When Gareth Southgate set out his stall in the great debate over Phil Foden’s best position earlier this week, arguing that the 23-year-old is unlikely to play in the middle at international level if he is not trusted to do so for Manchester City, it was worth remembering that the England manager can often sound stringent on one issue and then give himself wriggle room on another.
The truth is that what Southgate tells the media is sometimes just a means to an end. This is a manager who can spend a long time sounding very reasonable about excluding Raheem Sterling, pointing out that England are already well stocked in the wide positions, and then squash his own argument by not recalling the Chelsea winger after losing Jack Grealish to injury. Sorry, Raheem: it seems Gareth was just saying the first thing that came into his head that day. Maybe there really is no way back. And maybe, just maybe, it should not be a shock if the logic Southgate applies to Foden – he can’t be in the centre for his country if he isn’t for his club – can be set aside for other members of the squad.
Remember that it was Southgate who first tried Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield, long before Jürgen Klopp tweaked the right-back’s role at Liverpool. The rules are not set in stone and, to take it further, they certainly do not apply to Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips given that the most obvious difference between their roles for club and country is that they actually get on the pitch after turning up for England duty.
This is obviously rage-inducing in some quarters, an issue exposing Southgate to accusations of excessive loyalty, a quality evident in his backing of Maguire after England’s friendly win over Scotland. Pragmatism is at play here. The reality is that the logic applied to Foden is easier to maintain when you have a lot of attacking players. It is different in other areas. There have not been many genuine threats to Maguire’s place in defence until now. As for Phillips, he surely would have dropped out of contention if Southgate had more top-class options in midfield.
That is why Jordan Henderson is still in the squad despite moving to the Saudi Pro League. There is a lack of depth in the middle and it is not ideal that Phillips has struggled since joining City last year. Injuries have disrupted his rhythm and Pep Guardiola does not trust him. Phillips, who must have read the writing on the wall when City signed Mateo Kovacic last summer, has not started a league game since May.
Yet Southgate does not follow Guardiola’s lead on Phillips. He rates the former Leeds midfielder, so he ignores the obvious concerns over his lack of games. He started him when England opened their qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 by beating Italy in Naples in March.
Phillips, England’s player of the year in 2021, still has Southgate’s trust. He started alongside Declan Rice when England reached the Euro 2020 final and he took his chance against Scotland. Playing in a slightly more advanced position than Rice, there were few signs of rustiness in Phillips. He offered energy and passed well, particularly when he produced a piece of chest control before volleying a beautiful ball through to Marcus Rashford.
Southgate will be encouraged. After the stodginess against Ukraine, he received criticism for the double bolt of Rice and Henderson, with Jude Bellingham on the left of the middle three. Why not leave Rice to screen and put Foden or James Maddison next to Bellingham?
Yet Southgate’s take is that tournaments are won with clean sheets. Perhaps he will try to unleash Alexander-Arnold’s passing next to Bellingham and Rice, but that midfield is hardly tried and trusted. Ultimately, for all the debate around Foden, the sense is what Southgate really wants is Rice and Phillips providing security and giving Bellingham licence to roam.
They were an effective trio against Italy and they gave England control against Scotland. They will convince Southgate to resist the calls to find room for one more attacking player. Previous efforts have not convinced. England struggled with a midfield of Rice, Foden and Mason Mount against Hungary two years ago. Southgate had to drop Mount for Henderson during the World Cup.
It should not be forgotten that Henderson played a vital role in England stifling Kylian Mbappé during their quarter-final defeat to France in Qatar. Southgate could not have come away from that game thinking that the way to beat France next summer is by cramming in more creativity. England have to be able to get the ball back against top sides.
Southgate could do with Phillips finding a new club in January, but it is obvious why he is still picking him. He can accept having to contradict himself at times.
