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12th Jun 2021

Plane flies over England training ground with banner warning about most Croatia goals coming down the left

Charlie Herbert

Eyes to the skies Gareth!

Some England fans have been trying to give the England players and staff some crucial last-minute tactical insight and analysis the day before they kick off their European Championships campaign against Croatia at Wembley.

Before the players came out for training on Saturday morning, a plane was circling over the St George’s Park training ground with a banner reading “MOST CROATIA GOALS COME DOWN THE LEFT.”

Football journalist Faye Carruthers tweeted: “Waiting for @england to come out for training – plane flying over St George’s Park with a banner reading “MOST  CROATIA GOALS COME DOWN THE LEFT” #ThreeLions #EURO2020″

It’s true as well. Nine of Croatia’s 17 goals in qualifying for the Euro 2020 originated from the left-hand side apparently.

It’s a good job we’ve got so many right backs then.

It wasn’t long before the players clocked the plane either.

You’d like to think that at this point Southgate and his merry men may have come up with some slightly more in depth tactical insight, but you never know. Gareth may be redrawing his gameplans as we speak after this crucial intervention from some fans.

Of course, this is the world that he now inhabits. Everyone watching at home, every pundit on TV, every journalist in the papers will have their own opinions and probably believe that they could do a better job or know more than him. This is the life of an England manager.

Stay strong Gareth, believe in your gameplan. Just make sure you keep an eye on that left flank will you….

It’s not the only plane-based tactical advice from the day either. A plane flew over the Netherland’s training ground encouraging the side to play a 4-3-3 formation, in protest against manager Frank de Boer’s 5-3-2 tactics.

https://twitter.com/TheEuropeanLad/status/1403666725476913153

Football fans hey, you’ve got to love them.

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