After England's 0-0 draw with Slovenia in the third round of the UEFA Europa League group stage on June 26, Beijing time, England manager Southgate attended the press conference. He spoke highly of the team's performance and looked forward to future matches.
Southgate began by praising the fans for their performance in the second half, believing that they had a positive impact on the team. He said, "I'm very proud of the players. They kept their composure and coped very well with a challenging environment." Southgate mentioned that England were in complete control in the second half and created several excellent goal-scoring chances, which the team's defense played solidly despite failing to convert into points.
Speaking about the players' performances, Southgate pointed out that there are several players in the England team who can influence the game. He particularly mentioned that the side players were given more space and opportunities in today's game, showing a great threat. In contrast, the center players were somewhat limited in their play due to less space.
On the team's objectives, Southgate made it clear: "Our first objective is to qualify and secondly to win the top spot in the group stage." He believes that the team has shown some encouraging signs in today's game.
Speaking about his decision to make the substitutions, Southgate said that the substitutions made tonight had a positive impact on the game. Although the team still needs to improve in terms of passing and shooting, he saw the improvement in the team. Southgate doesn't expect his team to suddenly explode and win by a big margin, he believes that the game of soccer is not that simple. He said, "I see progress and the goals will come."
