EXCLUSIVE
England legend Stuart Pearce would DROP Harry Kane as Gareth Southgate urged to make ‘tough calls’
Harry Kane should be DROPPED from England's starting line-up for their next Euro 2024 game against Slovenia.
This is the view of England legend and talkSPORT pundit Stuart Pearce, who believes Gareth Southgate has to make some 'tough calls' following a disappointing draw to Denmark.
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England are top of Group C, however, their 1-1 draw on Thursday has left fans feeling very downbeat with the team really struggling to get their game together in Frankfurt.
The draw means they missed the chance to seal their place in the knockout stage of the tournament and while the Slovenia clash is a potential banana skin, Pearce suggested Southgate may need to experiment with his starting XI.
Reflecting on the dour draw to Denmark, Pearce told talkSPORT: "I think all of us would look at the team and would be in agreement about the selection of the team for both games... I've been very supportive, we've got our better players in the team.
"I think you could comfortably make six or seven changes within the group and it not be detrimental, certainly to that performance."
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Pearce added: "Where he goes from here I don't know. This is a tough one for Gareth and his coaching staff. It'll get worse when they look tomorrow and see that performance.
"It might be making some tough calls, it might be leaving the captain [Harry Kane] out. It might well be, 'how do I solve the left-back issue?'
"How do we get more delivery from the left-hand side with no natural left-back? Potentially put a Bukayo Saka there.
"Do I play Declan Rice further up the pitch? Maybe put a holding midfield player in Adam Wharton to take his place and try and get a tune and better rhythm out of Declan.
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"This next game, we're out the group, this game might be an experimental game... it might be used as a change in style, to mix it up a little bit to try and get a better tune out of elements of the team."
When asked if he'd leave captain and England's record goalscorer Kane out of the starting line-up, Pearce responded: "I think I would.
"To be honest with you, I think I would. To get more energy in the team, to get someone to run in behind the opposition's defence and then you review it again when you get to the knockout stage."
Kane was the scorer for England against Denmark as his left-footed finish from close range put them ahead on 18 minutes.
That was as good as it got for Southgate's men as they struggled to create many clear-cut chances for the rest of the match, with Phil Foden's long-range effort striking the post the closest they came to scoring a second.
But they were pegged back on 34 minutes through Morten Hjulmand's excellent strike from distance.
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There were one or two hairy moments for England in the second half as Denmark chased a winner, with the Three Lions losing the midfield battle.
Southgate made the decision to play Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold, a right-back by trade, in midfield, with the player being substituted in both of England's Euro 2024 games.
And while Pearce would like an experimental XI against Slovenia, he believes this particular midfield experiement should be brought to an end.
On Alexander-Arnold starting in midfield, Pearce said: "I would make a change there because I think we've got nothing to lose.
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