Gareth Southgate named an unchanged team in England's first two group games but is it time to make some changes?
It’s time for Gareth Southgate to unleash Phil Foden on this World Cup.
England were crying out for the Manchester City star as they struggled to an uninspiring stalemate against the United States on Friday night.
But Gareth Southgate decided to keep him on the bench, much to the frustration of the Three Lions supporters in the stands, and those watching back home.
Southgate has since insisted that he "loves" Foden as a player and has given assurances that he will be handed opportunities to make his mark in Qatar.
Well, he needs to be given that opportunity against Wales on Tuesday night.
Barring a horror result, England have already secured passage through the knockout stages, so Southgate can try a few new things against Robert Page’s side.
And Foden’s quality and creativity could make a major difference in the central areas and revitalise an attack which looked worryingly toothless against the US.
Southgate doesn’t need to make wholesale changes to his team just because of one poor result and he certainly doesn’t need to move away from the 4-3-3 system he has been using.
But a few new faces could certainly be beneficial and Foden has to be one of those.
Jordan Pickford
This remains a no-brainer. Pickford has not had much to do so far during the early stages of the tournament, but when he has been called into action, he has performed well. He commanded his area impressively against the USA and made some important saves when he needed to.
AdvertisementKyle Walker
This would be one of the changes I would make from the team that started against the USA. It’s not that Kieran Trippier was any worse than anyone else, but more a case of giving Walker some proper game time ahead of the knockout stages. I think we all expect Southgate to move to a back three at some point, especially when England come up against a top team, and when he does, Walker will be used on the right of that back three. So, he needs to get some minutes under his belt having been out for so long and this represents a good opportunity to give him game time.
GettyJohn Stones
I don’t think the centre-backs need to change. We know that Southgate trusts them and both have started the tournament well. Stones plays a key role in getting England on the front foot with his ability to bring the ball out from the back and he will be important during a game when England are expected to have a lot of possession.
(C)Getty ImagesHarry Maguire
There is a slight injury concern over Maguire, who seemed to clutch his hamstring during the final minutes of Friday night’s game. But if he is fit, then he has to start against Wales. For all his issues this season, Maguire has started the tournament well and was England’s best player against the United States. And with Kieffer Moore expected to start for Wales, it’s clear that Robert Page’s side will look to get the ball forward quickly and utilise Moore’s excellent aerial ability. Maguire was dominant in the air against the US on Friday night and England will need him to be again to counter the threat of the giant Wales striker.