Greece can condemn England to another campaign in the UEFA Nations League B when the two teams meet at the Olympic Stadium on Thursday.
The UEFA Nations League resumes this week for the penultimate round of games, and one of the most eye-catching matches will come from League B. Greece vs England can create another shock result after the home side beat the Three Lions in the reverse fixture at Wembley.
Greece might not have been confident about securing promotion to UEFA Nations League A after drawing England and the Republic of Ireland in the same group. However, the Sky blue-whites have enjoyed a perfect campaign thus far, winning all four games, including beating the Three Lions at Wembley. So, Ivan Jovanovic’s men have their fate in their hands ahead of the final two matches.
As for England, Lee Carsley would have hoped to make short work of Greece, Finland, and the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League B Group 2. However, the shock defeat to Greece has left the Three Lions in a precarious position, as they run the risk of spending another edition in the second division.
The reverse fixture ended in a shock 2-1 win for Greece, with Vangelis Pavlidis scoring an injury-time winner. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Greece
Ivan Jovanovic has not made many changes to the squad he picked in the October international break, with only two players missing out this month. Andreas Bouchalakis and Anastasios Chatzigiovanis are not a part of the group.
Odysseas Vlachodimos is an automatic pick between the stick, with Greece lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs England on Thursday. The backline should feature Lazaros Rota, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Konstantinos Koulierakis, and Kostas Tsimikas.
As for the midfield unit, Manolis Siopis and Petros Mantalos should pair up in the double pivot, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park. The productive Anastasios Bakasetas will reprise the no. 10 role, with Georgios Masouras and Christos Tzolis being the two wide attackers. Finally, there is no looking past Vangelis Pavlidis as the central striker.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos; Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas; Siopis, Mantalos; Masouras, Bakasetas, Tzolis; Pavlidis
England
Unlike his counterpart in the Greek dugout, Lee Carsley has made several alterations to the squad he picked in the October international break. In addition, many players have withdrawn from the group due to fitness issues.
Carsley did not call up Nick Pope, John Stones, and Eberechi Eze before Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish, and Bukayo Saka pulled out from the squad due to their fitness issues.
Jordan Pickford will take his spot between the sticks, with England lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Greece on Thursday. The backline should feature Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, and Rico Lewis, with Kyle Walker the preferred choice for the right-back berth and Valentino Livramento his deputy if the veteran full-back is not fit enough to start.
As for the midfield unit, Rice’s absence means Angel Gomes and Conor Gallagher should pair up in the double pivot. Jude Bellingham will reprise the no. 10 role, with Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke being the two wide attackers. Finally, captain Harry Kane will lead the line for England against Greece this week.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Livramento, Konsa, Guehi, Lewis; Gomes, Gallagher; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
Key Stats
- Greece went winless across their first nine games vs England in all competitions (D2 L7) before winning 2-1 at Wembley last month. Wales (1936), Italy (1973), Belgium (2018), and Hungary (2022) are the only teams to beat the Three Lions twice in the same calendar year.
- England have won on all four of their previous trips to face Greece by an aggregate score of 9-1, only holding a better 100% win rate away from home against Luxembourg (5/5).
- Greece are on the longest active winning run of any European nation in all competitions (5 games). They could win six consecutive matches for the first time since November 2013.
- England are unbeaten in their last seven away games (W5 D2), their longest run on the road since 12 games in a row between March 2013 and October 2015 under Roy Hodgson.
- Anastasios Bakasetas has had a hand in 13 goals across his last 14 appearances in the UEFA Nations League (six goals, seven assists). Since the inaugural edition of the competition in 2018/19, he is the only player to score (6) and assist (7) more than five times.
Player to Watch
Anthony Gordon
With Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer unavailable, England will not have many players who can provide the x-factor in the final third. That brings Anthony Gordon into the picture, with the 23-year-old having the directness to trouble the Greek defence this week.
The Newcastle United attacker has not had many opportunities to make his mark for England. However, with Saka and Palmer missing, Gordon will get his chance in the latest international break, and the onus will be on him to make it count and get England the much-needed win against Greece.
Prediction
Greece 1-2 England
Greece will be confident of getting a result critical to securing promotion to the UEFA Nations League A, and a draw might be enough to ensure that. Ivan Jovanovic’s men have gone 286 minutes without conceding at home since Youssouf Fofana netted for France in November last year.
That is their longest run on home turf without their opponents finding the back of the net since going 617 minutes between February 2012 and October 2013. However, a much-changed England side might deliver the goods, with Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke rising to the occasion. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Lee Carsley and his charges.