ENGLAND’S start to EURO 2024 has certainly been disappointing.

The manager and the squad have come in for a bit of criticism, and rightly so, after their opening game win over Serbia and Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Denmark.

With the array of talent at Gareth Southgate’s disposal, I think many would have expected us to kickstart the tournament much better than we have.

On Thursday we saw a level of performance which fell below what we all know a squad with that talent is capable of producing.

It’s often the manager who bares the brunt of the backlash when we see the more defensive side of England’s game rear its head after we have taken the lead.

Another thing that Southgate has drawn criticism for is not selecting a fit left-back.

Kieran Trippier is being played out of position at EURO 2024Kieran Trippier is being played out of position at EURO 2024 (Image: PA)

Luke Shaw is the only out-and-out left-back in the squad, but he has not played a minute since February and is currently training away from the rest of the squad.

Kieran Trippier, a right-back, has been tasked with playing on the left. As a right-footed player, that is tough.

I am a firm believer that you need left-footed players on the left of defence and right-footed players on the right.

Kyle Walker-Peters is a rare example of a player who seems to be able to deliver the same high standard of performance no matter which side of the pitch he plays on.

Southampton's Kyle Walker-Peters is a two-time England internationalSouthampton's Kyle Walker-Peters is a two-time England international (Image: PA)

I haven’t lost faith yet. We are currently top of the group and things can only get better from here.

Yes, I would like to see us blow teams away like Germany and Spain have done, but I’d much prefer those performances come in the knockout rounds.

For all of the disappointments at our performance, I thought Denmark were excellent. In some ways, the quality of Morten Hjulmand’s equaliser has overshadowed their overall performance.

We have been treated to a number of fantastic goals so far at this summer’s tournament. We are seeing at least one screamer a day, which is brilliant because tournaments are always remembered fondly when great goals are scored.

The player who stood out the most for me on Thursday was former Saints captain Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who was a real colossus in the midfield.

Not only did he complete the most passes of any player on the pitch (74) he also made the most tackles (five), not giving England’s midfielders the room to flex their creativity.

I thought he was very deservedly named man of the match on the night in Frankfurt - his performance not hindered by the terrible playing surface, which seemed to cut up with every tackle or slip.

Højbjerg’s performance was a stark reminder of how important it is that Saints manage to keep hold of Flynn Downes this summer, and if they fail to do that, they need to sign a player similar to him.

Having a reliable midfielder who will win the ball back and help you play out of dangerous situations is crucial, especially in the Premier League, where your time on the ball is often limited to just a few touches.

We’ve seen the likes of Højbjerg and Oriol Romeu become key men in the middle of the park over the years and Downes joined them with his level of output as we got promoted last season.

That role has always been important - I can still remember people heaping praise on Claude Makelele back in the day.

Recently there has been a change and the players who do the tireless defensive work are now getting their flowers.

This week also saw Ryan Bertrand formally announce his retirement from professional football.

Ryan Bertrand has retired from professional footballRyan Bertrand has retired from professional football

At 34, and with 496 appearances under his belt, 240 of those in the red and white of Saints, he has certainly had a long and successful career.

Not many players get to play for their country and win the Champions League. Any time I see someone younger than myself retire, it makes me feel old.

I always used to feel it when youngsters that I played alongside retired, but now there is an entirely new generation of players who came after me and are now hanging up their boots.

I would like to wish Ryan all the best in his retirement. Stepping away from football is not easy. It comes with a lot of uncertainty.

You have to discover new ways to fill your time and keep your mind occupied. There is a life after football.

It’s down to each person who goes through that transition to discover what it is that they want to do with their lives moving forward.