England finished at the top of their Euro 2024 group, but they were unable to score in a lackluster draw. Slovenia secured a spot in the knockout stage.

Gareth Southgate, the Head Coach of England, watched on as his team secured a goalless draw against Slovenia in their UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match at Cologne Stadium in Germany. Despite winning Group C, the performance did little to alleviate the doubts and concerns surrounding Southgate’s squad.

The first half was uneventful, with Bukayo Saka having a goal disallowed due to Phil Foden being offside before providing the cross. England struggled to create opportunities and it wasn’t until the 30th minute that they registered a shot on target.

At halftime, Kobbie Mainoo was brought on for Conor Gallagher, injecting some pace into England’s passing. However, they still lacked urgency and failed to break down Slovenia’s disciplined defense. Slovenia, knowing that a draw would be enough to advance to the knockout rounds, dug in towards the end of the match, making it even more challenging for England. Substitute Cole Palmer had a good chance in added time but shot too close to the goalkeeper.

England’s last-16 opponents are yet to be determined, but the Netherlands is a strong possibility. However, England is now on the opposite side of the draw from Germany, Spain, Portugal, and France, meaning they cannot face any of those teams until the final.

The midfield experiment with Gallagher, Declan Rice, and Jude Bellingham did not yield the desired results. The trio struggled to dictate the flow of the game, and Gallagher’s substitution at halftime for Mainoo indicated Southgate’s dissatisfaction. It seems likely that the experiment is over. Mainoo provided a spark in the second half and may have played his way into the starting lineup for the last-16 tie. However, the overall performance left much to be desired, suggesting that the system, rather than the personnel, may be England’s real problem. Palmer, like Mainoo, made a positive impact off the bench and could be in contention to start in the knockout game on Sunday.

Phil Foden was named the Player of the Match for his incisive movement among England’s forward players. Regardless of his position, Foden demonstrated his value to the team.

Player ratings for England were generally low, with Foden receiving the highest rating of 7. Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Kieran Trippier, Rice, Gallagher, Saka, Bellingham, and Harry Kane all received ratings ranging from 4 to 6. Mainoo and Palmer, who came on as substitutes, received ratings of 7 and 6, respectively. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Gordon did not receive ratings as they did not play.

For Slovenia, Jan Oblak received a rating of 7, while the rest of the team received ratings ranging from 5 to 7. Josip Ilicic, Dario Celar, and Denis Stankovic did not receive ratings as they did not play.

In terms of match highlights, Sesko had a chance for Slovenia in the 5th minute, but Pickford made a comfortable save. Foden’s goal in the 31st minute was disallowed due to offside. Foden also had a free kick saved by Oblak in the 35th minute. In added time, Kane set up Palmer for a good chance, but his shot was too close to Oblak.