England! Switzerland is "in great shape" and "confident."

Switzerland is presently viewed as the dark horse to win Euro 2024, which poses a serious danger to England, especially if Southgate's team keeps up their current poor play.

Some quarters saw the holders' lackluster performance as the reason for their 2-0 triumph over Italy. This is a grave insult to a confident, strong Swiss team under the wise guidance of coach Murat Yakin.

It also came after a solid display against Germany, where the home team only needed a header from Niclas Fullkrug in injury time to save a point.

Switzerland have players known to England's squad too, such as outstanding Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji, former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka - the driving force behind Bayer Leverkusen's trophy treble in their unbeaten Bundesliga season - and Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar.

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Swiss players include Newcastle United's defender Fabian Schar, former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka (who led Bayer Leverkusen to a trophy quadruple in their unbeaten Bundesliga season), and Manchester City's outstanding defender Manuel Akanji. The England team is also familiar with these players.

Both Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas have excelled in midfield, while Scotland has shown that Xherdan Shaqiri, the former star of Stoke City and Liverpool, is still capable of making an impression.

Seven goals from seven different scorers have this well-rounded team playing, and Yakin gave a very assured press conference on Friday night.

We're in fantastic shape," he stated. We are quite confident. We've demonstrated against Italy and Germany that we can compete with the best teams."We performed admirably both against the hosts and the defending champs. We're going to give England some trouble."

You've been warned, England.