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Having surprised many with his 23-man England squad selection, Gareth Southgate made changes once again ahead of Friday night’s Nations League clash with Croatia by setting his team up with a four-man defence.
On the chalkboard
Clearly, the England boss wasn’t reading when we argued that he ought to persist with a back five. That set up, after all, is the one he has used for the majority of his tenure and he did not deviate from it as the Three Lions made their unexpected run to the World Cup semi-finals in the summer.
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The positive aspect of playing with three centre-backs with wing-backs either side – a back five – was that it allowed Southgate to utilise the top quality ball-playing centre-backs and highly effective attacking full/wing-backs that he had at his disposal.
As was demonstrated to England’s cost in the World Cup semi-final – again, versus Croatia – though, is that the extra defender meant that England could be overrun in the midfield by high level opponents.
Moving to a back four, however, allows Southgate to add an extra body to the middle of the park in an attempt to offset this frailty.
Will it work?
Having an extra midfielder is all well and good, but the individual personnel still have to be capable of performing their required task to a high enough standard.
Previous combinations of Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson and Jack Wilshere have all too often left England lacking mobility and creativity in the middle third. Southgate appears to be aware of this, hence the call ups for Ross Barkley, James Maddison, Mason Mount, Nathaniel Chalobah and Harry Winks.
Chelsea’s Barkley and Mount (currently on loan at Derby County) and Leicester City’s Maddison have been included to add a degree of invention and drive to the Three Lions’ midfield. Whilst Mount is in the nascent stages of his career, Barkley and Maddison ought to see Southgate’s tactical shift as a golden opportunity for them to stake their claim as England regulars.
Meanwhile, Watford’s Chalobah and Spurs’ Winks add mobility to the midfield. Winks could prove to be the key man here as, at his best, he provides both energy and creativity in great measure. If he can discover his best form then he may soon emerge as the man England have been missing for so long.
Southgate’s new style can work, if those he has chosen to exhibit it with can rise to the challenge.