Nottingham Forest attacker Jesse Lingard believes England can respond to criticism which has emerged after their drab draw with the USA.
But he has held back from getting dragged into the debate about whether Phil Foden should have featured in the Three Lions’ second group game at the World Cup. Instead, Lingard says boss Gareth Soutgate will have his reasons for not turning to the Manchester City star during Friday’s goalless stalemate.
Foden was an unused substitute against the United States, with Jack Grealish, Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford the players brought on by Southgate. Plenty of observers have questioned the manager's choices.
READ MORE: Details of 'serious' Forest transfer interest in Championship attacker emerge
READ MORE: Forest ready to 'try their luck' in transfer race for £10m-rated teenager
England top Group B and are in a good position to qualify - having thumped Iran in their opening match - but the optimism which stemmed from that 6-2 thrashing has been tempered among fans and pundits. Nevertheless, avoid a four-goal defeat to Wales on Tuesday and a last-16 spot will be secured.
“You need a strong squad to go deep into tournaments and England have one,” Lingard said in his column for the Mail on Sunday. “You need players who can make an impact when they come on, and they did that against Iran. Marcus scored as a sub, as did Jack Grealish after receiving an unselfish pass from fellow substitute Callum Wilson. Squad depth gives you options for different situations and England will have multiple different situations still to come in Qatar.
“I’ve seen people asking why Gareth didn’t make more changes against the USA, not least why he didn’t bring on Phil Foden. All I can say is that there are always explanations and reasons that won’t be apparent from the outside.”
Head coach Steve Cooper made defensive solidity a priority as the Reds looked to turn their season around following a tough start. And Lingard says resolve at the back will be key for England, too.
The summer signing described the negative response to the Three Lions’ last outing as “wrong-headed”. He added: “You probably saw Gareth giving his interview after beating Iran 6-2 and he looked a bit grumpy and said he was annoyed at the way the game had ended. This wasn’t just some psychological ploy to keep a lid on the obvious euphoria many would be feeling. He would have been properly annoyed at conceding two, even in a romping victory.
“As a professional, clean sheets are important. They’re a sign you’re working together as a team, as keen to keep goals out as you are to contribute as a group to scoring.
“In a league situation, not least the Premier League, conceded goals can end up making the difference to where you finish, or even whether you remain in the division. They matter in the group stage of a tournament for the same reason. That’s why England’s 6-2 was good, but flawed, and why the 0-0 was flawed, but good.
“The end result in Qatar is what matters and what England should be judged on, and the process was never going to be smooth. If you’re a football fan you should know that’s not how football works!”
Do you agree with Lingard? Have your say in the comments below
READ NEXT
