Stuart Pearce has said Gareth Southgate must look for ‘solutions’ against Slovenia and urged the England boss to consider dropping Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham for their final Euro 2024 group game.
Despite sitting top of Group C heading into their final group game, England have endured a stuttering campaign having entered the tournament as one of the heavy favourites.
After a narrow 1-0 win against Serbia, Southgate’s side underwhelmed further with an uninspiring display in a 1-1 draw against Denmark.
With their passage into the knockouts all but secured, Southgate is expected to tinker with his side as he searches for a greater attacking thrust to his side.
And former England full-back Pearce boldly suggested he should consider dropping captain Kane and Bellingham, scorers of England’s two goals so far this tournament.
‘No, I wouldn’t,’ Pearce told talkSPORT when asked if he would start Kane. ‘I would have a look at somebody else in the hope of finding some solutions.
‘If I play Harry, I know what I get, we need to find some answers in this game to take forward into the knockout stages.
‘If I play Kane and he plays well, I’ve learned nothing; if he plays badly, I’ve learned nothing.
‘I might go back to Harry in the knockouts, but I also might have Ollie Watkins who works quite well running in behind.
On Bellingham, Pearce added: ‘We think he’s a machine. He’s a 20-year-old young man who’s played a hell of a lot of games this year.
Coming into the side, Pearce also earmarked Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold and wanted to see both Declan Rice and Phil Foden play in more advanced, central positions.
‘I’d probably play Wharton in that defensive role. Then Foden and Rice ahead of him, with Phil just ahead,’ he said.
‘Antony Gordon on the left-hand side, Bukayo Saka on the right and to try and run in behind and stretch the opposition, I would go Watkins.’