The Three Lions' thrilling 4-2 win over Croatia may have left fans basking in the glory of England's scintillating counter-attack, but beneath the surface, concerns are being raised about Gareth Southgate's ability to strike a balance between attacking flair and defensive steel.
In a game that promised to be a high-octane spectacle, England's approach played out like a thrilling Formula 1 qualifying session – all high-speed thrills and spills, but also plenty of reckless abandon. Time and again, Harry Kane's pinpoint passes left Croatia's defenders scrambling, creating opportunities for Anthony Gordon, Jude Bellingham, and Noni Madueke to tear apart the Croatian backline. But with that attacking philosophy came a price: England's vulnerability on the counter was exposed time and again, leaving Southgate to ponder whether his team can sustain such an approach without being left wide open.
The question is whether England's direct play will continue to be a double-edged sword. By inviting Croatia's press high up the pitch, England created pockets of space for Kane to drop deep and launch long passes over the top – and it paid dividends in terms of goal-scoring opportunities. But whenever possession was lost early in the build-up, Kane found himself playing a more defensive role than his attacking one, contributing to a lack of solidity at the back.
Croatia's deliberate pressing of Jordan Pickford also played its part, forcing England's goalkeeper into long punts that often gave away possession cheaply. And when it came to off-the-ball pressure, England's high-pressing approach created as many problems as it solved – particularly when the ball moved wide and Nico O'Reilly was forced to cover a huge amount of ground to apply pressure, allowing Croatia to counter with ease.
England did try to adapt their defensive shape mid-match, shifting from a back four to a back five in an attempt to match Croatia's attacking numbers. But despite this tactical switch, the issue remained – England were still being caught out on the counter, and Southgate will need to find a way to balance his team's attacking ambitions with some much-needed defensive solidity.