England vs Italy: Midfield Dilemma for Gareth Southgate and Bukayo Saka's Replacement - Key Talking Points

Two out of three locked in - but midfield selection is Southgate's key call

Image:

Will Kalvin Phillips get a starting chance against Italy?

Gareth Southgate chuckled in the mixed zone following England's victory over Australia on Friday, expressing that it would require a brave individual to exclude Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham from the first-choice starting lineup at the moment. These two midfielders are undoubtable starters and are expected to play a vital role in the upcoming Euros next summer.

However, the midfield position continues to be Southgate's greatest dilemma as the type of player he selects to accompany this duo will determine England's style of play and greatly influence their performance in Germany.

At the World Cup, it was surprising to see Jordan Henderson claim the role, proving his doubters wrong by bringing a strong work ethic to the midfield and allowing Bellingham to excel in his creative position, which he has now made his own. Even when Rice and Bellingham were available, Southgate opted to have Henderson play alongside them in the qualifiers against Ukraine this year. Moreover, he named Henderson captain on Friday, despite facing criticism from outsiders for his move to Saudi Arabia.

Image:

Jordan Henderson captained England against Australia - but was then booed off by some fans

Southgate chose to bring Kalvin Phillips to Italy in March instead, possibly considering him as an additional defensive option alongside Rice for challenging matches against top teams, despite his limited playing time at the club level. Though Pep Guardiola opted for Bernardo Silva instead of Phillips in a recent match against Arsenal, Southgate still regards Phillips highly for his contribution in the previous Euros.

Another issue arises with the Trent Alexander-Arnold dilemma. He excelled in a traditional midfield role against Malta and North Macedonia during the summer and continued to play in that position at the end of Friday's game, after initial attempts to replicate his hybrid right-back role from Liverpool yielded mixed outcomes.

Image:

Will Gareth Southgate deploy Trent Alexander-Arnold as a right-back, adopt a hybrid role, position him in midfield, or exclude him entirely from the lineup?

The impressive partnership between Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka earlier this year will undoubtedly influence Southgate's decision-making during the tournament. However, the absence of Saka in the match against Italy on Tuesday, coupled with Alexander-Arnold's uninterrupted participation for the entire 90 minutes against Australia, might result in him being relegated to the substitutes' bench.

Chelsea's Conor Gallagher is an additional choice, but he seems to be lower in priority. James Maddison, who is behind Bellingham for the No10 position, may have to hope for a role as a wide forward. Therefore, Southgate faces a decision between the proven options of Henderson and Phillips, both of whom have their own limitations, or placing his trust in Alexander-Arnold's creativity and potentially restructuring the team to accommodate him. It is a challenging choice, but one that Southgate must make correctly for England to succeed next summer. Tuesday night's match will be one of the few remaining opportunities to determine the optimal strategy against strong opponents.

Saka absence opens door to Foden

Image:

Phil Foden will be aiming to impress Gareth Southgate against Italy

Bukayo Saka has cemented his place on England's right flank, starting in all but one of their last 10 competitive matches. However, his injury has resulted in a vacancy against Italy in the latest squad.

Gareth Southgate opted for an experimental line-up against Australia, with Jarrod Bowen stepping in. Unfortunately, the West Ham winger wasn't able to make a significant impact. Thus, it is highly likely that there will be another change in the line-up on Tuesday night.

Phil Foden will be aiming to step up in this iteration.

There has been considerable deliberation regarding the optimal position for the 23-year-old as of late. While some advocate for Foden as a central midfielder, Southgate sees him more as a wide alternative. His previous performance on the right-hand flank will have only further convinced the England manager.

Foden excelled in that role during last month's friendly victory against Scotland. He not only scored England's well-executed first goal, but also provided the assist for Jude Bellingham's second goal. His overall performance was impressive and caught the attention of spectators.

As Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish compete for the left-sided position in England's attack, Foden seems to have a clear advantage on the right. A repeat performance similar to the one he showcased at Hampden Park will undoubtedly boost Southgate's confidence in England's attacking prowess, even in the absence of Saka.

Southgate to stick with tried and trusted at centre-back?

Image:

John Stones played 29 minutes against Australia on Friday

Gareth Southgate's defensive strategy hinges on John Stones' physical condition. The Manchester City player, who has been sidelined due to a hip injury, has only managed to accumulate 51 minutes of playing time since the Community Shield match. He featured for 29 minutes in the second half of England's recent 1-0 triumph against Australia at Wembley.

Before the Australia game, Southgate cautioned Stones about the need for careful management during this international camp, considering that he was absent from the previous month's matches against Ukraine and Scotland.

"We have had productive discussions with Manchester City regarding John [Stones], as we always do," stated the England manager. "We have devised a plan that takes into account the amount of football he has recently played and the duration of his absence. It is crucial for us to prioritize the physical well-being of all our players."

Image:

Stones is returning from a hip injury that ruled him out of the start of the season

So, is a start against Italy part of that plan?

Besides Stones and Harry Maguire, Southgate's choices for centre-backs are relatively inexperienced at the international level. Nonetheless, Southgate has attempted to address this by giving Lewis Dunk and Fikayo Tomori starts in the game against Australia, and Marc Guehi featured in both matches during the September international break. Chelsea's Levi Colwill is also an option for centre-back, but he made his debut for the national team as a left-back on Friday.

However, facing Italy, who are only three points behind England as group leaders after defeating Malta 4-0 on Saturday, it wouldn't be surprising to see Southgate rely on his established and experienced defenders, with Stones partnering Maguire in the starting lineup.

England aim for a measure of Wembley revenge - but what's next matters most

Image:

England's Marcus Rashford reacts after he missed a penalty during the shootout with Italy in the Euro 2020 final

Just over two years ago, Italy triumphed over England in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley, leaving the home side and their supporters devastated. Rain, tears, crowd trouble, and penalties marked a painful night as England lost their chance at glory. Now, in the qualifying stage for the next Euros, England finds themselves facing Italy once again, offering a chance to seek some retribution. In their first encounter in Naples in March, England emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, thanks to the outstanding performance of Harry Kane. Now back at Wembley, England aims to replace the memories of July 2021 with new, positive ones against the reigning European champions, the Azzurri.

Image:

The Italian players exult in celebration following the penalty shootout in the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium. While the loss on their home ground will remain a bitter memory, England has a genuine chance to excel once more in the upcoming summer, possibly defeating the reigning champions on their path to securing the title in Germany.

Colwill or Trippier at left-back?

The focus for Gareth Southgate and his players this week is the bigger prize. While landing another blow on the side that defeated them on their biggest night would bring some short-term reward, it is crucial to view it as a step towards achieving silverware. If Southgate can overcome the selection dilemmas mentioned earlier and lead England to victory on Tuesday, securing their place at Euro 2024, it will feel like they are embarking on the journey towards their desired destination.

Image:

Levi Colwill has stepped up from England's U21s

England were barely tested defensively in Friday night's win over Australia but a pleasing sight was Levi Colwill's display at left-back.

Colwill's unexpected emergence as a full-back for Chelsea in the early weeks of the season presents Gareth Southgate with a viable alternative for the upcoming Euros. With Italy posing a more formidable attacking challenge, Southgate must now choose between keeping faith in Colwill following his impressive debut at the senior international level or opting for the experience of Kieran Trippier, considering the absence of Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell due to injuries.

Southgate may find himself considering the impact of set pieces, especially since the absence of dead ball specialists Bukayo Saka, Mason Mount, and Eberechi Eze leaves a void that could be filled by Trippier's expertise.

But Colwill has shown his own technical credentials this season. Do you drop someone in form?Sam Blitz