Coady helps get things in shape for Southgate
A FEW minutes in the company of Conor Coady reinforced to Gareth Southgate that, ultimately, it is players and not systems that will end England’s years of hurt.
Since coming so close to the World Cup final using a back three, the England manager has been concerned that only by sacrificing one of his centre- backs will he have the firepower to carry the side any further.
But between Coady and the Covidiots, Southgate has realised that the important thing is that he has men he can trust.
If that means sticking them in a 3- 4- 3 formation then so be it. “We feel it suits the personnel that we’ve got very strongly and we think it also gives us strength in depth if we have problems losing players,” Southgate said. “It still needs work on the training pitch, it needs the players to play together more but it can be very secure and also very adventurous depending on how we play it.”
Coady’s meteoric rise seems to have catapulted him into the left of those three positions. For now, Kyle Walker is an obvious candidate for the righthand slot with Harry Maguire under- pinning them both.
Eric Dier’s continued focus on centre- back duties at Tottenham could make him a rival for the Manchester United captain if the current Old Trafford defensive frailties spill over into his international game.
The front three – Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford – are long established and now there are genuine alternatives to slot in behind them.
Jadon Sancho, Mason Greenwood, Jack Grealish and Danny Ings offer different qualities in those wider slots and an impressive debut by Dominic Calvert- Lewin seemed to prove it might be OK going forward to give Kane an occasional rest. With Trent AlexanderArnold and Ben Chilwell as wing- backs, the only hole to fill is the most vital one. Who can make that midfield work? At this point Jordan Henderson is entitled to clear his throat politely. But who with him? England have eight more games before next summer to sort out that final wrinkle.
Things are taking shape – even if it is not the shape that Southgate originally intended.