Trippier puts his mind to picking out the positives

SOMETIMES, it feels like they are trying to convince themselves as part of some sort of psychological masterplan.

And Kieran Trippier was certainly sticking to the programme.

He believes the England team Gareth Southgate sends out on Monday evening in Volgograd will be “frightening” and capable of “special things”.

Considering the rump of the side to face Tunisia were responsible for the calamitous Euro 2016 showing, it is a big leap of faith but Trippier is adamant confidence is coursing through the camp.

He said: “We’ve the players in this squad to hurt teams. As long as we believe we can do special things that’s all that matters.

“We’ve so much quality in this team, in the 23 players. It’s frightening – the pace, the youth. We believe we can go a long way. We just need to keep believing.

“Everybody is maybe writing us off, but we all believe we’ve a great team here, great staff, a great manager. We go into the tournament with a positive mindset to win.”

That positive mindset extends to Trippier (above, with Danny Welbeck) claiming there are “goals all over the pitch” when this England team is on it.

Premier League goals, maybe, but across the eleven expected to start on Monday, they have scored a mere 25 international goals between them. Harry Kane accounts for 13 of those but had a miserable blank in his only previous senior tournament. Tripper, though, who provided six assists for Kane with Spurs last season, has no worries about his captain.

He said: “At club level, on the training field we practise deliveries, crosses. As long as you put it in the right areas, you know he’ll put them away. It’s about timing, the delivery of the crosses.

“But Harry’s in good form and, for sure, he will do well.”