With the World cup less than a month away, I thought I'd give my thoughts on what I believe should be the starting 11 in Qatar vs Iran. Unfortunately, there has been some injuries sustained to crucial players such as Reece James and Kyle Walker so at this stage, I will not be including these players in my selection.
Goalkeeper- Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford for me is one of the first names on the team sheet. He has always performed to a very high degree for England and his distribution ability aligns well with the style of football we aim to play. His heroics in penalty shootouts gone by have also made his stock rise with the fans and his performances with Everton over the last year have significantly improved. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and despite competition from Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope, his profile and attributes best compliment the style of play Gareth Southgate has implemented over these last 6 years.
Right back- Kieran Trippier
If I was writing this a couple of weeks ago, Reece James would have been my selection but after suffering an injury away at AC Milan, he looks set to miss the opening game of the World Cup for England. However, Kieran Trippier is certainly not a bad replacement by any means and his form with Newcastle has put him ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold for me. The brilliant spell away he had with Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid no doubt helped his tactical understanding of the game and as a result he has come back to the Premier League and become our best right back defensively. His experience at major tournaments has also been a deciding factor in my selection.
Centre back- John Stones
John Stones has been a regular for Manchester City and England for some time now, he missed just 11 minutes of the EURO2020 campaign which saw England lose on penalties to Italy in the final. His ability on the ball makes him a perfect partner to a more dominant centre half and his experiences in previous major tournaments with England will undoubtedly help the confidence and maturity of the back line.
Centre back- Eric Dier
Erik Dier has had a resurgence in form under his club manager, Antonio Conte at Spurs. With Harry Maguire currently out of the starting 11 with Manchester United, the lack of a dominant centre back is worrying for England. But, I do believe Dier has improved greatly over the last 12 months and his performances with spurs certainly do warrant that other position in the backline over Maguire. As I eluded to earlier, experience will be vitally important at international tournaments and he is someone who like Pickford, Trippier and Stones, has an abundance of that with England at major tournaments.
Left back- Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw was instrumental during England's Euro2020 campaign. The Manchester United fullback scored in the final against eventual winners Italy. He was initially forced out of the United 11 with the summer signing Tyrell Malacia preferred, however Shaw has played 5 consecutive 90 minutes in the Premier League now as he looks to have regained his place under Erik Ten Haag. There is little competition at left back within the England set up considering Ben Chilwell picked up what appeared to be a hamstring injury during Chelsea's match vs Dinamo Zagreb.
Midfielder- Declan Rice
Declan Rice has been one of the first names on the team sheet for a while now. His ability to progress the ball and drive through midfield combined with his passing range and defensive capabilities make him a truly unique player for England. There is nobody who plays the number 6 role quite like him. Kalvin Phillips was Englands player of the year for 2020/21 and his performances next to Rice at the euros were impressive, however his game time since switching to Manchester City has been limited and he has also struggled with injuries.
Midfielder- Jude Bellingham
Probably the golden boy of England, Jude Bellingham has been tipped to become one of Englands greatest ever players. He has had strong comparisons to Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard and is currently linked with a £150M move to the Merseyside giants. He, like Rice, is surely a guaranteed starter for England and his performances for Borussia Dortmund this season have likely set that in stone given he has started to add goals to his game. Bellingham has scored 9 goals this season including 4 consecutive goals in the Champions League. A fabulous talent and one you'd expect to become a mainstay for England in major tournaments.
Midfielder- James Maddison
James Maddison has been one of the standout players this season in the Premier League scoring 6 goals and assisting twice in 11 appearances. His uniqueness among the rest of the England squad lies within his ability to spin on the half turn and thread through a progressive pass or cross. His chance creation this season is among the best in the league and when you pair that with his specialist set-piece trait, it makes him a very viable option for England in tight cagey games. His off the ball work has massively improved and his manager, Brendan Rodgers, spoke about his maturity over the last 18 months in that regard. I can envisage a very good relationship on the pitch with Maddison and Kane which for me makes him a starter this campaign. Much like Jack Grealish before Euro2020, he is going into the tournament with masses of support from England fans calling for his inclusion in the squad and starting 11.
Right Winger- Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka could create his own redemption story this World Cup. After missing the penalty that crowned Italy as European champions last year, he had to deal with an immense amount of criticism and racism on social media. His resilience and resolve proved to show after his wonderful following campaign with Arsenal last season. He scored 11 times in the Premier League (a career best) and provided 7 assists but he most notably won the England player of the year for 2021/22. He has been a major cog in the Arsenal team this season that currently sit top of the table and after providing 9 goal contributions in 12 games it would surely make him a favourite for that right wing spot at the World cup.
Striker- Harry Kane
Probably THE first name on the team sheet, Harry Kane. The 2018 World Cup golden boot winner and the 3 time Premier League golden boot winner is currently one of the best players in world football. His brilliance as a striker far outweighs the traditional number 9 as he often creates just as many chances as he scores. He as rapidly approaching Wayne Rooney to become the all-time England top goalscorer and he could well achieve that feat at the World Cup this year. He will need 3 goals to beat Rooney's record of 53. Do I need to justify his inclusion anymore?
Left Winger- Phil Foden
Phil Foden is without doubt the most elegant, graceful footballer England have. His balance and agility on the ball almost draws similarities towards a certain Argentinian, Lionel Messi. High praise admittedly but I genuinely believe Foden can compete for the Ballon d'Or later in his career. Under Pep Guardiola's stewardship at Manchester City he has improved immensely tactically and can be deployed in a multitude of positions but I see his best work coming off the wings. He didn't have the best Euro2020 but now having had his first taste of a major tournament, he will hopefully take that experience into the World Cup.
The final team: Pickford, Trippier, Stones, Dier, Shaw, Rice, Bellingham, Maddison, Saka, Kane, Foden.
Comments