Coach Showdown: Lee Carsley vs Ivan Jovanovic
The highly anticipated friendly between England and Greece will be a captivating encounter, featuring interim coach Lee Carsley leading the Three Lions against Greece’s new head coach, Ivan Jovanovic. Both coaches are relatively new to their respective roles, adding intrigue to the match.
England Squad News
England’s squad sees some key changes with Cole Palmer aiming to make his debut as an attacking midfielder under Carsley’s management. Additionally, Ollie Watkins, the talented striker from Aston Villa, will step up in place of Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, who is sidelined due to a hip injury.
Unfortunately, there are a few notable absences, as Kobbie Maino, Harry Maguire, and Marcus Rashford have all been excluded from the squad due to injuries. Rashford’s omission is notably attributed to his underperformance under Erik Ten Hag at Manchester United.
Key Player Absences for England
- Marcus Rashford – Injury-related omission and underperformance
- Harry Maguire – Injury
- Kobbie Maino – Injury
Greece Squad News
Greece, currently at the top of the table with six points following their impressive 2-0 win against Ireland, will be looking to maintain their momentum. Anastasios Bakasetas, Greece’s 31-year-old attacking midfielder, was pivotal in that victory, creating two key chances and providing assists for goals from Loannidis and Trzolis in the 50th and 87th minutes, respectively.
For this match, Vangelis Pavlidis is expected to replace Fotis Lonnidis in the starting lineup due to injury. Greece’s formation will likely be a 4-2-3-1, ensuring a solid defensive setup with attacking options to break down the English defense.
Greece Predicted Line-Up:
- Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Key Change: Vangelis Pavlidis replacing Fotis Lonnidis
Match Insights and Key Battles
England will be looking to test their squad depth in the absence of several stars, while Greece aims to showcase their position at the top of the group. The tactical battle between Lee Carsley and Ivan Jovanovic will be fascinating, especially with the pressure on Carsley to guide England to victory.
For detailed updates on the match, you can check out the SoccerVar match preview for expert predictions and tactical breakdowns.
For more insights on upcoming international friendlies and news, visit BBC Sport’s England vs Greece preview.
1 comment
👍👍