Carragher: "People will have watched England in the summer and seen how well they played in this system. The 'big sides' are going to counteract that, so you have to think of something else."
Monday 10 September 2018 11:39, UK
After watching England's defeat to Spain, Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher talked about Gareth Southgate's side's system, saying they need to find another way if they are to beat the big footballing nations...
No system is flawless. We loved the three at the back and doing so well at the World Cup, but there are problems with that system as well, as we saw against Croatia.
When the wing-backs get dragged back who closes down the full-backs in those wide areas? Dani Carvajal and Marcos Alonso are always the get-out ball and we can't get out, we're just locked in there. That is the problem against quality opposition with that system.
More often than not, the big teams will play 4-3-3. For most teams in the world now that's the system and it counter-acts three at the back. If England are going to beat big teams, they have got to find a way to deal with the full-back.
Your own wing-back cannot become a full-back. He's got to become a winger at times when you are out of possession so he goes and closes. That was one of the reasons why Gareth Southgate chose Kyle Walker in the summer because then he becomes the full-back. You are going from a five and shifting to a four.
No matter what system you play you are always in and out of different systems. Even when you are in a back four the full-back goes forward, it's a back three.
England at this moment, on paper they are playing with a back three or a back five. It can't be a back five all the time because you can't get out and that's a massive problem.
I know England came into it at the end of the game but there's no way they are going to beat big sides if they don't find a solution.
England are never going to dominate possession against Spain. Southgate knows that and we knew that before we even came here but they have to find a way of winning the ball back.
That's the problem for England. They couldn't win the ball back to then hurt Spain on the counter-attack because the back five was so deep. Southgate has got look at it and think can he change the system because you can't just stick to one thing.
The big problem England have got is they haven't got that midfield. They haven't got a lot of top quality midfielders, who are going to dominate possession.
It doesn't mean they can't win because they don't have technical players in the middle, it just means they are going to have to [win] in a different way. A lot of that will be about how can we win the ball back and cause them problems on the counter-attack.
There are different ways to win the game. Gareth Southgate can't go and buy someone in midfield who is going to dictate the play. England haven't got those players so there's nothing you can do but you've still got to try and find a way to win.
People will have watched England in the summer and seen how well they played in this system. [The big sides] are going to counteract that so you have to think of something else.
