England has always come close to lifting an international trophy, but the 2022 FIFA World Cup seems at reach unlike any other. With pacey youngsters, they are a strong contender.
England has many obstacles in their path to glory, starting from their group stage matches in Group B. Their first match will be against the middle eastern nation of Iran, followed by the USA and their neighbor, Wales.
Many fans and pundits may consider England, the top leader in this group. However, we will never know until their match against Wales on November 30.
With such an incredible roster of players playing for major football leagues across the World, saying that England can win this prestigious cup isn't an understatement.
However, they last won this tournament in 1966, and the English people hope for a trophy this year. Here are five possible things they need to consider and avoid from past games to succeed in 2022.
Over- Reliance On Harry Kane
Harry Kane is a superstar, a master of finishing, no doubt, but the England team shouldn't only rely on him for goals.
Kane was a top scorer in the 2018 World Cup, scoring six goals in the tournament with a hat-trick against Panama. He has been in the starting lineup since 2018 and has been pushed even if he was physically fit.
The coach Gareth Southgate also stated the same thing on June 2022; however, we still need to see a clear approach on how he will resolve this issue.
Kane has scored 51 goals for the English side to date, taking every penalty opportunity. In 2022-23, he played 15 matches, scored 12 goals, and provided one assist for England. This shows his importance to the team's performance and morale.
Who will fill his shoes if he becomes injured in a critical match? How is the English side going to adapt? That is why their over-reliance on Kane should be avoided.
The Midfield Dilemma
England's midfield role must be utilized appropriately and not left the same as in 2018 or past tournaments.
The attacking side is quite strong, with Kane in the forefront, followed by Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford.
However, the English team also needs to consider utilizing their mid-field role. In 2018, they stumbled against the underdog Croatia in the semifinals due to the lack of midfielders like Croatia's Luka Modric and Kovacic, who could control the ball in the central areas and ensure the team doesn't have to retreat late in the games.
There was Jordan Henderson, but he was isolated in the match against Croatia, as his mid-field partners Lingard and Dele Alli always tried to reach the box.
This year, Southgate has a promising player who Southgate can utilize in both a defensive or center midfield, a youngster, Jude Bellingham, who has excellent passing and ball-control skills. As one of the youngsters to watch in this tournament, he needs to be considered as starting line-up and not as a substitute.
Formation Of A Good Chemistry
England's players must let go of their club rivalries and egos to form good chemistry.
There are bound to be big egos and rival mindsets when you have players from the top leagues and more from rival clubs. This is one of the significant reasons the nation failed during the Golden Generation's period of World Cup in 2006 and 2010.
In an interview with BT Sport in 2017, the three England legends, Lampard, Gerrard, and Ferdinand, shared the same sentiment. Ferdinand said he didn't want Lampard to have the edge over him. He continued to say how he couldn't be around Gerrard because he didn't want to hear about how Liverpool was faring.
In the 2022 squad, there are English players from rival clubs like Phil Foden from Manchester City, Luke Shaw from Manchester United, Mason Mount and Sterling from Chelsea, and Jordan Henderson from Liverpool. All these players must avoid thinking about their club affairs on the international platform, and this will lead to better chemistry.
Unwillingness To Adapt Formations
One reason they failed in 2010 was their unwillingness to adapt to new formations.
The former manager, Fabio Capello, always preferred his strict 4-2-2 setting at all matches. However, great players like Lampard were accustomed to the 4-3-3 formation at Chelsea and Gerrard with his 4-2-3-1 formation at Liverpool.
Even when both were fielded together in the center-midfield role, they had similar playstyles, i.e., in the future for goals. They sorely missed an excellent defensive midfielder like Michael Carrick, who they could have utilized in their formation along with Owen Hargreaves. This was one of the reasons why England lost 4-1 to Germany in the World Cup 2010's Round of 16.
Southgate must avoid this issue and not only consider his preferred 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation, which has been getting criticized lately. This formation led to a disastrous Nations League performance for England.
He needs to opt for an ambitious formation like 4-2-3-1 with Luke Shaw and Kieran Trippier as left and right backs, respectively. Bellingham, Declan Rice, and Foden are great for filling midfield roles.
Utilize The Rising Star Phil Foden
Phil Foden is a player that Southgate needs to use well to maximize his performance.
Foden has been the top pick in Manchester City and has had remarkable seasons with them. In Premier League 2022-23 season, he played 14 games and scored 7 goals and 3 assists. The 22 yr old has made 5 appearances in the Champions League and has scored 1 goal.
Guardiola has utilized him well, from a midfielder to a forward and even a winger, and getting good results. However, Foden hasn't been performing well for the national team. He wasn't in the 2018 World Cup, and in Euro 2020, he was on the bench for most matches.
Southgate needs to understand Foden's importance for his versatility, passing skills, and goal-scoring abilities and consider utilizing him well as Guardiola does in his Manchester City squad. A player like him shouldn't be wasted on the benches. Keeping on the bench will only ruin his potential for good exposure in international matches.
Predicted Lineup for England in the 2022 World Cup
England's star players in the squad have already fueled predictions of starting lineup by many pundits.
Southgate will undoubtedly have a dilemma in selecting Aaron Ramsdale and Jordan Pickford for the Goalkeeper. Southgate has preferred Pickford over the years, and Pickford hasn't let him down as England made it to the semifinals in the 2018 World Cup. However, Ramsdale has been in great form with Arsenal, with seven clean sheets in 14 matches. Likely, Southgate will still be loyal to Pickford.
Shaw as left back and Trippier as right back are a no-brainer, as they will spearhead the running attacks and crosses from their sides, respectively. Southgate can even alternate Trippier with Saka sometimes.
In the center defense, Harry Maguire and John Stones are likely to start as they have experience from the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020. Although, Ben White should be an ideal choice ahead of Maguire and Conor Coady can give the depth.
The midfield role is where it gets hazy. There are great players to fill, but the spots are limited. However, Southgate will use the youngster Bellingham, Rice, and Mount. Adding Foden to the starting lineup occasionally will also be a nice touch. Jordan Henderson can play the backup role.
The Forward side will indeed have Kane and Sterling. The formation can be altered to include Foden, Saka, or Grealish.
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Hence, in this upcoming 2022 games, England needs to rectify their past mistakes right from their opening match against Iran. They should consider these five things and avoid mishaps similar to past tournaments to achieve the prestigious golden trophy, ending its five decades of a trophyless run.
