2 months ago
14
England fans have been calling for years for a bit more of an attacking presence in the team.
Gareth Southgate was frequently criticised by some fans for not finding a way to fit in all of his top attacking options - most notably Cole Palmer at Euro 2024.
And interim boss Lee Carsley finally gave the people what they wanted on Thursday at Wembley.
With striker Harry Kane out injured, attacking midfielders Jude Bellingham, Palmer and Phil Foden all started - with Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka on the wings - and no proper striker.
England lost 2-1 at home to Greece - the lowest ranked team to ever beat them at Wembley.
Before that game, Carsley said "I’ve definitely got a plan in place" to play all of them.
But afterwards ITV summariser Lee Dixon said: "Maybe the answer is you can't and you have to be brave and decide who to drop."
So does that mean Bellingham, Palmer and Foden cannot play together?
BBC Sport has a look at some of the options to squeeze them all in against Finland on Sunday.
There are a few different ways the trio could fit into a 4-2-3-1.
One option is to play the three of them behind Harry Kane - or Ollie Watkins if the captain remains sidelined.
Palmer often plays on the right wing for Chelsea, Foden played on the left at Euro 2024 and Bellingham can play at number 10.
But the trio can all play in various positions across midfield and the front line.
Bukayo Saka usually starts on the right - although he is an injury doubt for Sunday - so Bellingham or Palmer could play next to Declan Rice in central midfield.
Another consideration is that Bellingham - while playing centrally a lot - got most of his touches for Real Madrid last season on the left wing.
Palmer, recently named England's player of the season despite only starting twice, has been featuring as a number 10 for Chelsea this season. So he could also slot in behind Kane.
Since the start of 2023-24, he has been involved - either scoring or providing the assist - in 44 goals, more than anyone else in the Premier League.
"I was actually calling for Palmer to start as number 10 when Euro 2024 started, with Bellingham playing slightly deeper and Foden on the left, as a way of getting all three of them in the team," BBC pundit Chris Sutton said.
"Obviously that didn't happen - Palmer was used from the bench in Germany and had an impact that way.
"You simply cannot leave him out now, though.
"Carsley has got to find a way of getting him into the team, but it doesn’t have to be as the number 10 ahead of Foden or Bellingham because he can play off the right as well.
"I have always believed that if someone's form is good, get them in. So, whether it is the right or in the middle, Carsley has to fit him in."
Or could England start with a 4-3-3?
Some clubs - such as Des Buckingham's Oxford United - play that formation with two number 10s in an attacking midfield three.
So Bellingham and Palmer could play alongside Rice in midfield - with Saka and Foden flanking Kane (or Watkins) up front.
Or in a more traditional 4-3-3 you could have Bellingham, Rice and another central midfielder, with Foden and Palmer alongside Kane. Or swap Bellingham and Palmer around.
Foden has yet to replicate his Manchester City form for England. The Premier League player of the season for 2023-24 netted 27 times for City in all competitions last season. But he has only scored four times for England in 42 games.
England interim boss Carsley told the BBC: "I think we have to keep persevering with Phil.
"He’s an outstanding talent and he has a big England future and we need to not put so much pressure on him and allow him to find his performance in his own time."
England ended the game against Greece playing a 4-4-2 after Watkins and Dominic Solanke both came on. Foden came off.
But could Carsley find a way to play the trio along with two strikers?
Foden and Palmer could play out wide with Bellingham and Rice in the centre. Or Bellingham up front with Kane?
Twists on a 4-3-3.
In a 4-3-2-1 with two number 10s instead of wingers, two of the three could play behind Kane with the third playing in central midfield.
Or a 4-1-2-1-2 could use Kane and another striker up front with the other three playing, and Rice sitting in front of a back four. It is another one where Bellingham could play up front alongside Kane.
Carsley could be reluctant to repeat the experiment of going without a striker after the Greece defeat.
But he did say it was "still an option" afterwards if Kane remained ruled out - perhaps with a more specific false nine.
"Foden and Bellingham have got in each other's way. Carsley's tried to play them both as a 10. This system just hasn't worked for England," said former Tottenham keeper Paul Robinson on BBC Radio 5 Live during the Greece game.
Bellingham played as a false nine to great effect for Real Madrid last season - up front with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo - but with no proper striker.
He scored 23 times and created 11 goals for team-mates in 39 games for the European champions.
Another thing to think about is that lining up with no recognised striker does not mean you have to play a false nine. Bellingham could figure as a proper centre forward.
Speaking about Thursday's game, former England defender Dixon told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It was an all-attacking set-up, but it was an all-midfield performance.
"[Bukayo] Saka and [Anthony] Gordon tried to stay to their remits - staying high and wide - but the two full-backs really dominated them, so they didn't get past their full-backs.
"That meant there was no real time for the midfielders to get into the box so that false nine just became a vacant nine.
"It didn't work for lots of reasons but that focal point up front, where you can bounce balls off and get them back into midfield, and then have a third man running beyond, was absolutely absent from minute one."
We're not going to start listing every option of formation with a back three/five now but they do provide other alternatives.
None of Palmer, Bellingham or Foden would be ideal playing at wing-back but they could take up three of the midfield or forward options in one of those line-ups.
We have talked through the options of playing Foden, Bellingham and Palmer together.
But maybe you think none of the options work?
So who would you choose to pick for England in an ideal starting XI (including players not in the current squad)? Have a go below and share it with your friends on social media.
