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Jude Bellingham could be key for Gareth Southgate but Harry Maguire shares fall deeper – England win and lose | Football news


He played his final match before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, drawing 3-3 with Germany after a frenetic second half at Wembley.

The six-goal thriller follows a 0-1 loss to Italy at the San Siro on Friday when Gareth Southgate’s side went six games without a win, but how two games impacted players who could – and maybe not – make cuts to his 26-man squad for Qatar?

Wildfire chooses Maguire

Harry Maguire looks forward after conceding a penalty Ilkay Gundogan scored to give Germany the lead at Wembley
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Harry Maguire looks on after Germany conceded a penalty

Harry Maguire was shaken, if not poorly, during England’s 0-1 loss to Italy on Friday but his horror performance against Germany three days later underscored why so much who was confused by Southgate’s loyalty to him. Is his place on this team unattainable?

The centre-back, positioned to the left of England’s triple-back against Germany, as well as against Italy, was largely unchallenged in the first 50 minutes at Wembley but all transformed spectacularly after that.

He was at fault in Germany’s opening goal twice, first sending the ball straight to Jamal Musiala, then fouling him to concede a penalty. Not long after that, he could have lost possession of the ball in the first half of Germany in their second half.

The flaws will do nothing to his already fragile confidence and there is little prospect for Maguire to rebuild it at Manchester United, where he has since lost his place in the starting line-up. and seemed to lose his place in the dressing room.

England fans are yearning for a change of keeper in defence, but Southgate has shown little interest in it.

His solution to recent defensive problems was to reinvigorate 28-year-old Eric Dier. He gave Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori a chance every minute of the game against Italy and Germany. Ben White, meanwhile, wasn’t even in the lineup.

Instead, his faith in Maguire has not wavered.

So while that scandalous performance against Germany may have left Maguire’s position unpopular with many fans, that’s unlikely to change much for the man who picked the team. Recent evidence suggests it’s a risk that could haunt him.
Nick Wright

Trent was not chosen to symbolize Southgate’s tenure in the UK

Trent Alexander-Arnold plays in midfield for England against Andorra (PA)
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Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to be absent from England’s World Cup squad

Liverpool’s continued failure to select dynamic right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has largely characterized Southgate’s national reign, with many of the England manager’s biggest critics using the thorn issue. corner like a stick to beat him.

Now, it seems that Alexander-Arnold’s latest glitch – the 23-year-old was left out of the squad to face Germany in England’s final game before the World Cup – has made clear Southgate’s intentions to This player is at home this winter.

It’s really no surprise, though, given that Alexander-Arnold has only appeared in 17 appearances under Southgate since making his debut in the World Cup warm-up against Costa Rica in June 2018.

Meanwhile, the full-back appeared only for 62 minutes of England’s disastrous Nations League campaign, with his ever-wary manager instead preferring a more fortified defense led by Reece James or Kieran Trippier offers.

However, Trent supporters will point to a player who created more chances in the Premier League than anyone else last season, and all from right-back, but it looks like Southgate has decided this a while ago.

Either way, you can be sure his omission for Qatar 2022 will be among the first to be labeled against Southgate unless he takes home the World Cup in December.
Richard Morgan

Brilliant Bellingham plays an important role

Bellingham
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Jude Bellingham is only 20 years old until next June but already has 17 caps for England

Jude Bellingham will not be 20 years old until the end of June next year. At an age where many young players have not even made their professional debut, the 19-year-old midfielder has played 144 games at club level and won 17 caps for the national team.

Amid England’s recent struggles and growing concerns ahead of this winter’s World Cup, Bellingham has been one of their brightest rays. After starting head-to-head matches against Italy and Germany, the teenager is undoubtedly at the forefront of Southgate’s plans.

GRAPHICS
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Bellingham stats in this season’s Bundesliga

Despite a disastrous defeat at the San Siro on Friday, which forced England to be relegated to the Nations League, Bellingham was the rare light to shine and went on to impress at Wembley three days later.

His cool, calm and charismatic performances in midfield continue to show why Borussia Dortmund want a reported €150m (£135m) payout if they part ways with the property. your most precious next summer. Even that price is unlikely to knock out any actual suitors.

Since arriving in the Bundesliga from Birmingham in 2020, Bellingham has seen his number retire at his former club, be in a Bundesliga team of the season, score in the Champions League and feature at a major international tournament.

Only four World Cups in his lifetime. Expect him to play a major role on Thursday.
Dan Sansom

Eric Dier, back from the brink

Eric Dier was a key part of Gareth Southgate's 2018 World Cup squad
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Eric Dier was a key part of Gareth Southgate’s 2018 World Cup squad

The lack of form and injury problems for key Southgate players have affected Eric Dier’s hand.

The centre-back made his final 45 appearances in November 2020 but his revival of form as the cornerstone of Antonio Conte’s defenders at Tottenham has brought Dier back to England. He is now not only in image but he is striker and center after two assured performances as the central figure of the Southgate defence. Now it will be a surprise if his name is not on the squad list for the opening match against Iran.

Dier is no newcomer to the big stage either. Southgate knew he could count on him in the pressure cooker of a major league. This is the player who stepped up and scored the winning goal in England’s first penalty shootout win at the World Cup over Colombia in 2018.

Dier played six games at that tournament and started all of England’s games at Euro 2016, scoring from a free kick in the opening game against Russia. The versatile Spurs player has seen his role dwindle in importance in the following years but his latest comeback shows he is more than just a player of considerable quality. but also possess the mettle necessary for the international level. He has the element of dependability, which England desperately needs in a defense that is prone to mistakes.
Lewis Jones

Bowen’s World Cup Bubble burst

Jarrod Bowen can't come on for England
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Bowen ranked fifth last season in goals and assists (22) – second only to Kane among English players – but he has only managed seven shots in as many Premier League games this time around. – just one more than Brighton defender Adam Webster.

England entered their final game before this winter’s World Cup without scoring a goal in the open for 450 minutes, but Southgate decided the trial period was over. The audition period is over and the competitive mentality must begin.

In cutting his 28-man squad to 23 for the clash with Germany, you suspect that Jarrod Bowen could be one of the first names to be distributed.

Unlike Alexander-Arnold’s omission – in some quarters seen as a loser – the West Ham forward was given a second chance after a poor debut against Hungary in June.

But Bowen, who infected David Moyes’ Champions League hopes last term, is the least known to Southgate of his wealthy strikers after Harry Kane.

“I have compromised some decisions internally, and you don’t win if you compromise,” the England manager said before the clash with Italy.

Bowen was an unused substitute, and returned to West Ham after playing zero minutes to score and assist without a goal in the league and assist for his club during his tenure. This period.

Whatever happens in Qatar, Southgate’s identity as England manager has been determined. Trent’s conundrum of the past few years will always divide viewers but as engraved on the tombstone during his tenure will be his relationship with creative players.

Often described as luxurious, Jack Grealish and James Maddison fall into this category. Southgate clearly feels he can only give one man space, but Bowen to the best of his ability is much more – consistently among West Ham’s top performers in terms of distance. and top speed.

It just so happens that his form has dramatically receded as it rose to prominence for a team that sits in the bottom three of the Premier League table. It is hoped that St George’s Park can rekindle Bowen in 2021/22, but with England’s confidence dwindling, this is not the environment for his own struggles to be bloodless in the arena. international.

With three additional slots opening up for Southgate in his final 26-man squad, it seems increasingly difficult for Bowen to appear as a joker on his team.
Ben Grounds

Rashford’s prospects increase

Marcus Rashford missed a crucial penalty for England against Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley
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Marcus Rashford hasn’t played for England in over a year

Marcus Rashford was not available to face Italy and Germany due to what he described as an “untimely” muscle injury but Gareth Southgate’s comments after the squad announcement made clear the 24-year-old This age is definitely in his mind.

“He’s a player we know well, so if he can perform at a high level over the next few weeks, he will of course be considered,” he said.

Rashford has not played for England since coming on as a substitute and was destined to miss a penalty in the European Championship final defeat to Italy last year but a return to form has caught the eye at Manchester United have cleared up the prospect for him.

The same goes for England’s attack.

Until scoring a late goal against Germany, they had gone nine hours without a goal from the opening half. The in-form Rashford, who has scored three goals in six games for Manchester United this season, could be the man to provide the strength they’ve often lacked lately.

He’s certainly a better option right now than Bowen, who didn’t come on as a substitute against Italy and wasn’t even in the squad against Germany without scoring or assisting. in seven games for a struggling West Ham this season.

Rashford also has other factors in his favor.

For starters, his experience. Southgate is famous for 46 caps for England, scoring 12 goals. Then there’s the fact that he can play as a central striker as well as on the flanks. That flexibility could prove useful to Southgate in Qatar.

Rashford could have boosted his World Cup prospects this week without kicking a ball.
Nick Wright





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