When people occasionally talk about this being the deepest talent pool of English players in a generation or more, they are often talking about the attack. Other areas of Gareth Southgate’s squad are a little light on established and trusted quality behind the regular starters. There are players who cannot easily be replaced at left-back, in the centre of defence, in midfield and at centre-forward.
That is not the case in the wide attacking positions. Southgate has a number of options to choose from in the roles either side of Harry Kane, ranging from the experienced to the inexperienced, from the explosive goalscorers to the intricate playmakers, from those in their prime to those with untapped potential.
It is no coincidence that whenever there is a clamour for a certain player to start, they usually play in these positions. It happened with Jack Grealish at last year’s European Championship, then with Phil Foden during the group stages of this World Cup, and eyebrows will now be raised if Marcus Rashford loses his place after his excellent start in Qatar.
When selecting who plays wide in the attack, whatever the system, Southgate has tended to follow a simple rule of having a left-footed player on the right and a right-footed player on the left. Yet even that changed at the start of the second half against Wales though, with Foden and Rashford reverting to their natural sides, and this arguably helped turn a goalless stalemate into a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Ahead of Sunday’s last-16 tie against Senegal, Southgate arguably has the closest selection call that he has ever had to make at a major tournament, with five viable contenders to start but only two positions to fill. Each has fors and againsts, pros and cons, and different strengths and weaknesses that may or may not suit the task at hand in Sunday’s evening kick-off.
Raheem Sterling
For the most part during Southgate’s reign, it has been Sterling and Kane in the attack plus one other. Together, the pair are responsible for a third of the goals scored under Southgate and theirs is a symbiotic relationship. Sterling’s seven assists for Kane is the most any England player has provided for another this century. Kane – increasingly more of a creator – returned the favour against Iran, setting up Sterling for England’s second.
Whenever Sterling’s importance to England is questioned, he seems to serve up a reminder of why he has consistently held down a starting place. At Euro 2020, as momentum was building behind the other attacking options at Southgate’s disposal, he was England’s outstanding performer and one of the players of the tournament. Sterling has already scored at this World Cup from a game and a half’s worth of minutes. That’s hardly just cause to be dropped.
Yet that goal against Iran was only his second in 15 games for club and country. There are caveats to his lack of form – his change of club, the club’s change of manager and sometimes a change of position to left wing-back under Graham Potter – and it is nothing that Sterling has not come through before. Southgate’s faith in Sterling is total as one of the leading figures of his time in charge but a recent lack of consistency in front of goal weakens his case to start.
Marcus Rashford
Three goals in just 108 minutes at this World Cup is as good an argument as any for Rashford to start. The Manchester United forward is England’s in-form player after his match-winning display against Wales and, having rebuilt his international career after nearly 18 months of exile, Southgate will need a convincing argument to send Rashford back on the substitutes bench against Senegal.
The biggest question mark over Rashford is whether Sunday’s last-16 clash will suit his style of play. The 25-year-old was struggling to make an impact in England’s final group outing until his spectacular free kick changed the pattern of the game, forcing Wales up the pitch and creating the space in behind in which he can thrive. Rashford is at his best when a game is stretched.
As Sterling’s main rival for the left-wing role, Southgate may decide not only to count on the Chelsea winger’s greater experience but also his superior link-up play and ability to play through low blocks. It would be harsh on a player who could not have done more to retain his spot in the line-up. Rashford might have to hope that his goals are compelling enough a reason to keep his spot.
Phil Foden
The clamour for Foden to start reached fever pitch after the goalless draw with the United States. Southgate was always likely to rotate against Wales anyway but Foden got his start and got his goal – only the third of his international career, his first since a brace on his debut. As with Rashford, Southgate will need his reasons if the Manchester City youngster’s spell in the starting line-up is only a short one.
If there is a case against Foden, it is that he has rarely looked comfortable cutting inside from the right wing, a position that he only seldom plays at City. Foden himself admitted at the start of this tournament that England have seen nothing like the best of him. If he needs to play on the left of the attacking three in order to produce, he faces competition from both Sterling and Rashford.
Of all Southgate’s attacking options, Foden has the greatest versatility to drop into midfield and sees himself playing in that position one day. Yet Southgate is reluctant to start him there, agreeing with Pep Guardiola that there are elements of his game out of possession that have to improve before he can be consistently relied upon in a more central role.
Bukayo Saka
Saka is another who, despite not featuring against Wales, has done nothing to deserve losing his place.
Two goals against Iran make him second only to Rashford among the squad for goals at this World Cup and, as a left-footed player comfortable with playing off the right, he is arguably the only option that fits Southgate’s preferred profile in that position. That helped the Arsenal winger get the nod over Foden for England’s two opening games.
His diligent work out of possession is another plus, especially given that Senegal’s attack will flow through left-winger Ismaila Sarr. If Southgate decides against risking Kyle Walker’s fitness up against Sarr and instead selects Kieran Trippier, Saka would offer added security over Foden or Rashford.
Saka’s only problem is that he is not Foden or Rashford, in that he would not be coming into the game off the back of a goalscoring performance. Again, it depends on how much stock Southgate puts on that second-half performance against Wales. He has not been a manager swayed by his team’s most recent showing in the past.
Jack Grealish
Grealish is in the curious position of being less likely to start than some of his rivals for a spot but more likely to play than others. The City winger is the only member of the squad to have been introduced as a substitute in all three of England’s group games and may be called off the bench once again against Senegal, ahead of those who had a stronger case to start the game.
Grealish’s unique skill set as a ball-carrying winger who changes the pace and tempo of games – often slowing the play down rather than speeding it up – is highly valued by his manager. Southgate turned to him first when the game was still goalless against the United States and may do so again if plan A is not successful against Senegal, yet cameos appear to be the most Grealish can hope for, at least for now.
James Maddison
The Leicester City playmaker was the headline-grabbing surprise late call-up to the squad but is yet to make his mark on this World Cup. Building a case for Maddison is difficult given that he only returned from a knee injury in the days before the win over Wales and is still waiting to make his first international appearance in more than three years.
Maddison has generally played off the right for Leicester this season, in a similar set-up to the one Southgate has employed throughout the tournament so far. If the Southgate era has taught us anything though, it is that places are earnt rather than handed out, particularly in the knockout stages of a World Cup. Maddison may have to wait for a chance to impress, most likely off the bench.
The two starting roles will go to players who have already played and played well at this tournament. Southgate’s problem is that he has at least four of them.
