MICAH RICHARDS has told Gareth Southgate the THREE England stars that can “hurt” Switzerland and send them to the semi-finals.
The Three Lions have failed to impress in their first four games at the Euro 2024 and were seconds from being booted out of the tournament in their last 16 clash against Slovakia before Jude Bellingham‘s 95th-minute equaliser.
Harry Kane sealed the comeback as England secured a 2-1 victory over Slovakia in extra-time.
Richards believes England have players that can “hurt” the Swiss defence on Saturday.
Switzerland swiftly beat Italy 2-0 in their last match and have been playing in a 3-4-2-1 formation so far in the competition.
And Richards has named Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon as the three players who could make an impact during England’s quarter-final clash.
Speaking on Gary Lineker‘s The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards said: “Tactically, I’m looking at this game.
“I’ve been looking at the Switzerland games and there’s areas in that team in which you can hurt them.
“If I’m looking at this England team now and you’ve got [Fabian] Schar – and Schar’s a very good player – but he does not want to be going into wide areas of the pitch.
“The same for [Ricardo] Rodriguez on the other side as well. I think Southgate, if he’s looking at this, he has to play wingers.
EXPERT football psychologist Professor Geir Jordet has told Gareth Southgate and his players what they can do to give themselves the best chance of victory in any shootouts.
And he has even thrown in a rogue, bold suggestion for the Three Lions manager…
1. START PLANNING LAST YEAR
“It’s about planning for the opposition’s penalty takers but also ‘how do we win the psychological game against each opponent?’
2. SMART SOUTHGATE LEADERSHIP
“Southgate will have two minutes to influence his players as effectively as possible, show he has a plan and get confidence across.”
3. DICTATE AS A TEAM
“A shootout is really a team performance. Have the goalkeeper walk with the penalty taker into the penalty area to basically create a two-versus-one against the other goalkeeper. Dominate the centre circle, support the players who missed.”
4. ‘BULLETPROOF’ INDIVIDUAL ROUTINES
“Have really good, individualised and rehearsed pre-shot routines that are bulletproof and polished so they’re more likely to be able to resist the stress and more likely to score.”
5. SHOOT YOUR SHOT
“Practise the shot itself, trying to simulate penalty shootouts in training. Even recreating 20 per cent of a Euros final penalty shootout is going to have a benefit for your performance.”
AND A JOR DROPPING IDEA…
Jordan Pickford is the No1 but Dean Henderson actually has a far better penalty record – saving 8/22 (36 per cent) compared to Pickford’s 8/62 (13 per cent).
Jordet said: “One could consider making a late substitution for a penalty shootout. I doubt that they dare to do it in case it fails and the pressure is even higher but it would be a very ballsy move.”
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“He has to play [Bukayo] Saka or Cole Palmer on the right and he has to start with [Anthony] Gordon.
“On transition, once you beat their press, you can hurt them. And I’ve seen videos of it.”
When questioned by Lineker about whether Southgate would adopt his tactics the 13-cap England star instantly replied “No.”
Richards continued: ” I don’t. I don’t think he will. I think we need to be careful of how we set up. Because their wingbacks are used to playing this formation.
“So what you don’t want is to play 4-3-3 and for Saka and Foden, if they start, to come really deep because then they will box you in. Then you can’t get out and they will dominate the game.”
Palmer and Gordon are yet to start in Germany only coming on as substitutes while Saka has starred in all four games.
And SunSport understands they will remain on the bench for kick-off against Switzerland.
But Southgate will change formation to a back three for the game on Saturday.
