Football News Update: Scholes Suggests Alexander-Arnold Role Change for England’s Clash with Slovenia
In the lead-up to England’s crucial Euro 2024 group stage match against Slovenia on Tuesday, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has revealed his tactical suggestions for manager Gareth Southgate.
Scholes believes Southgate should utilize Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold in a new position, rather than continuing to deploy him in a midfield role alongside Declan Rice. This decision has come under heavy criticism, as Scholes and former England international Chris Waddle argue that Alexander-Arnold’s strengths are being “completely wasted” in the center of the pitch.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold is playing as part of a midfield two, and I don’t understand why Gareth Southgate has made that decision,” Waddle said. “His greatest strength – his passing range – in that midfield role is completely wasted. He’s playing it simple because he has to – all these England players in front of him, except for Saka sometimes, want the ball to feet.”
Scholes has encouraged Southgate to consider a different approach, suggesting that Alexander-Arnold should be deployed at left-back, with Kobbie Mainoo playing alongside Rice in the center of the park and Cole Palmer starting on the right wing. This could see the in-form Phil Foden drop to the bench, but the Manchester City standout remains confident in England’s progress at Euro 2024.
“I feel like the intensity has gone up a little bit,” Foden said. “We’ve had a good start, we’re on four points, but we expect more from ourselves. I look around and the characters we have, we always expect more from ourselves. Training has gone up going into this game.”
England’s performance against Slovenia on Tuesday will be crucial, as they look to secure their place atop Group C and build momentum ahead of the knockout stages of the tournament.
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