Chris Waddle names his England XI for Russia 2018, which includes Manchester City’s Kyle Walker at centre-back and drops Tottenham defender Danny Rose.
Media pundit Chris Waddle looks on during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool.
Former footballer turned pundit Chris Waddle has named the England XI he thinks should be starting at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The Three Lions finished their qualification campaign with a 1-0 win in Lithuania and have confirmed their place at the tournament next summer and Waddle has told the BBC what he would be doing if he were manager.
To say some of the 56-year-old’s suggestions are bizarre would be something of an understatement. Starting in defence, the inclusion of Joe Hart as goalkeeper adds to an ongoing debate, but is hardly controversial.
However, naming Kyle Walker as a centre-back and in a three-man backline is. The Manchester City star has built a reputation on his marauding runs forward from full-back, yet in Waddle’s system would be asked to focus on defensive duties with his former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Kieran Trippier taking up the wing-back role.
Yet while Trippier gets the nod, his fellow Spurs full-back Danny Rose does not. Rose may not have played since January but surely that does not now mean Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand is suddenly the better option in a 3-4-3 system that the Tottenham man is used to at club level and Bertrand is not?
England’s defender Kyle Walker slides to control the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification football match against Slovenia at Wembley Stadium.
In midfield Waddle has included Newcastle United’s Jonjo Shelvey. Many have been calling for his international recall, but this is another big shout – as is the decision to exclude Adam Lallana of Liverpool, a player that boss Gareth Southgate told the Telegraph was “our best player” since he took over and perhaps the biggest source of creativity.
Likewise, while Raheem Sterling may not completely suit a wing-back formation, having Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford all starting makes the team very narrow and could leave a large gap between midfield and attack.
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