Euro 2020: When coach Southgate 'cuts the wings' of the German team

The strength of the “German Tank” at Euro 2021 is that Joachim Löw owns two wingers Robin Gosens and Joshua Kimmich. These two players have crushed most of the opponent's attacking lines right from the opponent's field, most typically in the 4-2 victory over Portugal. Robin Gosens and Joshua Kimmich both participated in all 4 goals of the German team.

Gareth Southgate's class

England coach Gareth Southgate saw in the 3-4-3 formation that Robin Gosens had 47 touches in the Portuguese half in 62 minutes, including 6 in the penalty area. Kimmich had 47 touches in the opponent's half and 6 in the penalty area. With less physical strength and experience than Portugal's full-backs Raphael and Semedo, they could not keep up with the "wings" of coach Joachim Löw.

For the first time at Euro 2021, head coach Southgate decided to abandon the 4-3-2-1 formation in favor of a 3-4-3 formation. Photo: Getty

For the first time at Euro 2021, head coach Southgate decided that England would abandon the 4-3-2-1 formation to switch to a 3-4-3 formation to play against Germany, accepting an open game. Simply, the computer analysis shows that England players Luke Shaw and Kieran Tripper can play on equal terms with Gosens and Kimmich.

In fact, Gosens had just 14 touches in the first half, while Kimmich had 22, and the pair had a single touch in the box. For the first time at Euro 2021, the German wingers failed to lift the team, with both the quality and quantity of their attacks dropping, with Gosens having just 27 touches in the first half, Kimmich 34.

Southgate forced Germany to attack through the middle, where the hosts had Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice - two solid centre-backs - and John Stones supported by Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker. Germany's best attacking moments of the game came through the middle, but even when they did break through, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made some fantastic saves to deny Germany any chance to celebrate.

Use your stick to beat your back

England won the game with the Germans attacking from the wings. Bukayo Saka created space in the German defence with his dribbling and pace, while Raheem Sterling cut inside from the left. On the left, Shaw spent 60% of the time in the German half, while Trippier, attacking from the right, had more possession (71%).

This was England's first win over Germany in a knockout match since the 1966 World Cup final.

Aashin, a British football writer, commented: “Defender Shaw (MU) is having his most successful season since joining Old Trafford eight years ago, playing both offensive and defensive roles. He was the one who created the opening goal for the England team.”

England's opening goal came from Sterling's dribbling from the middle, which opened up space for Jack Grealish. Grealish got the ball and passed it to Shaw, who then released Sterling to score past Manuel Neuer. The kind of goal Germany scored for fun in their demolition of Portugal.

The second goal in the 86th minute started similarly, Shaw winning the ball near the centre circle and playing a pass into Grealish's path to find Harry Kane for a header. England remain the only team yet to concede a goal. They also have the highest tackle success rate (61%) of all teams in the Round of 16.

This is England's first win over Germany in a knockout match since the 1966 World Cup final. The road to the Euro 2020 final is still relatively feasible when their next opponent is Ukraine, not a very strong team./.