Micah Richards has proposed a radical reshuffle to the England team for the Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland next Saturday which’ll leave Liverpool fans with mixed feelings.
The two Reds in Gareth Southgate’s squad were left with a watching brief as the Three Lions muddled their way to victory over Slovakia after extra time on Sunday, with Trent Alexander-Arnold having lost his starting place after the first two group games and Joe Gomez yet to feature in the tournament at all.
Speaking on The Rest is Football, the pundit called for a tactical overhaul which’d involve a three-man defence and two wing-backs, but he’d only bring one of the Anfield duo in to start.
Richards explained: “Gomez has played what, 15 games for Liverpool at left-back? He’s done very well in that position, but I would just go with Kyle Walker. Play him at left-back.
“The thing is, they want [Kieran] Trippier to go forward and get involved in the play. I would just go and play Trent at right-back, and go into a three at the back.”
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We can get on board with the suggestion of playing Trent as a wing-back, enabling him to surge up the flank with aplomb like he’s done for Liverpool in the knowledge that there are three defenders back to cover him.
However, with Luke Shaw increasingly unlikely to play at Euro 2024, it beggars belief how Gomez – the only other defender with any real experience at left-back – is overlooked in favour of Trippier, Ezri Konsa and possibly Walker, if Southgate takes up Richards’ suggestion.
In any case, we don’t see the England manager making such a radical tweak to his line-up, especially as he’d need to bring in two centre-backs due to Marc Guehi’s suspension…although the Reds’ number 2 would be a perfectly capable option to start in any position across the back on Saturday.
You can view Richards’ comments below (from 1:26), via @RestIsFootball on X:
Should Gomez start at left-back or Walker? pic.twitter.com/Gyx3E80ar9
— The Rest Is Football (@RestIsFootball) July 2, 2024
The post (Video) Micah Richards proposes radical England reshuffle; Liverpool fans will have mixed feelings appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.
