James Maddison in his solitary cap for England back in November, 2019. Credit- (Action Images)
Leicester City's James Maddison stared in their 4-0 victory against East Midlands rivals, Nottingham Forest. The Englishmen scored 2 goals and assisted 1 in what was a player of the match performance as awarded by Sky Sports. Maddison was instrumental in virtually every attacking move and he displayed a real desire and bravery to receive the ball under pressure.
This prompted much of the post-match reaction to be focused on a potential call up to the national team for the Leicester City number 10 with many pointing out that since the start of last season, only Harry Kane has been directly involved in more goals then Maddison of any English player in the Premier league. If the squad was picked on merit then you should expect to see Maddison on the plane to Qatar however despite Gareth Southgate stating this in the past, it doesn't seem like a method of selection that he abides by considering Maddison hasn't been selected in an England squad since November, 2019.
Where does Maddison fit in?
Gareth Southgate seems to be set on a 5-3-2 formation which means Maddison will have to adapt to a new system. The formation however isn't unknown to Maddison, during the 20/21 season Brendan Rodgers often deployed a similar system to Southgate and this experience will certainly help Maddison's tactical understanding of his role should he receive the call up. In recent weeks we have seen Maddison operate off the right flank, so it can be a possibility to use him as an inside forward like a Jack Grealish or a Phil Foden for England.
Naturally, his direct competitor that often resides in his position is Chelsea's, Mason Mount. Mount has been struggling with his form this season after failing to score in 10 appearances for Chelsea. He did however score in the Nations League vs Germany in a 3-3 draw as he came on as a second-half substitute. Ultimately, the competition is rife in the areas Maddison will operate but his undeniable form matched with his unique talent to deliver elite-level set pieces surely makes him a very viable candidate to not only be in the squad but also to start.
Rodgers on Maddison speculation
Brendan Rodgers spoke to Sky Sports post-match :“It’s such a shame, I think for the country and for James himself. You see his talent and his performance level in the last 18 months, there’s only Harry Kane who’s created and scored more goals than him."
“He’s an absolutely brilliant player and I really hope that in the next few months he can continue the form he’s shown for 18 months. Because if you want creativity and you want personality, he’s improved the defensive side of his game, he can play in a couple of positions and for me he’s an absolutely outstanding player."
“I love Phil Foden, Mason Mount, those boys that play there - Jack Grealish is different, he plays from the side - but Madders can play in a number of positions to a high level and he showed that tonight.”
Rodgers praised Maddison for his character development and maturity since arriving from Celtic in 2019: “He’s 25, when I first came into here, you saw his haircuts and his bags and he’s matured.
“He’s a great, great lad. To work with him every day, it’s an absolute joy to watch him. He’s become a father, he’s matured in his game, is very focused and of course he wants to play.
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