Dan Kilpatrick on England 3-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Evening Standard

England brushed aside Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday night in the first of two final warm-up friendlies for Euro 2024. Eberechi Eze aside, a second-string Three Lions unit mostly flattered to deceive in a largely turgid first half at Newcastle’s St James’ Park, but turned up the tempo after the break to eventually win at a canter.

Transcript

00:00 So it's full time at St James' Park, the English preparations for Euro 2024 are still underway

00:07 in earnest with a 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina here in the North East.

00:13 So half time you wondered, they think that we're going to make really hard work and it's

00:16 friendly but they were comfortable in the end.

00:18 Karl Palmer breaking the deadlock from the pamphy spot just after the hour and further

00:22 goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold, a superb volley and of course Harry Kane who came off

00:27 the bench to add to his team mentality.

00:30 Not many huge takeaways from tonight, I think the big story was probably Averi-Eze's first

00:34 half showing, he was really lively and had drab 45 minutes for England.

00:39 Lit up the game with his changes of direction, his directness, his willingness to take on

00:43 his man and his running, that would have caught Garry Southgate's eye.

00:47 It felt at that point like it was going to be a pretty bad night for Jack Grealish and

00:50 James Madison although admittedly they both came on in the final half hour and did well.

00:55 Grealish creating the goal for Alexander-Arnold with a lovely cross field ball, the Liverpool

01:01 defender volleying into the bottom corner.

01:02 He started the game in centre midfield, finished it right back, didn't convince me in midfield

01:07 but he's clearly got something to offer this England side just in his range of passing

01:11 and his technique and his goal was a real piece of quality.

01:16 As for the other big takeaways, perhaps Ezri Conta as England's utility defender, he did

01:21 his chances no harm tonight, winning the penalty, he threatened the box and he got forward pretty

01:27 well and he finished the game in the centre half and started it right back.

01:31 Garry Southgate will now look forward to more time on the training ground with his players

01:35 and a chance to play a stronger side against Iceland at Wembley on Friday night before

01:41 he has to name his final 26 man score on Saturday.

01:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Category

Transcript

Recommended