GARETH’S MISSING PIECES
England boss left with three reasons to worry
GARETH SOUTHGATE did not even get a chance to solve the final pieces of the puzzle.
Instead, it ended up ringing alarm bells for Southgate after Brazil’s next superstar exposed England’s understudies.
Endrick, aged 17 years and 246 days, became the youngest international scorer at Wembley with his first goal for his country.
But, for England, the defeat highlighted three key worries ahead of Euro 2024 this summer and, rather than build confidence, it delivered a few home truths.
The first concern is at leftback because, as Southgate conceded, Luke Shaw is running out of time to be fit for the entire tournament.
There is also a gaping hole alongside Declan Rice, right, in central midfield and the idea of these two friendlies against Brazil and Belgium was to try out Trent
Alexander-Arnold in both against top opposition.
And finally, it showed how important Harry Kane is to England. His goals, movement, ability to bring team-mates into play and the way he holds the ball up make England a much better team.
Kane’s absence through injury shows that Southgate needs to wrap him in cotton wool and pray that he does not get hurt again. Ollie Watkins did not take his chance up front and it is over to Ivan Toney tomorrow night. Similarly, Ben Chilwell looked miles off as Shaw’s understudy.
The Chelsea left-back had a stinker in the Carabao Cup final and his recent injury issues have meant he is a long way from being match-fit.
Shaw is out until the end of the domestic season with a hamstring injury and Southgate admitted it is hard to see a scenario where the Manchester United full-back could return and play potentially seven games at the Euros. A
SOUTHGATE’S BEST XI (with the two places up for grabs) ENGLAND (4-2-3-1)
Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Left-back?; Rice, Midfielder?; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane
diplomatic Southgate said: “I thought Ben defended really well and it was an important game for him. But Luke’s one of the best left-backs in world football. “He’s going to be right on the edge of the season.We know now to play seven matches in a Euros is highly unlikely.”
The closest Alexander-Arnold came to being involved at Wembley was going to the Brazil
game as a spectator. While Shaw has been doing his rehab at St George’s Park to be close to the group, Alexander-Arnold is further down the path to recovery and therefore has stayed at Liverpool in the past week to get ready for a return to action with his club. Effectively, Southgate has nine places nailed down. The England manager knows his best team for the Euros apart from at left-back and who will sit alongside Rice, behind Jude Bellingham in the No.10 role. Alexander-Arnold has played as a hybrid right-back into midfield for Liverpool but Southgate wants to see him as a pure midfielder to utilise his passing range, delivery and incredible assist record. He is England’s best passer.
But now the dilemma is whether Southgate can go into a tournament without having tried him in midfield regularly enough.
His most recent game there was against North Macedonia in November, which hardly tested him.
Southgate said: “I’ve liked the idea for a long time but we’re going to be trialling it when we haven’t seen it in a high-level game.”