And yet Trippier and James have played better for England than TAA ever has.England have 5 that could realistically go. I've not known that many options in a specialised position before.
Kyle Walker will definitely go as he can play in a back three if needed. If Southgate is taking only two then TAA goes before anyone else.
The larger squad this year might allow him to dodge some tricky decisions. An extra three players should mean Sancho and TAA are in there.
If England are serious about getting to the latter stages they must score goals. Ask Harry Kane who he'd like providing chances and TAA is better than anyone else.And yet Trippier and James have played better for England than TAA ever has.
If Southgate isn't convinced by the dozen times he's put on an England shirt that he fits, then I don't think he's really going to learn anything new from watching him spam crosses into the box for Liverpool and change his mind.
He's played how many times for England? About 10. It's hard to show your best when not playing. I'd like to see Walker's England stats. I doubt he's got many assists and can be very error prone at times too. That's not discussed because he plays for Pep Guardiola.Not for England though he isn't.
He's played how many times for England? About 10. It's hard to show your best when not playing. I'd like to see Walker's England stats. I doubt he's got many assists and can be very error prone at times too. That's not discussed because he plays for Pep Guardiola.
And yet you still think he should be playing for England?He's played how many times for England? About 10. It's hard to show your best when not playing. I'd like to see Walker's England stats. I doubt he's got many assists and can be very error prone at times too. That's not discussed because he plays for Pep Guardiola.
If England had been ridiculously successful I think the points made again Alexander-Arnold stack up. The fact is England have mostly failed when up against better teams. The team needs more attacking threat and with the likes of TAA and Foden they would have a point of difference.
As for form; TAA hasn't had a great season for Liverpool when compared to previous, but he's played in a side with lots of struggling players. Liverpool have dropped off massively and that's impacted most of them.
Who said starting at the World Cup? You're being ridiculous suggesting I'm ridiculous. He was clearly not going to be a regular then.What better teams have we failed against since he became a regular player?
Beaten by Denmark because of an incorrectly given penalty and red card, beaten by the Netherlands because of a massive John Stones howler.
In that time, we've also beaten Croatia, Spain and Belgium.
He was 19 at the World Cup, and had started 11 league matches in his career.
You're being ridiculous if you believe he should have been starting at the World Cup for England on the back of that.
Bloody hell. You'd take Saka before Alexander-Arnold?But he doesn't he even offer that attacking threat for England when he has played.
Given we can take an extra three, I'd rather take a punt on attacking players like Saka or Barnes (assuming he's fit in time).
Who said starting at the World Cup? You're being ridiculous suggesting I'm ridiculous. He was clearly not going to be a regular then.
Since 2018 the lad has won the Champions League, Premier League and proven to be outstanding attacking wise from the right flank. His form is starting to return as Liverpool are starting to look more like the side of last season.
As for England. When it's mattered in tournaments they've been beaten. Twice against Belgium in Russia without really laying a glove on them, against Croatia in the Semi-Final once the Croatians took charge out wide and forced the wing-backs into their own half and against the Netherlands in the Nations League. Southgate himself recognised this actually.
Bloody hell. You'd take Saka before Alexander-Arnold?
You're missing the point of TAA entirely. In the last major tournament the England options from the right were ineffective and didn't create anything when mattered (I recognise it was Trippier who scored in the Semi-Final though). If England are up against the best sides again, then then TAA should play as he is more capable of creating chances for Harry Kane in particular.All games that you can't reasonably have expected Alexander-Arnold to have been playing in anyway.
All games that I also think we'd probably have struggled even more defensively were he the starting right back.
Since those matches, we've not really struggled against any better teams when he's been available.
Since 2018, Kyle Walker has won 2 Premier Leagues, 3 Leage Cups, 1 FA Cup and potentially 1 Champions League.
He's being kept out of the side by a quality player, not some scrub.