'England defence not as big an issue as you might think'

England's defence is 1 of nan main talking points earlier we look Serbia, but I don't spot it being arsenic large an rumor astatine Euro 2024 arsenic it mightiness appear.

I cognize location are doubts astir our spot astatine nan back, pinch Harry Maguire’s absence from nan tourney meaning Marc Guehi is group to partner John Stones successful our first crippled successful Group C connected Sunday.

People will opportunity it is simply a caller centre-half pairing because they person only played together doubly earlier - for a full of 128 minutes - successful a 4-0 conclusion by Hungary successful 2022, past for nan first half of past week’s friendly nonaccomplishment to Iceland.

But wrong nan England campy location will beryllium nary concerns - I was successful capable squads successful my profession to cognize that they will beryllium ready.

The measurement teams are selected astatine nine level these days, modern centre-halves are utilized to having different protect partners. Last play astatine Celtic, for example, we changed our unit each nan clip without altering our strategy aliases affecting our results, and nan aforesaid applies crossed nan backmost four.

I would ideate Gareth Southgate will group things up truthful whoever plays it won't matter. That measurement each subordinate tin bring their ain individual qualities to their position, but nan squad will ever beryllium good organised.

Guehi and Stones will cognize each different good from nan clip they person spent together successful England squads successful nan past mates of years, and they person besides been training together each time successful nan run-up to this tournament.

I americium judge they will consciousness very comfortable pinch each other, and they will understand precisely what their roles are.

Unless England do not concede immoderate goals astatine all, their defence is ever going to beryllium criticised because of really overmuch value we person successful midfield and attack.

It's seen arsenic a weakness, contempt nan truth we person successful our backmost 4 Stones and Kyle Walker, who person some played a cardinal domiciled successful helping City triumph each trophy going successful caller seasons.

Alongside them is Kieran Trippier and down them is goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. They some helped america scope nan semi-final of nan 2018 World Cup and nan last of nan past Euros, truthful we are not precisely short of acquisition aliases quality.

Of course, Maguire is not disposable - but my position is rather acold erstwhile it comes to that. At past tournaments he has knitted everything together astatine nan backmost for England, and he astir apt would person done nan aforesaid this clip excessively - but he is not here, truthful he is not moreover a talking point. It's conscionable astir nan players who are successful nan squad now.

Over nan past fewer months, Southgate has had plentifulness of clip to activity retired who fits champion into his squad if either Stones aliases Maguire are out, and he besides knows who is successful shape astatine nan moment.

Of each nan centre-halves successful nan country, it looks for illustration he has chosen Guehi and, from my constituent of view, I don't deliberation it matters that he is not a family name. If I was playing down him, past it would not fuss me.

The attraction is connected nan Crystal Palace defender correct now because, aged 23 and pinch 11 caps, he is comparatively young and inexperienced, but he has been trusted earlier erstwhile Maguire has been injured.

There is simply a logic he has been chosen to play again astatine specified an important time. Let's get down him and look guardant to him blossoming connected nan biggest stage, going into a tourney we are trying to win.

Serbia's large threat will beryllium erstwhile Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. If you want to support him quiet past you person to woody pinch crosses into nan box, aliases preferably trim retired nan work to him completely.

That will beryllium England's scheme but, realistically, unless you are playing a squad that is 7 leagues beneath you past it is almost intolerable to execute.

The boys will person done their homework, but if nan cleanable shot comes in, location is simply a bully chance Mitrovic will score.

You cannot spell into a crippled being excessively worried astir that happening, though. I person said this before, and immoderate group perceived it arsenic being a unusual outlook, but England request to beryllium OK pinch conceding goals.

By that, I mean England person sewage acold much firepower than Serbia, but they will still transportation a threat against us.

If we concede connected Sunday, whether it intends we spell 1-0 down aliases person a lead taken distant from us, nan astir important point is that we still person a scheme and besides nan assurance to instrumentality to it.

Opening games are seldom straightforward astatine immoderate tournament, arsenic England person recovered retired plentifulness of times before. I expect america to triumph connected Sunday but, arsenic I said, thing tin happen.

We coasted past Iran astatine nan 2022 World Cup, but that is nan only clip astatine 7 awesome finals since 2006 wherever we've been up astatine half-time of our first match.

Of people we want to people early connected Sunday and spell connected triumph 3-0 but, moreover if we person a setback against Serbia, location is nary logic to panic.

Instead, we person to judge successful nan attraction that Southgate and his squad person had complete nan past 18 months, getting fresh for nan adjacent 4 weeks.

As personification who has been successful these squads before, I americium telling you that is really agelong we person prepared for these Euros. It is not conscionable astir nan past mates of weeks and nan Iceland friendly, location is measurement much to it than that.

Even if we spell connected to triumph this tourney - and I deliberation we tin - things astir apt won't beryllium cleanable from commencement to finish.

Joe Hart was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.