On Tuesday, England manager Gareth Southgate defended his decision to introduce substitutes late in games during Euro 2024, explaining that his reluctance to use his talented bench was often due to his satisfaction with the team's performance.
England's journey through the tournament has been challenging, and Southgate has faced criticism for his apparent unwillingness to make early substitutions during poor performances, preventing substitutes from having enough time to impact the game.
Unlike other major teams that have made early changes, Southgate's substitutions have typically occurred when England was in desperate situations. Notably, against Slovakia, he brought on a frustrated Ivan Toney after 94 minutes, hoping for a last-minute win during stoppage time.
In the quarterfinal against Switzerland, Southgate made a triple substitution shortly after England went 1-0 down, with only 12 minutes left before elimination.
His earliest substitution came in the 0-0 draw against Slovenia, when he introduced midfielder Kobbie Mainoo at halftime, followed by forward Cole Palmer with 19 minutes remaining.
"There are different reasons for making changes. We were happy with the way the team was playing in a couple of those games. We made a substitution at halftime in one game, so we don't have a preconditioned way of operating," Southgate explained in a press conference.
"You always consider the physical freshness of the team, the balance, individual performances, and whether changes will actually improve our play."
Southgate noted that the team's confidence and mindset improved after a difficult start, when their play was not as free and fearless as in qualifying, largely due to the pressure of being pre-tournament favorites.
"The expectation was heavy, and the external noise was louder than ever," he said.
"I felt we couldn't quite get ourselves in the right place, but what was impressive was that the players ground out results and found ways to win. I felt that shifted once we entered the knockout stage."
He praised the players for overcoming difficulties and showing resilience, responding brilliantly with a desire to make history by winning their first European Championship.
"Now, we're at the stage where it's about what's possible and achievable, rather than worrying about what might go wrong," he said.
"This is the chance to make history, and we've enjoyed doing that."