That’s just it though, it isn’t obvious how to get these players showing their best form for England and working together to well. I think it’s really hard to find a way getting them playing well some
In their second or third favourite positions. If it was that easier we would be England manager
I'm not saying I could make it work, that's not my job. But it's fairly obvious what they need to do to make it work, and they should have the skills and tools to be able to do it. Ex pro's, pundits and managers say the same thing etc, we're too rigid. It also seems to me like individual player power, and individual player choices on the pitch is overriding what is best for the team.
It's their job as managers to make that work, and the players should be good enough to be able to adapt and retain 100% of their ability, just obv positional sense will take some work. That's what they have 20 coaches and analysts for though also. Other teams have the same problems and still win things etc, loads of teams with much bigger problems have won things.
It's not like Foden's never played on the left of Bellingham centre mid though, or Palmer up front. For example, for city, Foden's played away from no 10 or wide more times than he has played no 10 or centrally. I bet Bellingham has played centre mid more than any other position on the pitch.
City have been playing with 2 no 10's recently and Foden hasn't been taking either of those positions, even with de bruyne missing a lot. Don't think he's started a game no 10 all year.
It's more about having the bottle to tell them that's where they're going to be playing for England, if they want to play a lot of games and win something. It needs advanced prep, and telling the players who is no1 for what position and who is no2 etc, rather than chop and changing week to week. Pick a formation, style and team, and stick with it, until you get good at it etc. Use the friendlies and qualifiers to do it, not the tournaments. We should still be able to walk qualifying whilst doing this.
When you have some top, top level players you prioritise a formation choice to get them in the team, but when you don't have those you put the players into the formation you want.
So, go 3-2-4-1 or 4-1-4-1, with two no 10's if you must, instead of trying to find a player to fill a second holding mid role that we shouldn't need, or putting 4 defenders on the pitch. 4-2-3-1 doesn't make sense with the players we have, it's way too negative.
Even when playing 4 at the back it's not like we can use the excuse of saying the left and right backs are great first choices and will be getting up high either, largely as our left back choices are not great for the style we should be playing, and we don't play trent right back. We play fairly defensive left and right backs. Sure walker plays rb for city, but also is allowed higher up the pitch for city, and he's just as good as a right centre back etc.
Or we just rotate everyone who wants to play no 10 in no 10, none of them really being happy with this, and they all get less game time, and we have some of our best talent on the bench.
