A 2-0 win against Andorra will not make many too confident of England's chances in the next World Cup, but a win is a win. With that said, more will be hoped for from the game against Serbia on Tuesday.
Thomas Tuchel's England are still coming together, and there is certainly a need for a bit of inspiration soon. Since taking over, there have not really been any 'WOW' results, and there needs to be a bit of a change there.
Serbia will not roll over for the Three Lions. However, a dominant performance with three points is a must.
Below, you can find Ben's bets for Serbia vs. England in the World Cup Qualifiers. The odds were correct at the time of writing.
💻 Operator | ⚽️ Selection | 📊 Odds | 👉 Back Selection |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Under 2.5 Goals | 8/11 | Place Bet |
![]() | England -1 Corner Handicap | 11/10 | Place Bet |
![]() | Serbia Goalkeeper to Make 4+ Saves | 1/1 | Place Bet |
![]() | England to Win Both Halves | 9/2 | Place Bet |
![]() | Myles Lewis-Skelly to have 0.5+ Shot on Target Outside the Box | 25/1 | Place Bet |
At the time of writing this, the lineups were not available to us, so I have tried to make some assumptions about the lineup, whilst only tipping players I think will start. It is worth stating here that I would not advise placing any bets until the lineups are out for both teams.
I'd also like to add that I've played three different levels of bets here, a quite easy pair, a medium pair and then a long-shot, to cater to every type of punter here. Of course, you can combine them, or you can just stick to singles; the choice is yours.
Now, without further ado, let's dive into my reasoning.
As I've already alluded to, England are yet to really put on a dominant display, and I don't think that'll change against Serbia, who are very good defensively. So good, in fact, that they are yet to concede during the World Cup Qualifiers so far.
For this reason, I think getting this bet near Evens provides us with a bit of safety. I can't see the Three Lions blowing the hosts away, so this feels like some decent value for us here.
Whilst it may be a bit of a quiet game in terms of goals, I think both sides will go for it massively, and can provide some real attacking intrigue, especially from an England perspective.
Since arriving, Tuchel's side have been quite hit and miss with corners, hitting 12 in one game against Andorra, but only seeing five against Albania. Though there is a common theme, his side are 'winning' when it comes to getting corners.
So, I have chosen to look at the handicap market here, and for England to have two (or more) corners more than Serbia is priced at 11/10, which I really like. More so with Serbia more likely to be on the back foot.
Sticking with the heavy Three Lions theme, I think that the past two bets could come into play here. Which is why I am tipping Serbia's goalkeeper to make four or more saves in this game.
In their first four World Cup Qualifiers, England have had an average of 7.8 shots on target per game, though only scored an average of two. Of course, against Serbia, this number could well drop.
With that said, I think that there will still be opportunities to shoot taken, and this could be partnered with some other nice prices.
Now this is a bit of a rogue bet, and it's effectively betting on a 2-0 England win if partnered with my other bet. Nevertheless, we're covering some bases here; if either comes in, we have some nice prices.
In Tuchel's last five games, his side have won four games, only losing to Senegal. From those wins, only one game had one goal in it, and the rest saw two or more, and this tip would have landed in each.
Again, I think this is maybe priced a little too highly, but I will not complain at all.
When I said I was taking a long shot, I meant it literally and metaphorically, which is why I'm backing Myles Lewis-Skelly to have one shot on target from outside the area, which is priced at a staggering 25/1.
Now, I'll preface this by saying that he is 9/1 for a shot on target, which is still a nice price. However, for those who want a bit of an out-there bet, this is for you.
In Serbia's World Cup Qualifiers, the shot conceded-to-area ratio is really interesting: 5/7 from the left vs. Latvia, 4/5 from the left vs. Andorra and then 8/10 from the left vs. Albania. They're a little vulnerable here, it seems.
Away from home, 40% of England's shots come from outside of the box, whilst the shot percentage from the left-hand side jumps from 15% to 25%, though there is still a heavy focus on the middle of the pitch.
If the space is not there to go through Serbia, I would not be surprised if there was to be a pot shot from someone, and Lewis-Skelly could be the man to take it on. A big risk bet, but an interesting one in my eyes.
Picking faults with England now is difficult; at the end of the day, they are getting results effectively. However, there is a lack of fun, frankly speaking. Thomas Tuchel is a great manager, but there is a German efficiency to things that may frustrate the England faithful.
Of course, in less than a year, that may not be an issue at all. Against, with respect, Andorra and Latvia, though, better performances and just generally more is expected.
So, the Serbia game needs to be the right balance of efficiency and excitement.
To do that, it seems Tuchel will look to a more attacking-minded team again, with at least five or six players being 'more attacking' options than others within the squad.
At the back, there will only be one change for the Three Lions: Jordan Pickford, Reece James, Marc Guehi and Myles Lewis-Skelly are all expected to start once again. However, Dan Burn looks like he will be benched for Ezri Konsa.
In front of them, the midfield pivot stays the same, and both have an attacking mind, which could unpick the Serbian defence, which will be needed; Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson are expected again.
Ahead of them, things are slightly more changed. Marcus Rashford and Eberechi Eze did not do much as starters, so it seems that Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers will come into the attacking trio, whilst Noni Madueke will remain on the right.
There is no shifting Harry Kane, though, who will hope for his first international goal since June.
Predicted England XI to face Serbia (4-2-3-1): Pickford; James, Guehi, Konsa, Lewis-Skelly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Rogers, Gordon; Kane
Ben is an accredited football journalist who follows anything from League One to Serie A, also working for the likes of SempreMilan and Total Italian Football. As an avid punter, he has become the master tester at BettingLounge, refusing to take bookies by their words when it comes to withdrawal times and much more.