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Gary Neville has made a few puzzling tactical choices as he named his England starting XI for their clash with Slovenia.
The Three Lions have already qualified for the knockout phase of Euro 2024, but will look to finish top of Group C when they face Slovenia in Cologne tonight.
Gareth Southgate is set to make just one change for the game, with Conor Gallagher coming in for Trent Alexander-Arnold after the Liverpool right back struggled to adapt to the experiment of playing in midfield.
Neville, like Southgate, would drop one player from the starting XI that drew 1-1 with Denmark last time around. However, instead of dropping Alexander-Arnold to the bench, he would instead drop Kieran Trippier who has also been playing out of position at left back.
Speaking on The Overlap newsletter, Neville made some drastic changes including swapping Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka – and playing Kyle Walker in an unusual position.
Neville, who struggled to select his line-up and decided to change his XI, initially had Phil Foden as a central attacking midfielder alongside Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka playing in the left-wing back position.
Ultimately he decided to play both in wide attacking positions as they have already at this tournament, but with Foden on the right and Saka on the left.
He said: ‘They also have the ability to interchange. It’s not ideal. Saka won’t be one hundred per cent happy. But, on balance, he’s a player with more directness to his game, whereas Foden will always like to play across the front line.
‘Saka is left footed which gives you that option to switch the ball out there wide, even with a right-footed full back. Foden is left footed too but less likely to stick wide.’
Neville initially picked a side with a 3-4-2-1 formation with a back three of Walker, John Stones and Marc Guehi, Alexander-Arnold and Saka as wing-backs, and a midfield combination of Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo.
Foden and Bellingham would both play centrally then behind Harry Kane.
Neville though quizzed his selection as he questioned whether switching one player can make a big difference and if Mainoo in midfield is enough to change the balance which has been lacking in the opening two games.
He said: ‘I also want to keep Alexander-Arnold in somehow. It seems wrong not to have a talent like that in the side. Southgate maybe helped in that decision in that Kieran Trippier might be struggling to make the Slovenia match, so perhaps Kyle Walker will have to go to left back, with Alexander-Arnold at right back.
‘Mainoo then provides the link in midfield. It looks like Southgate will go with Conor Gallagher today but I’m feeling Mainoo is a better option there and just edges Adam Wharton because of his experience.’
The Manchester United player has made 35 senior appearances for the Red Devils, while Wharton has made 67 for Crystal Palace and Blackburn.
Mainoo though does already have four England caps compared to Wharton’s one.
Neville also mentioned fans calling for Anthony Gordon to play on the left, but decided that neither Saka or Foden should be dropped for the Newcastle player.
The Manchester United legend ultimately went for a selection with a back four, but with Walker on the left, and Alexander-Arnold playing slightly higher up on the right.
The midfield combination of Rice and Mainoo was kept with Bellingham just ahead, and then a front three from right to left of Foden, Kane and Saka.
Neville said that the formation would allow Alexander-Arnold to go into midfield or around Foden, and have Walker then slip back into a third centre-back when necessary.
Though he felt his system made England ‘less obvious’ to play against, he was still only ’80 per cent confident’ in his team.
He said: ‘I am worried. Again I have 2004 flashbacks: we have great players but no obvious way of getting them all on the pitch in the right area. I’m not picking that team thinking: “Gareth, this is definitely what you should do!” There are still red flags waving.’