Home / Featured / Euro 2021: England Preview, Predictions & Betting Odds

Euro 2021: England Preview, Predictions & Betting Odds

England European Championship Record

3rd place: 1968, 1996
Quarter-final: 2004, 2012
Group stage: 1980, 1988, 1992, 2000
Did not qualify: 1964, 1972, 1976, 1984, 2008
Did not enter: 1960

Total: W9 D9 L9 36:31

England Euro 2021 Qualifying Record

W10 D0 L0 31:3

England Euro 2021 Group Fixtures

11th June @21:00 – England vs Russia (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)

16th June @15:00 – England vs Wales (Stade Bollaert, Lens)

20th June @21:00 – Slovakia vs England (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint Etienne)

Road to Euro 2021

If we look at their record in the qualifying campaign, England would be the obvious choice to win the Euro 2021 trophy, having steered clear of any slip-ups in the qualifiers, winning all ten fixtures to finish the campaign nine points clear of second-placed Switzerland. It has to be noted though that the Three Lions had been placed in one of the easiest groups, but 31 goals scored and just 3 conceded prove they were quite convincing in most games.

Roy Hodgson’s side were not exactly on fire on the road to Euro 2021 as the results would suggest, but they kept grinding out results, with double wins over Switzerland and Slovenia certainly helping improve the team spirit. Oddly enough, the likes of Rooney, Walcott, Wilshere, Welbeck and Sterling, who had a key role to play in said wins, will now struggle to secure their place in the starting line-up for the opening fixture against Russia.

Style of Play

Judging by their latest performances, England are almost certain to rely on a 4-2-3-1 system, with Harry Kane widely expected to lead the line, and the likes of Dele Alli, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck expected to play behind him. This does seem like the most suitable system for the players Roy Hodgson has at his disposal, but it is important to note that the manager will be quite happy to switch to 4-4-2 diamond formation each time his side are chasing the result.

In that case, Jamie Vardy will be paired with Kane up front, while Ross Barkley could also be introduced to improve the creative department, and this seems like a perfect plan B for England. The switch to 4-4-2 worked like a charm in the high-profile friendly against Germany, helping the Three Lions score two late goals and win the game 3-2, and there is a chance the Three Lions will start with two up front when facing weaker sides, although there are not too many of those in Group E.

The inclusion of talented youngsters such as Dier and Alli, with Kane and Barkley also part of the inexperienced group, has helped England become more dangerous up front as they now move the ball quickly and are not afraid to take risks in the final third, something that has rarely happened in the past. Unlike most other top sides, the Three Lions prefer a stand off approach when defending, even if they will at times press the opposition, but they do rely on quick counterattacks, especially when the likes of Alli, Vardy and Walcott are on the pitch.

If England are to reach the final stages of the Euro 2021, Roy Hodgson will have to work hard on improving his back line, as the record of three conceded goals in the qualifying campaign is clearly deceiving when we know that the team conceded four goals in March qualifiers. Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill appear to be the preferred centre-back pairing, but the manager also needs to decide who will start in full-back positions.

Strong Points

  • New found confidence
  • In-form Premier League players
  • Very good plan B
  • Good strength in depth
  • Younger generation
  • Dangerous on the break
  • Attacking set-pieces

Weak Spots

  • Shaky back line
  • Poor record at major competitions
  • Inexperienced squad

England Euro 2021 Starting Line-Up

Euro 2021: England Preview, Predictions & Betting OddsMissing: Danny Welbeck, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (injury), Fabian Delph (injury)

Prediction

Had Roy Hodgson decided to stick to the side that won all ten games in the qualifying campaign, England would probably be in for another disappointment, but the manager’s brave approach that has now seen Kane, Alli, Dier, Barkley and Vardy all become important players for the Three Lions could make all the difference at the tournament finals. Friendly wins over Euro 2021 contenders France and Germany have seriously raised the spirits, and the Three Lions arrive in France high on confidence.

Even if they have been placed in an evenly matched group, England stand a good chance of winning the first place and facing one of the third-placed sides in the last 16 stage, so we definitely expect them to reach the quarter-finals. However, the poor defence and lack of international experience is likely to prevent the youthful side from mounting a serious title challenge. Nevertheless, compared to their previous attempts to return to old glory days, this should ultimately be a successful tournament for the Three Lions.

IST Tip: England to reach quarter-finals
Odds: 1.73 (8/11) @bet365

Interesting Markets

*England to win Group B is 1.90 (9/10) @888sport
*Kane to be England’s top goalscorer is 3.00 (2/1) @BetVictor
*England to be eliminated in quarter-finals is 4.00 (3/1) @BetVictor
*Kane to be Euro 2021 top goalscorer is 19.00 (18/1) @Ladbrokes
*Drinkwater to make Euro 2021 squad is 2.38 (11/8) @BetVictor
*Walcott to make Euro 2021 squad is 1.57 (4/7) @bet365

Special Offers

*England to win Euro 2021 is 33/1 (34.0) 
*Kane to be Euro 2021 top goalscorer is 35/1 (36.0)

England Euro 2021 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Tom Heaton (Burnley);

Defenders: Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton);

Midfielders: Eric Dier (Tottenham), Dele Alli (Tottenham), James Milner (Liverpool), Ross Barkley (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Adam Lallana (Liverpool);

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United).

Last updated: 5th June 2016

About IST staff

IST employs a team of writers with an extensive experience in the gaming industry, who are passionate about football and ready to go the extra mile to provide our readers with inside information on top football clubs, players and national teams. We always ensure to only use reputable sources and we hope you will enjoy the content on our site.
@IntSoccerTeams

Check Also

Euro 2021 Group E: Prediction & Betting Odds

Euro 2021 Group E: Prediction & Betting Odds

Chances are that Group E at the Euro 2021 finals is going to deliver premium ...

2 comments

  1. TheWelshDragon9

    Sorry guys, Delph wont even make the squad.

    • We will just have to wait for a few more hours and see. But, with Wilshere and Henderson back, Delph may not be in the starting line-up after all.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *