Kyle Walker says it’s ‘unfair’ and ‘wrong’ to suggest that England boss Gareth Southgate isn’t getting the best out of the likes of Tottenham Hotspur playmaker, James Maddison.
On Saturday, England recorded a 1-1 draw against Ukraine in their Euro 2024 qualifier, with Tottenham’s summer signing starting on the left of a front three, rather than in his usual midfield position.
After the game against Ukraine, in which the Three Lions produced a pretty poor performance, a lot of verbals went Southgate’s way, including how he used players like James Maddison.
But Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker was having none of it and thinks that, aside from the manager, ‘there is enough creative talent’ in the team to hurt the opposition, as he told talkSPORT.
Added with Maddison, the likes of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane did also start. But what frustrated fans was that Jordan Henderson was also named in the starting XI.
Despite moving to a so-called lesser league this summer, Henderson, not only started instead of a Maddison in the middle of the park and instead of Phil Foden, but he played the entire game, with Walker reacting to the criticism.
Gareth Southgate and Maddison
“I think it’s a bit unfair, if I am being completely honest,” said Walker. “I feel when players (such as Maddison) play at their club, they have week in and week out. Year in and year out training to adapt to it.
“Gareth has a certain amount of days where some people are playing on a Sunday and some on a Saturday. Some are carrying injuries and they can’t really train as much as they want to. It’s not as easy as people think.
“Okay, we have a fantastic group of players. But you have to understand what he has to work with and the amount of time he has to work with, so we have enough creative players on the field James Maddison, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. He has been on fire at Real Madrid. And Hendo (Jordan Henderson).
“There is enough creative talent to hurt teams. I feel that the criticism is a bit wrong, in that respect.”
Maddison-Rice-Bellingham
That’s the midfield that should have started against Ukraine, or if not Maddison, then play Phil Foden instead.
Either way, the midfield Southgate currently plays is way too safe, so it will be interesting to see what type of team he puts out against Scotland on Tuesday.
It’s a friendly on paper, but it’s going to be far from it, with the showdown set to take place at Hampden, so if Maddison does start, then he deserves to play in a midfield role.
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