Just two games into Euro 2024 and the knives are already out for Gareth Southgate's England side despite them being top of Group C and having one foot firmly planted in the knockout stages.
Both matches so far – a 1-0 win over Serbia followed by the 1-1 draw with Denmark – have seen England take an early lead before fading badly with the team dropping too deep, offering little attacking threat and failing to press the opposition as a unit.
The warning signs were flashing before a ball had been kicked in the tournament, though, when England fell to a shock defeat against Iceland at Wembley Stadium in their final warm-up game – a performance Southgate admitted was “far from ideal” but would “really focus the mind” ahead of the finals.
But that focus has never materialised in Germany with criticism coming thick and fast with Southgate and captain Harry Kane in particular being put through the mincer by fans and the media.
The fact England have struggled so badly despite a front four containing Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Kane is seen by some as the inability of a defensively-minded manager to utilise top-level attacking talents.
Southgate has offered various reasons for England's struggles; from suggesting that the players are not fit enough to press the opposition effectively to the more dubious idea that they have not found a “natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips” in midfield.
The experiment of playing Trent Alexander-Arnold alongside Declan Rice has not paid off, while even record-goalscorer Kane was hauled off during the dismal second-half showing against the Danes in Frankfurt, despite putting England into an 18th-minute lead.
Kane, though, insists Southgate remains the right man for job, one that it is looking increasingly likely he will no longer occupy by the end of this summer – barring a huge turnaround in performances and results.
England 1 Serbia 0 – player ratings
“I can't speak highly enough of Gareth and what he has done for this team and the nation. In terms of where we were and where we are now as a national team it is completely different,” said the striker, who has scored 64 goals in 93 games for his country.
“There are always going to be people who criticise or doubt him but his record speaks for itself – it's really successful with us.
“But like all of us he's determined to take that next step and win it and that's what we are all really determined to do.”
Kane himself has come out swinging against both the suggestion that he is not fully fit to lead the line for England and the criticism he has received from former Three Lions stars now working as TV pundits.
“The games in the tournament I felt as fit as I have all season,” said the 30-year-old who was replaced alongside Saka and Foden with more than 20 minutes of the game remaining against Denmark.
“I know I came off in the second game but that was down to the manager wanting to see something different and freshening up the front players.
“Sometimes in my experience when I've had bad games or games that are not up to the standard, it's always something to look for and find a reason why.”
And as for the withering attacks on him and the rest of his teammates by the likes of Gary Lineker, Rio Ferdinand and Alan Shearer from the TV studio, Kane added: “I always feel like they have a responsibility.
“I would never want to be disrespectful to any player, especially a player who has worn the shirt and knows what it is like to play for England,” said Kane.
Denmark 1 England 1 – player ratings
“[But] the bottom line is we haven't won anything as a nation for a long, long time and a lot of these players were part of that as well and they know how tough it is.”
But despite the problems, Kane insists everyone just needs to take a breath as they go into Tuesday's game at Cologne Stadium aiming to secure top spot in the group.
“It is not a time to panic but a time to improve,” added Kane. “At this early stage it is almost like a boxer in the first couple of rounds seeing where everyone is at and how they feel, or a golfer in a major tournament in the first round – don’t play yourself out of the tournament, be calm.
“Tuesday is important for the feeling of the group, we want to finish top and take the momentum into the knockout stages.”
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
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Company%20profile
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The%20specs
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai,
HBKU Press
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Quick%20facts
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
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