Gareth Southgate mindful of taking spotlight off misfiring Phil Foden

Once Gareth Southgate felt his England team understood his instructions for tonight’s match against Denmark, he attempted to ensure they also knew what the game meant. The staff went through a session on the mindset of the opposition and “what motivations they might have”.

That is something Southgate now insists on for every game, as “it’s an important part of psychologically preparing our team” for the “narrative” of any occasion, but it is more distinctive for this one.

Denmark are fired up. Their squad are constantly talking about the penalty that was given for England’s 2-1 victory in the Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley, and want to right that “injustice”. The scorer Harry Kane is of course still there, but the player who was criticised for apparently diving isn’t. Raheem Sterling is one of three of England’s front six from that game who won’t be playing in Frankfurt, as Southgate attempts to get a new chemistry right.

It still seemed elusive, on the evidence of the 1-0 win over Serbia. The manager said his staff “have challenged everybody to take that next step” in terms of performance in this game.

It unintentionally echoes the words of Cesc Fabregas on a player who is almost Sterling’s direct replacement in the starting XI. Phil Foden has become the focus of much of the debate after a fairly dour opening team performance.

That is because he didn’t stand out in the way he has for Manchester City, where he won the football writers’ player of the year last season. Fabregas said Foden needed “to take this responsibility to grow”, to “step up”.

While Southgate has received criticism for not putting the playmaker where he can excel, there is a growing feeling within the game that the player is now overly accustomed to the highly-defined structure of Pep Guardiola’s City.

It is almost the contradiction of a star who looks so free in his play. Foden has been cast as a street footballer but he is actually the ultimate product of the modern academy system, having been at City since he was a child.

Southgate isn’t going to be able to replicate that kind of structure with England, especially not within a week, so there have been arguments that Foden may have to be sacrificed. The idea of building the attack around him has vanished in the wake of Jude Bellingham’s rise, to the point that Foden felt he had to stress how they could play together.

Southgate, however, isn’t heeding those calls. Foden is virtually certain to start against Denmark, with the team expected to be much the same as against Serbia, other than perhaps Conor Gallagher coming into central midfield for Trent Alexander-Arnold due to his energy.

Southgate even went out of his way to praise the role Foden played.

“The first thing to say would be that I thought Phil did an exceptional job for us on Sunday. Other players grabbed the attention, but the way he worked for the team, defended the spaces, real intelligence in how he played. Towards the end of the game, he retained the ball for us in really crucial moments.

“There was a lot going on in the game, a lot tactically to solve. And we were happy with what Phil did.”

Southgate even addressed some of the wider debate around Foden, and whether he is a player who needs to be “unlocked”.

It was actually the subject of another meeting before the game. The staff wanted to help a relatively young squad deal with the amount of scrutiny they get, even after a win. Debates that rise like that around Foden are part of it.

“There’s going to be a narrative on a player, or a couple of players, after every England game. This is a different world to the one you experience at clubs.

“The players as a collective recognise that now after the last couple of days. We talked with them about it. ​

“I have to make sure I can guide them through that, let them understand it and recognise it’s the reality of our world but that we shouldn’t be thrown off track by it. We’re in a good position, we know we want to play better.”

Kyle Walker defended his City team-mate.

“I don’t think one game defines a player. It’s a season or a tournament that defines a player. Especially with Phil coming off the back of the season he had, I don’t think one 90 minutes should be scrutinised as much as I’m being told it is. Phil is a great character, he’s had ... I wouldn’t say a difficult path to get here as he’s won a lot of trophies at Manchester City, but he’s had to be patient. This is just another little thing he has to overcome when there is so much pressure on him now after such a great season, that big players have to rise up in big occasions.”

It is hard to disagree. Foden and Bellingham will develop a better understanding as they play together more.

The absence of Luke Shaw, however, does mean it might remain staccato for some time. The Manchester United full-back has become one of England’s most important players, as the only left-footed defender in the squad.

​Southgate said England are unlikely to see Shaw until the end of next week, which would mean the knockout stages.

​What that knockout stage looks like remains to be seen, of course. One victory is almost certain to put a team through to the next round as at least one of the best third-placed sides. England have that victory, 1-0 against Serbia. Denmark don’t, after a tough 1-1 draw against Slovenia.

Their need is greater, as is their emotional edge given how that Euro 2020 semi-final went. England still want to make sure they top the group, though, which victory would all but confirm.

Denmark’s highly technical midfield will also offer a valuable test, especially with Christian Eriksen on his own emotional high after offering one of the stories of the tournament.

Having suffered cardiac arrest in his last European Championship match, against Iceland in 2021, he scored against Slovenia.

This is the level England’s midfield have to rise to. It is why Gallagher may come in for Alexander-Arnold.

England need to rectify a performance in Frankfurt tonight. Denmark want to rectify something else.

England v Denmark, Live, RTÉ2/BBC1, 5.0

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