England manager Lee Carsley anticipates a strong response from his team after their disappointing defeat to Greece, as they return to a more conventional formation against Finland. The Euro 2024 runners-up suffered a setback on Thursday, losing 2-1 to Greece at Wembley. Carsley’s experimental approach, deploying five attackers without a designated striker, proved ineffective, leading to a disjointed performance and boos from the crowd.
Jude Bellingham played as a false nine in the absence of injured captain Harry Kane. Kane’s return, along with the availability of Jack Grealish, is expected to see England adopt a more familiar tactical setup in Sunday’s match against Finland. Carsley acknowledged the criticism following the Greece loss, stating, "I think the reaction is fair enough. You have to respect people’s opinions. We didn’t perform as well as we can on the night, and I would expect a reaction tomorrow night." He also expressed a desire to learn from the experience.
Fully prepared for tomorrow 💪 pic.twitter.com/5HuwHpFe9w
— England (@England) October 12, 2024
England’s trip to Helsinki marks their first visit since 2000. Bukayo Saka and Curtis Jones have departed the camp ahead of the game. England, despite their recent setback, remain undefeated in 12 previous matches against Finland. However, Thursday’s loss represents their first defeat against Greece, and Carsley expects a challenging encounter. "We’re very respectful of the team," he said. "We found it very difficult at Wembley to break the team down, especially in the first 45 minutes."
On our way to Helsinki 🫡 pic.twitter.com/Gq7LkU3zkU
— England (@England) October 12, 2024
Finland, the lowest-ranked team in England’s Nations League group and winless, will be hoping to avoid a further defeat. A victory for England is crucial to maintain their position in the promotion race, ahead of a key clash in Athens next month.
[Image of Harry Kane]
[Image of Lee Carsley]
Key Takeaway: England face a crucial match against Finland, aiming for a positive response after their recent setback against Greece. The return to a more conventional system and the return of key players like Harry Kane could prove vital in securing a victory and maintaining their promotion hopes.