UEFA Nations League: Three Lions Head to Greece in Search of Revenge

Greece vs England

England continue life in the second tier of UEFA Nations League football on Thursday, looking to right a recent wrong when they visit Group B2 leaders Greece. 

The fans in the Athens Olympic Stadium will give the Three Lions a white hot welcome and interim manager Lee Carsley needs some cool heads on the pitch. The Greeks inflicted a shock 2-1 defeat on England last month and, with five wins on the bounce, they are a football nation on cloud nine right now, leading Group B2 on a maximum 12 points. 

Ivan Jovanovic took over as Greece’s boss in June and he has made a huge impact already, the win at Wembley giving him national hero status, and if the 62 year old Serb can beat England again they might even build him a statue!     

 

Talking Points

England in limbo

So England have appointed Thomas Tuchel as their new manager amidst quite a fanfare and Three Lions supporters will be hoping he will be the man to finally end the 58 years (and counting) of hurt. But the former Chelsea boss doesn’t start his new job until January and, in the meantime, Carsley is carrying on as interim boss in a rather strange environment.

To look at the UEFA Nations League 2024 betting odds in search of a tournament winner it seems odd that England are not there among the usual suspects from Spain, France, Germany and Portugal; but that’s where we are after the Three Lions bombed out with a disastrous campaign under Gareth Southgate. Carsley made a good start as interim coach, winning his first three games in charge and in a rather refreshing style, but things came unstuck against Greece and the authorities moved quickly to appoint Tuchel, who is apparently yet to speak to the man currently keeping his seat warm.

Carsley has given some new names a call-up for the match in Athens but he has also been faced with a number of withdrawals from his squad. Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka, after meeting in the London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal on Sunday have both pulled out, alongside the Manchester City pair of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish and Trent Alexander Arnold. Defenders Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Lewis Hall have been given their first senior call-ups, while Burnley keeper James Trafford has been drafted in to replace Aaron Ramsdale, as Carsley continues to blood players he worked with as U21 coach.    

 

Pavlidis looking forward to Round Two  

With a perfect set of UEFA Nations League 2024 results the Greeks are in pole position to top Group B2, having followed up their win over England with a 2-0 victory against the Republic of Ireland. The man-of-the moment at Wembley was Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis, who scored a brace to send the visiting fans into raptures. England, without the injured Harry Kane, played an attacking formation but with no real focal point. Meanwhile, Pavlidis led the Greece line with authority, coolly slotting home early in the second half. Jude Bellingham gave England a late leveller but Pavlidis popped up again deep into stoppage time to effectively end Carsley’s hopes of getting the England job full time.

He has previously been monitored by Arsenal and now premier League side West Ham United have been linked with a move for Pavlidis in January, as speculation rises of a potential move for Mohammed Kudus away from the London Stadium. The England defence knows all about the Benfica man while, at the other end of the pitch, the return of Kane to lead the Three Lions attack will give the hosts’ rearguard a different challenge.         

 

History

While England are widely seen as part of the international football elite (well in England anyway) they have just a 1966 World Cup triumph to show for their efforts, while Greece have had much more recent success as champions of Euro 2004.   

In terms of head to head encounters England have won four of their six meetings with Greece, drawing one and losing their last clash, and with five wins on the bounce the hosts have a better record than England, who have won three and lost two of their last five.

 

Betting Tips

At a SBOTOP price of 1.88 the Three Lions are odds on favourites to win this clash; but it is by no means a foregone conclusion, with Greece priced at 3.67 and the draw at 3.08.

Home advantage could give level things up for the Greeks while a thirst for revenge will drive the visitors on; and I think that means we’ll see goals.    

   

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