Breaking Down the Concerns Surrounding England’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Gareth Southgate in Euro 2024: A Q&A with BBC Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty

BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty answered readers’ questions about the England team before their final Euro 2024 group match against Slovenia on Tuesday. One reader, Terry, expressed concern about Trent Alexander-Arnold potentially being replaced in the lineup. Terry suggested that the issue may not be with Alexander-Arnold himself, but with the lack of movement and opportunities in front of him on the field.

In response, McNulty shared his sympathy for Alexander-Arnold, noting that he was placed in a challenging position during the tournament. He acknowledged that while the experiment of playing Alexander-Arnold in midfield was not successful, the blame may fall more on manager Gareth Southgate for not testing this approach before Euro 2024.

McNulty emphasized that major tournaments are not the time for experimentation, and that Southgate had ample opportunity to explore different strategies prior to the competition. He highlighted the importance of quickly abandoning failed experiments in order to maximize the team’s chances of success. To read more of Phil McNulty’s Q&A session and stay updated on the latest football news, visit the BBC website.