MARC GUEHI admits he is suffering from a hangover after a summer of ‘oh so nears’.
The Crystal Palace defender was a mainstay of Gareth Southgate’s England team who were defeated by Spain in the Euros final before a proposed mega-money move to Newcastle failed to materialise.
Now Palace, who finished last season on a massive high with six wins and a draw from their final seven Premier League games, are without a victory in seven matches and stuck in the relegation zone.
And Guehi has struggled through not having had a proper summer break or a pre-season.
Here in the Finnish capital tonight, he will attempt to lift his battered national side after Thursday’s shock home defeat by Greece.
Guehi is set to reprise his central-defensive partnership with John Stones, 30, for the first time since the Euros.
He said: “I’d have to say it’s been quite tough not having a pre-season, not having much of a break and going straight back into it. I’ve handled it as best as I can.
“The Euros was such an amazing experience.
“Since then, I just tried to get my head down and get to work.
“It’s been a tough start for us at Palace but everyone’s pulling in the right direction to try to get ourselves back to where we want to be.
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“And then for myself to be called up again. England’s amazing. It’s always a privilege to play for my country.”
Despite the Wembley debacle, when interim boss Lee Carsley suffered a tactical brain freeze, Guehi, 24, claims England have the talent and winning mentality required to lift a first major trophy since 1966.
Asked about the Three Lions’ wealth of attacking players, Guehi added: “It’s really tough to play against these boys.
“We’re talking about world-class players. For myself and the rest of the defenders I can proudly say that it is a really tough ask to come up against them.
“Their quality shines through, their intelligence of the game.
“Our goal is to win a trophy. So when you do come that close in the summer, it’s important you find ways to improve.
“The manager coming in has definitely seen something and we, as players, want to be as receptive as possible.
“We want to close the gap, to have that final push to get a trophy.”
Like many of England’s emerging players, Guehi has enjoyed international success at age-group level — lifting the Under-17s World Cup seven years ago.
And he said: “I think that sort of experience is massive. It’s a really big thing for so many of the players on the team.
“It’s such a valuable experience to have won something with your country and try to bring that into senior football.
“Even the players here that haven’t done it at international level at the younger ages but have in the Premier League, in the Champions League.
“It’s massive to have a group that have won things before and can continue to win.”
England player ratings vs Greece
By Tom Barclay
LEE CARSLEY’S tactical experiment of playing no strikers backfired as Vangelis Pavlidis’ double secured an emotional shock win for Greece at Wembley.
Interim England boss Carsley played all three of our nation’s gifted No10s – Phil Foden, Jue Bellingham and Cole Palmer – in varying positions.
But it did not work and the Greeks took a deserved lead thanks to Pavlidis’ belting second-half finish.
The visitors then held up a shirt in celebration bearing the name Baldock – in reference to their team-mate George Baldock, whose passing at the age of just 31 on Wednesday rocked the world of football.
Bellingham looked to have ensured the points were shared with a thunderous strike with three minutes to go.
But there was still time for Pavlidis to expose some woeful defending deep into injury time by firing past Jordan Pickford.
Here are SunSport’s player ratings from a dire night for England under the arch.
Jordan Pickford: 4
Wandered into no-man’s-land territory outside his box early on and lost the ball, allowing Greek skipper Tasos Baksetas a free shot at goal – only to be saved by Levi Colwill’s last-gasp clearance. Did not instil confidence, despite his experience.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 6
Some tasty passes – they are his speciality, after all – but not great at the back. He, John Stones and Cole Palmer were weak in their attempt to close down Vangelis Pavlidis before the Benfica man smashed home the opener.
John Stones: 5
Made captain for what was his 82nd cap, surpassing Rio Ferdinand’s haul. But it was a shaky display from his defence and Stones should have done better to stop Pavlidis.
Levi Colwill: 7
Greece would have been ahead far sooner were it not for Colwill’s athletic hack away to deny Bakasetas. Replays showed it would have crossed the line had the Chelsea man been a split second later with his incredible intervention.
Rico Lewis: 6
Tried to bomb up the left flank where he could but, just like Kieran Trippier at the Euros, was hamstrung by constantly having to cut back onto his favoured right foot.
Declan Rice: 6
Played as England’s only holding midfielder, as fans had been imploring Gareth Southgate to use him for years. It was not like he was overrun but his side did look vulnerable on the counter.
Phil Foden: 4
Spent most of the game pressing the Greek backline as a false nine without really getting on the ball and causing any damage. Ineffective.
Cole Palmer: 6
Deployed in a deeper, central-midfield role which at least meant he saw plenty of the ball, though he blazed England’s best chance of the first half over the bar. Remarkably, his first competitive England start, despite being named on Tuesday as Three Lions player of the 2023-24 season.
Bukayo Saka: 5
Struggled to get into the game and then was forced out of it, worryingly limping off early in the second half. The last thing Arsenal fans wanted to see.
Jude Bellingham: 7 STAR MAN
Played in a false nine position and had a belting early shot well saved. The system did not work but Bellingham still so nearly emerged as the saviour by banging in his first goal of the season for club and country.
Anthony Gordon: 5
Caused Greece few problems and his touch looked off it. Had a decent chance from Alexander-Arnold’s peach of a delivery but headed over.
SUBS:
Noni Madueke (for Saka 52): Played out on the left, rather than his natural right, when coming on. Went down in the box deep into injury time but no penalty was given. 6
Ollie Watkins (for Gordon 60): Almost scored with his first touch when played through by Palmer, but smashed just over. 7
Dominic Solanke (for Foden 72): Grabbed an assist when laying the ball back to Bellingham who thumped in the leveller. 7
Manager Lee Carsley: 4
Seemed to gamble unnecessarily with this experimental system instead of playing it safe to add another win to boost his case to earn the job full-time. Carsley played without a natural centre-forward when winning the Under-21 Euros because he had to after Flo Balogun switched the USA and Rhian Brewster got injured, but here he did it by choice and it did not work. Bellingham looked to have saved his bacon – but then Pavlidis struck again.
