Controversial Selections! Paul Merson Slams Gareth Southgate's 'Ridiculous' England Midfield Choices

England midfield selections are ridiculous

It's absurd that someone like Jordan Henderson, who plays in the Saudi league before a crowd of 6,000 people every week, is considered while players like Ward-Prowse, who is performing excellently for West Ham, are ignored. Ward-Prowse has proven to be a game-changer but is unfairly overlooked.

Alexander-Arnold, a defender, once played a single game in midfield for England against Malta. To be honest, playing against Malta, I would anticipate a professional Premier League footballer to thrive in the midfield.

Now, turning to Kalvin Phillips, it seems he is not involved in football at all.

When I played, Gazza (Paul Gascoigne) would only be selected if he was on the field - despite being the most outstanding player by far.

If Gareth Southgate had been performing exceptionally well during his time at Aston Villa, but a center half who didn't play for his club was preferred over him, he would have undoubtedly been livid. And who could blame him?

Gareth's affirmation is: 'These players never disappoint me.' Nevertheless, should they ever fail to perform, he will be in significant jeopardy. He is taking a great risk.

Man Utd have to be braver - they're a million miles off a title challenge

I fail to comprehend. When teams are successfully scoring goals, one must take a chance.

In my opinion, the manager should exhibit more courage. He possesses players capable of being more daring. The current style of play is excessively defensive - primarily focused on counter-attacking. I do have concerns for Manchester United.

The Sir Alex Ferguson era is a distant memory, and Manchester United is nowhere near competing for the league title. While everyone acknowledges that they have a long way to go to catch up to Manchester City, the reality is that they are lightyears away.

It's easy to overlook the fact that Manchester United is still considered one of the biggest clubs globally. Yet, they can't even afford a mere £7m for Marc Cucurella. Meanwhile, they are signing a player, Sergio Reguilon, who can't even secure a place in Tottenham's starting lineup.

They also have the Jadon Sancho situation now. Let's keep it internal. Rasmus Hojlund appeared promising - quite a handful. However, that was only for 20 minutes. I observed Mykhailo Mudryk for 20 minutes in January during the Liverpool game, but I haven't seen him since.

Arteta will stick with Havertz - and Rice can do it all

I feel for Kai Havertz. He's playing in a position where it's not easy. He hasn't played very well.

Mikel Arteta will continue supporting him despite his lack of confidence, especially considering that Arsenal have won three matches and drawn one. When you invest such a significant amount of money and effort to bring someone in, you expect them to perform well.

The best always standout. Although I am a huge supporter, I did mention when he was signed that he resembles Mesut Ozil.

That's the issue. If things are not going smoothly, he appears disinterested. However, that perception is not accurate - it simply comes across that way.

When comparing Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, there is a stark contrast. Rice provides you with all that you need.

The score is currently tied at 1-1, and Arsenal must secure a victory in order to stay in close pursuit of Manchester City. Once he enters the field, he promptly scores a goal.

During the Saturday match, Chelsea finds themselves trailing by 1-0, leading to the substitution of Caicedo. Although both players specialize in holding midfield positions, one offers significantly more advantages.

If Rice can throw goals into his game then I dread to think how much he’s worth.

If Chelsea's story was a book, you'd throw it in the sea!

Chelsea have assembled a multitude of new players, leaving you pondering: 'How does one form a team from this abundance?'

Chelsea's primary objective remains winning trophies, unlike Tottenham who strive for a top four finish. Surprisingly, Chelsea finds themselves in the same situation, and with such expediency.

Reading this book on vacation would make you want to toss it into the ocean. You would likely perceive it as a load of nonsense, thinking that such events could never occur.

Chelsea had once nurtured a remarkable group of young talents, a team that had recently achieved victory in the Champions League. However, looking at their current state, you can't help but wonder: "How did it all go wrong?" It feels akin to a scene from Men in Black, where someone unexpectedly alters the course of events, leaving you questioning: "What just happened?"

Mauricio Pochettino, being a talented manager, will eventually succeed in this task despite its challenges. Achieving a top-four position will remarkably elevate their performance. The team, however, has made the mistake of acquiring multiple players with similar skills. Enzo Fernandez, on the other hand, stands out as exceptional and superior to the rest. Yet, it remains uncertain for how long he will tolerate this situation.

The team lacks sufficient cunning. The team does not have players capable of sending the ball through a narrow opening.

Opposing teams will visit Stamford Bridge and adopt a defensive stance with ten players guarding their goal, waiting for a chance to counter-attack. I predicted on Saturday that Chelsea would suffer a 1-0 defeat. I am aware of their difficulties when facing defensive teams.

They can’t break teams down. It’s like watching Subbuteo football - there’s no movement. Unless Fernandez finds that killer pass, no one else will.

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Chelsea have spent more than £1bn on signings under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership

Teams visiting Chelsea away from home will be faced with a formidable lineup featuring the pace of Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling, along with Fernandez's exceptional vision. This combination has proven to be highly disruptive, as witnessed in their impressive performance against West Ham in the first half. However, a change in tactics occurred during the second half, with West Ham opting to defend deeper after scoring. This defensive approach proved effective as Chelsea failed to find the back of the net, even if the match were to continue indefinitely.

Thiago Silva's age of 38 does not diminish the fact that he is still one of the best players on their team. Youth is not always a requirement; there is value in acquiring a ready-made product as well.

With the exceptions of Ben Chilwell, Sterling, and Silva, all the players on the team are under 25 years old. Experience is necessary in such cases.

These players are all on eight-year contracts so I don’t know where this is going. Maybe you go and get the book back out the sea to see how this ends.