Cologne / 25 June / 20:00 BST
I do think there has been a over-reaction to England’s start to this tournament. You would think from the response to the draw with Denmark that they have lost both games.
I understand there is a disappointment in regard to performance levels, but not to this extent.
Four points from two games is good but we are getting the big stick out to hit the team with.
Clearly the Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment in midfield has not worked. Gareth Southgate has hooked him off in two games, which tells its own story.
I am expecting him to make a change there, the interesting thing will be to see if anyone else comes in.
I do not understand how Cole Palmer, with 43 goal involvements last season, cannot even get on the pitch. Some of the criticism of Harry Kane is unjustified too. He does not quite look the same but how about giving him some service? He still scored against Denmark.
The biggest issue for Gareth is how to get control of the game and give some service to Kane, but something is not right in the middle of the park either.
Slovenia will be awkward and are unbeaten so far, against the same teams England have struggled to beat so far.
Losing to them is not an impossibility but once again we are facing an old triumph or disaster scenario we have seen before, where England are full of confidence coming into the tournament but now they are being told they have no chance of winning it.
Clearly there is room for improvement, and I want to see England impose themselves on this game, and running in behind the Slovenia defence. Look at Spain or Germany and they always have the option of doing that. That’s not Kane’s game, so it has to come from other areas.
Still, Gareth has time to solve it. This hasn’t been the worst start by any stretch of the imagination.
I am backing Kane to score two as a response to everyone who has doubted him, and England to win – and to be back on to win the Euros!
Sutton’s prediction: 2-0
