2 weeks ago
Stuart Pearce has warned 'alarm bells' should beryllium ringing for England aft their insipid tie against North Macedonia connected Monday night.
The Three Lions ended their Euro 2024 qualifying run unbeaten and apical of Group C, but were lacklustre successful Skopje and managed conscionable 2 shots connected extremity against a squad that is 62 places beneath nan successful nan FIFA rankings.
Enis Bardhi put nan hosts up successful nan first half arsenic he tucked location nan rebound aft having his punishment footwear saved by Jordan Pickford, earlier Gareth Southgate's men drew level done a Jani Atanasov's ain extremity connected nan hr mark.
England pushed for a victor but looked ponderous successful possession and ne'er created immoderate clear trim chances, a show reminiscent of their laboured 2-0 triumph complete Malta astatine Wembley connected Friday.
And Pearce suggested Southgate should beryllium worried by nan deficiency of productivity successful his side.
England were held to a 1-1 tie by North Macedonia successful Skopje connected Monday night
Stuart Pearce warned England should beryllium concerned by their deficiency of creativity
'I person sewage to opportunity siren bells will beryllium ringing successful regards to these 2 games [Malta and North Macedonia],' nan erstwhile England full-back said connected talkSPORT.
'We conscionable haven't been capable to break teams down freely. I deliberation that is an Achilles bottommost of ours.
'As a counter-attacking team, wherever teams travel connected to us, we aren't bad erstwhile we person space. But we've sewage to activity retired really to break these teams down.
The Three Lions person mustered conscionable 5 shots connected target complete nan past 2 games and Pearce believes Southgate must get their players to beryllium braver successful possession.
'I deliberation our build-up from nan backmost statement is excessively slow and easy to defend,' he said.
'We are excessively slow successful midfield. We request to operation it up. There are excessively galore short passes.'
With England already qualified for nan summer's tourney arsenic group winners, nan lucifer provided opportunity for immoderate fringe players to liking their claims for imaginable spots successful nan squad.
Rico Lewis made his elder England debut, while Harry Kane was rested pinch Ollie Watkins starting up beforehand and Trent Alexander-Arnold again deployed successful midfield.
Trent Alexander-Arnold started successful midfield but struggled to power nan crippled arsenic he did against Malta connected Friday night
Gareth Southgate insisted he was pleased pinch his team's performance
The injured Jude Bellingham was unavailable and his absence was severely felt, conscionable arsenic it was against Malta.
The Real Madrid prima group up 3 goals and scored erstwhile successful his past 2 England appearances against Australia and Italy and nan Three Lions person looked devoid of ideas without him.
Southgate, however, insisted his broadside played well and did good to support their attraction having already qualified for Euro 2024.
'I thought nan capacity was good, mentality was excellent,' nan England head said.
'I thought we played well, we wholly controlled nan game.
'It was difficult pinch nan measurement that they defended and nan transportation not easy to get nan cleanable last pass.
'But I thought location were immoderate fantabulous performances wrong nan game.'
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