PEP’S SYSTEM CAN WORK FOR GARETH
ROTATION MEANS STARS WILL BE FRESH
PEP GUARDIOLA’S relentless rotation system at Manchester City will boost England’sworld Cup ambitions – rather than damage them. That was Gareth Southgate’s response when asked if he is concerned that Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden are not all guaranteed starters at the Etihad.
To date, the Three Lions trio have yet to feature together from the outset in any City game this season – as Guardiola constantly shuffles his attacking pack.
But far from worry,
Southgate argues that situation could work to the country’s benefit leading into
Qatar 2022.
After all, Grealish and Co will be fresher for England duty – thanks to NOT playing every game for the Premier League champions.
Withworld Cup qualifiers approaching at Andorra on Saturday and at home to
Hungary the following Tuesday, the England manager has included all three City forwards in his latest squad.
And he said: “I think it’s good for us because none of them are going to be flogged.
“They are all going to play in a team that play fantastic, attacking football. They might not individually play as much as they would like but they are all going to play enough – so they will have that sharpness.
“And if they are not getting as much football as they like, they will probably have a bigger desire to play with us and score goals with us.”
Southgate (above) actually feels it is too soon to say that Grealish, Sterling and Foden, back in the England fold after recovering from the foot injury that ruled him out of the Euro final, cannot operate simultaneously for City.
And neither does he reckon Guardiola’s embarrassment of riches are exclusive to the City coach.these days they are replicated with an England team up to third in the FIFA world rankings and currently five points clear at the top of Group I in the race to reach Qatar next year.
Southgate added: “They are nice decisions for Pep to have with the squad he has got. We also have some of those difficult calls to make.”
Southgate is optimistic that Grealish, following his summer switch from Astonvilla to City, will add goals to his England repertoire.
He said: “He’s 15 games without a goal for us so the big challenge is for him to start registering those numbers our other wide players have been able to produce
over a period of time.”