DO YOU AGREE WITH ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP SQUAD?

Gareth Southgate has just named his World Cup squad and as usual, there are a few shocks and surprises. By the looks of it to me, it seems as though Southgate will be looking to play three at the back with wing backs. Obviously, with scope to be versatile and move to a back four. 

I must say I am a little concerned with the lack of real creativity in midfield, as it seems Southgate will be looking for width to cause most of the problems. I do feel there are some very questionable decisions, as always, it seems in a England squad…..

GOALKEEPERS

Jake Butland (Stoke) Jordan Pickford (Everton) Nick Pope (Burnley) 

To be honest, I don’t think you can much argue with these keepers. Obviously some may make a case for Joe Hart to be on stand by instead of Burnley’s Heaton, especially with his experience. And when it comes to keepers we all know they mature much later in their careers so, although these keepers are very young in goalkeeper terms.

Butland (25) Pickford (24) Pope (26). Even Heaton They are all around the same age and will develop alongside each other, as well as give each other very healthy completion. I still think there is scope for Hart to challenge but in this instance, can’t really argue with Southgate’s choices here. 

DEFENDERS

Kyle Walker (Man City) Kieran Trippier (Tottenham) Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) John Stones (Man City) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Phil Jones (Man Utd) Harry Maguire (Leicester) Ashley Young (Man Utd) Danny Rose (Tottenham)

Firstly, let me just say I am happy for TAA getting in the squad and he deserves recognition as a young 19-year-old. However, England already have two full or wing backs. Also, Young to cover, even though Young operates on the left these days. Maybe Walker will cover as one of the back three, but I am not really convinced with him there. 

It looks as though Rose and Young will be the left wing backs with Delph to cover. However, Rose has not exactly been fully fit and for me Delph or Young are not really convincing. So Southampton’s Bertrand is really unlucky not to get into this squad and I feel that left side could be a problem for England. 

On top of that. Although the four centre backs are all decent. I don’t feel any one of them are really dominant, and all have some sort of vulnerabilities that can be exposed. Weather it’s Maguire’s inexperience. Stones’s youth. Jones’s lack of real pace and Cahill’s form. Also, if they are looking to play three at the back, even with Dier covering, they look thin. However, with only Burnley’s Tarkowski on stand by. There was not many other options. 

MIDFIELDERS

Eric Dier (Tottenham) Fabian Delph (Man City) Jordon Henderson (Liverpool) Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace) Jessie Lingard (Man Utd) Dele Alli (Tottenham) Raheem Sterling (Man City)

I have huge issues with these selections. I feel the only reason Delph is in the squad is as cover, in case Rose breaks down. I don’t feel he will offer much in midfield and that space could have been used more wisely. Dier is also needed as defensive cover.

I am happy for Loftus-Cheek, as he is a very good footballer but his lack of experience could be a problem. Henderson, Lingard, Alli and Sterling pick themselves. However, Henderson is the only one that will sit deep and pick a pass. The other three will be arriving late to try score. 

That’s fair enough. But even with Liverpool’s Lallana on stand by, I have issues with. He has not played most of the season. Although we know what he is capable of and you could make an argument to say he will be fresh for the tournament. The World Cup will be intense, with close games back to back. How much involvement and impact will he, can he really have? Even Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook and WBA’s Livermore is on stand by is very weird to me. 

I thought with TAA, Loftus-Cheek and the goalkeepers, Southgate was picking the squad on form? Is he really saying Lallana, Cook or Livermore made more of an impact that Arsenal’s Wilshere and especially Newcastle’s Jonjo Shelvey, who was bang in form over the past few months? This is extremely important in such tournaments. Unless England will look to utilise a 433 formation. I feel lack of creativity in midfield could hurt them. 

FORWARDS

Harry Kane (Tottenham) Jamie Vardy (Leicester) Marcus Rashford (Man Utd) Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) 

Fair enough. The likes of Kane and Vardy pick themselves. I have not been overly impressed with Rashford this season but you can easily make a case for him to be in the squad. Welbeck on the other hand. I am scratching my head. I would love him to surprise me and shut me up but I just cant see what he offers. 

I have always thought there should always be one real experienced or totally different striker in you squad, to play a bit part when needed. Kane has goals, Vardy, energy and desire. Rashford, youth and exuberance. Welbeck…..Not sure! I remember times where England made similar decisions and missed out on some real know how upfront, when the likes of Ian Wright, Andy Cole or even Fowler, later on in their careers wasn’t selected. 

For me. In such one off tournaments. I would have liked to see a little surprise. In the last few tournaments, England have struggled for goals. So I don’t see how much of a gamble, or how wrong will it be just to take a Jermaine Defoe. For me, she could have went Euro16.

Fair enough he won’t play much minutes, but you always know there will be a time or times, where England will be in a position when they desperately need a goal. And in English football, is there a better impact player, who knows where the goal is, than him? 

If not. And I said this in the squad for Euro16. Why not go for the unexpected and the option of Andy Carroll. I can guarantee, not many nations would have come up against the likes of Carroll in their careers and he could be a very useful or valuable weapon for that one moment, when England are struggling. Which we all know will be inevitable.