EXPOSED: England's Biggest World Cup Problem

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1:06Discover the V-Series lineup at Cadillac.com. Rhys James, we knew before a tournament you cannot rely on. He physically can't do it. Mexico is a terrifying one at the Azteca and I think they've lost what twice in about 80 games. Listen, we need to get through the next game first. The big rumour right now is that Barcelona have shown an interest in Harry Kane. Listen, if Harry Kane's not going to stay by him, I'd love him at Man United. Well, I mean, I think everybody would. Yeah, but if he's listening, Harry... You've got Alan Chira's record there. Just do it in the camera. United, bud.

1:46All right, so we are into the knockout stages of the World Cup. And today we're joined by one of Wayne's former colleagues, England international Liverpool striker and Leicester City striker Mr Emil Hesky a return for you on the podcast as well first return first one man yeah right so we're into the knockouts just the business end of the tournament how have you found it so far you can give a little evaluation about the tournament so far I've enjoyed I've enjoyed there's so much football to watch different types different ends I've always said my parents from the Caribbean scene Curacao playing in there you're like 150 ,000 people the total inhabitant of the island and then you've got that small island playing on the world football it's just great to see and then you're seeing teams like Japan playing there with my kind of dark horse England doing fantastic yeah and France was my team that I said they'll probably go and win it yeah they looked unreal Denver they were at Hartrick yeah do you know what I've really enjoyed it it's been the games have been a lot quicker than what I thought apart from the England ones the last two England games they've been they have been quicker and even the the Canada game last night watching that I thought it was 0-0 but until you know at the time but I thought it was it was a good game did you?

3:11I felt quite disappointed I thought it was a good game I enjoyed it and then the Columbia game Columbia-Portugal 0-0 game that was one of the best 0-0's I've ever seen. What do you think about the whole three teams going through thing? Because I feel like they changed it to head-to-head rather than goal difference and it felt like a lot of the games towards the end were a bit of like dead rubbers. Yeah, I don't like it. I get it. I don't like it because it is giving opportunities to other countries to go further. And we've seen that. We've seen teams going into the not-held stage for the first time.

3:48But I just think, you know, we're rewarding and teams are not doing so well. So, I prefer this to two, but we are seeing, you know, different teams in knockout stages, which, you know, I suppose is good for them countries. Yeah, I mean, teams like Cape Verde, how amazing is it for them? I think it's like a population of about 500 ,000. Yeah, there you go. Fantastic to see them doing really well. A lot of African teams are getting quite... Nine out of ten. Nine out of ten. Only Tunisia were the ones not to make it. Yeah, So it's great to see them going through. It's just wonderful to see the different types of teams coming through and putting themselves up against the best.

4:29I think what we're probably going to find now is the competition will get to where it probably should be. It'll get to where it would have been anyway, obviously, after this round of games. So, yeah, it starts now, really. I think the group stages, they're always a bit frustrating at times. although I think this has been actually... I think because the last game, there's so many different things which could have happened. It's a bit like the Champions League, isn't it, where they changed that on that last game day. There's different things. We've seen it with Benfica against Real Madrid and different scenarios which can happen.

5:06So it's kept a bit more entertaining. I think the only thing I would say on that is for somebody like Scotland, for example, they didn't know what they needed to get up until the other teams had played. So I think it leaves them at a bit of a disadvantage sometimes as well. Yeah, because they have to do their job first, didn't they? Very true. No, but I sound like Roy Keane. No, but I think the disappointment for Scotland, I think, was the Haiti game. They could have played better and tried to get one or two more goals, although Haiti did them really well. Done better than what people thought, actually, I think, in terms of performances.

5:42And the Brazil game, you know, we would have thought you were going to look at, watch Scotland trying to play out against Brazil and take the ball off Brazil. What did you think of Steve Clarke's resignation? And did you see the little statement he released as well? The 0-0 win against England. I was surprised because I don't know what Scotland were expecting in terms of they were expected to be Haiti and against Morocco and Brazil. Morocco's in top 10. Yeah, it's like, so I think just because they've done so well over the last few years, the expectations maybe, We see that all the time. A bit bigger.

6:21I think at times, I think there's a bit of a love-hate relationship with that manager, with him and the fans and the media, etc. You can't take away what he's actually done for the country and bringing them back to, is it three consecutive tournaments? So you can't take that away, but they would be hoping that they, especially the Haiti game, to do a lot better in that game and then it never transpired. And then obviously, I'm not sure what they're expecting against Brazil. Yeah. Let's talk about England. I mean, Scotland didn't have a great World Cup, but England, we're through to the last 32.

6:56There's a bit of an overreaction on social media, I feel like. A lot of people are looking at the performance and going, it doesn't quite feel like England have been playing well enough, but we've topped the group, unbeaten. Will we find form and start playing better, do you feel like? I think so. You grow into tournaments, don't you? So I think we will find better form. The only thing for me is can we do more in the first half? First half has been quite dull and it's kind of like, it seems like you get a rollicking in the changing rooms to come out and then start performing. Can we go and do that straight from the off?

7:32You know, I think we could be a bit more on the front foot. The only thing is when people sit back, do we have the players that can actually unlock them defences? I think I would have liked to have seen the last game I said this on air the last game I think we've seen it with Messi we've seen it with Haaland both resting in that last game I just think that could come back to hurt us we've got good players quality players on the bench we'd like to see Mainu get a few minutes we'd like to see Ivan Toni get a few minutes because I think Toni would be important even more so than Watkins for me I think Ivan Toni could be really important to this team and So you would go with Ivan Toni No, not moving forward I would like to see them get more minutes More so to rest Harry Kane Because I think in previous tournaments He has looked a bit tired towards the end There's an extra game in this tournament More heat, more humidity in this tournament And I think we're in danger of getting dragged into Who's going to win the Golden Boots Rather than who's going to win the World Cup And we're seeing Ronaldo He's playing the other day at 41 Because he wants to be in this Golden Boot race and I think you see the humility of Haaland and of Messi.

8:43I've seen the Argentina coach come out and say Messi wanted to rest and give his teammates some game time. When he's trying to win the World Cup for Argentina first, then get the golden boot. So I just think players now are dictating a lot what they want to do. Do you think Thomas Tuchel's selection might come back and bite him somewhere? Because already you're getting people criticising him for not taking another right back. Like, you know, Rhys James has got injured. Livermanto got injured and they brought in Trevor Chalabar. Is now the kind of time you're thinking, well, why didn't you take Trent?

9:21Well, are you surprised that Rhys James got injured? No, but apparently he said in the press conference, nobody saw this coming. That was a concern with the squad he picked. I think you've got Rhys James who you can't rely on. You've got John Stones who you can't rely on. Livermanto was injured before the tournament. and then a big surprise was Shallaber getting brought in when Living Mental went home I just think having that balance Luke Shaw or Lewis Hall I know the left backs you can put Spence on Spence but then the concern was the last game whether or not he does it for tomorrow if you've got Jed Spence there you have to play him right back I don't think the Kwan's one worked I don't want to well he got he picked up enough during that game as well didn't he?

10:06So, the defence was a big worry for me in the play, more so than a folding and palmer not going. I think the defence just in terms of reliability was a concern. Were you also surprised to see Jordan Henderson come on and Kobe maybe not get any minutes? Yeah, look, I think I was surprised that Jordan Henderson was actually in the squad in the first place. But then obviously then coming and seeing out a game, you bring on a 30-plus-year-old and not a 20-some-year-old who can do exactly the same. And who's proven to have done it. And probably has three more tournaments ahead of him that can grow into this tournament.

10:43Surprises me in that sense, to be honest with you. I'm not sure how I would feel as Cobby Menuh, watching him going on. But again, you've got to be a team player, but how I feel about watching him going on when I'm sat there. But I think sometimes as well as a manager, and I've been there and you like certain players and you're loyal to that player. And that's an emotional feeling. and as a top manager at World Cups, I'm not just saying too silly, I'm saying all the managers, you need to get away from that because you need to play the best players for that moment in the game and he might have felt Jordan Henderson was the best player for that moment in that situation but you can clearly see he really likes John Stones, he really likes Jordan Henderson for different reasons, not just on the pitch and he really doesn't like Trent.

11:31And sometimes the best decision is not the one which probably helps you or helps the team. It's the one which you need to do when you want the best. We've seen it with Neymar now with Brazil. Neymar probably shouldn't be there with Brazil. But you're seeing players getting picked because the manager or the pressure of that name. I've tried not to be reactionary throughout this whole tournament. But I feel like, bar like about 15 minutes against Croatia, I don't think we've really seen England under Thomas Tuchel play imaginative football. It's all felt a bit turgid at times. It's all felt a bit...

12:09Personally, I feel like if we were still putting in some of these performances, if Gareth Southgate was manager, he'd be getting lambasted by the press. And not being able to break down teams with a low block, it feels a bit disappointing. What is imaginative football? Well, breaking down a low block for a start. Then you need to give people freedom to go and express themselves. And we don't, in your, in regular football, when I say regular football, in the club football, it's all structured. We see it with Man City, it's all structured. And a lot more teams are doing that. Whereas when we were playing, you basically got to do whatever you want.

12:47You'd be on the left wing. I'll be on the right wing. I'll come back into the middle and we just interchange and we just have, not fun, but We imagine things up and then we just take players on. They don't necessarily do that. It's very, very structured now. And we need to... Do you think players don't have it in them anymore? No, they do. They're very talented players, I'll tell you that now. But they need to be able to just go, well, I'm going to go and do this and I'm going to go and get at this player. When I was playing at Leicester, we'd say, manager will come to you. You've got to take him on.

13:18I need you to get this many crosses in. If you don't get that many crosses in, he's going to tell you about it so we need to be able to be pushing them to do the better things that we know they can do I think players you know when you're used to playing there's a session put on and I used to join in the times because I'd play out wide and it's 1v1 you get your ball out wide you've got to take him on and get across the box and I don't like from when I see teams training which I've seen quite a few teams I don't see that anymore and whatever but I think there's no coincidence that the best player for me for England this tournament so far has been Jude Bellingham who plays off the cuff and Jude's not a player who you know you'd never see him in the same place one time he's on the back land next time he's in midfield he's dropping deeper and because he plays off the cuff and so when you're talking about breaking a low block he done it during the night where he made the run in behind into our left and he gets to cross in for Harry to score when you need players to play on instinct as well rather than just being in the position and if the ball's coming from side to side, it needs to be something different from a player which...

14:25Because the opposition, no, this is the structure of what England are playing or what France are playing. But it takes someone to say, right, I'm going to do something which you can't train, which players just use their imagination. They get at someone or there's a deep run from the field and I just think it's too much now. You want your five or six on the top line, and your two number 10s in the pocket, well, sometimes you need, you know, that number 10 to be a second striker or, you know. So would you change around a formation in the middle of the game? So, for example, with the England game the other day against Ghana?

15:03Well, a low block doesn't need your number nine in Harry Kane dropping deep. A low block needs your number nine to stay high and keep them pinned back and keep that back line staying as a back line because, yeah, I get it. You have midfield runners run beyond, but I think that's where, and I think it was the first three minutes of the night where Harry dropped deep and you seen Tuchel go mad in the touchdown. Yeah, tried to pick it out. So that's where that's going to be Tuchel's biggest. Yeah, you don't want your number nine there, do you? No, I think you've got to have an understanding as well, but he plays like that.

15:36So we allow that. But then if he's going to come in there, then who's going to make the runs? Well, that's it with Bayern Munich. He's got Alise and Diaz making. You've got to make that because when I played with him, I know he wants to get on the ball. He's more of a 10 than a 9, so he wants to get on the ball. So my thing is I've got two defenders here and I've got to make them move back. So I'm making runs in behind. I don't want the ball. I'm making runs in behind, so they drop. I'm making a run behind this one as well, then he drops. I keep doing that. I know I don't want the ball, but even if you play it once, they have to drop.

16:07Even if I'm offside, they're going to have to drop because they're like, oh, I don't want to get on a foot race with him. then suddenly he's got he's got room in between that he can play in we don't we don't really do that we don't make anyone in behind I think I think Jude was probably the only one that really made it in the first game I think when Morgan Rodgers came on he made one in behind they they need to start doing that but that's dropping into a number 10 area and we've done it okay against Croatia because Croatia weren't that deep but still you don't want them dropping in further further like taking the ball so he was dropping as the number six and Anderson and Declan Rice were moving out and then a couple of times we lost the ball we can see them from one when Jude lost it so Totty used to do brilliant for Roma Totty played as that false nine he'd drop in and then he had the runners but you want it that needs to be he drops in he runs not dropping in dropping in because then the runs are too late and the defenders can see it so it's all about the timing of it Speaking about the wingers as well Who would you have in there?

17:11Rashford or Gordon? And is it Saka or Maduweke? Saka's fit. Saka goes. Yeah, Saka's fit. He starts. He's one that creates probably a little bit more than Maduweke. And even when he comes in and has shots, he was unlucky in the Garner game. I think on the left-hand side, I'd take either or. I'm not sure if Rashford's more of an impact player, but I like the way he gets out of the defence. I think Gordon never stops. even though the Garnet had his number, but he never stopped. He kept on trying. He kept on trying. Sometimes you do things different. But then his continuous runs, then when Rashford comes on and does something different, makes the defender think as well.

17:56So sometimes you need to bring, you need that first player to wear them down, then for another one to really get. So would you go for with Gordon to begin with and bring Rashford on? Possibly. Do you feel like that's the best? The problem I found with the wingers, what we've had is everything is inside the pitch so if you watch Spain they create this U shape so there's always a link and then the pass to the winger is not a big long pass or it's it's not the winger having to come really deep to get on the ball there's a link then you can keep your wide players wide then that pass goes in then the 1v1 if the pass is long you know they're always getting doubled up on or if they're coming deep they're too far away from the goal so we're not getting them in areas good enough so I feel for the wingers they're not getting them in areas good enough where they can say go and get them 1v1 they come too deep to get on the ball or the pass is too long and then you can't really do anything you get the ball and most of the time you've got to knock it back or back and tired everything O 'Reilly the last game O 'Reilly's coming in tired Bellingham was in tired then he's making the runs in behind but actually you just need that link outside of their midfield so you say to Elliot Anderson go to O 'Reilly then he can go to Rashford quick then he can get at him the pass is too long Well the best crosses that came in the other night were from Bellingham weren't they that created the goal like I mean where do you see his position in all of this as well because they played him deeper didn't they They did and I think against that opposition against the low block you can play him deeper because Bellingham's a player of intensity and desire and you know of drive where you can actually play him deeper where he can come off the back of people and make them runs.

19:37I think playing with his back to goal is probably not his biggest stint. You want Bellingham to run forward and run in. If you want players to play at the back for goal, the two he's left behind are probably the best two to do that. So I think Rodgers is probably better suited to playing with his back to goal, where Bellingham's more against the empty, but against the bigger teams. I think you're going to see Duden in that.

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21:08we saw obviously Elliot Adam Souther has got a massive move to Manchester City it was like 116 to 130 mil people are quoting did you think he put in a performance worthy of that price tag the other night I think you've got to look past the price tag because the reality is you've got players I think they were talking about the lad is it Alex Scott from Bournemouth now if If he's that, what is he? You know, it's just what everyone's going to play. But I think you're in danger of players' careers here. And I think Elliot Lantz is a fantastic player. I'm gutted that Man United didn't get him, to be honest.

21:48But I think we've seen it with players go for big money. We've seen it with Calvin Phillips from Leeds. And Jack Grealish, to some extent, obviously Jack's won a lot of things. but now all of a sudden because the manager didn't fancy him anymore you know he's been in limbo whatever and you pay this money for players which is very difficult to turn down and the clubs obviously can't turn it down but they end up getting left in a position where you know they don't fit in and it's and the thing is the beating stick is always going to be the price tag we saw it with Harry Maguire right yeah I'm from Leicester so we're happy that we got him.

22:32The beat of sticks are always going to be that and it's not fair, you know, he's a fantastic player. And the salaries as well, because they pay that much money, the salaries go bigger. Then teams will struggle to pay the salaries. So they end up stuck and they end up, like Phillips, think of the Euros, what years ago? Four years ago. It was like, it was 2021. Euro 2020, yeah, so 2021, yeah. So five years ago, Phillips is in there every game next to Rice. And then since then, you know, he's gone missing. Do you like that midfield pivot though with Rice and Anderson? Yes, but I think in the Ghana game, I don't think it was needed.

23:14A game with Devin Rice is an unbelievable player. But then because they sat deep, we're asking Devin Rice to play in a number 10 position with us back to goal. So that's where in them games, you want players who can unlock it and be a bit more, you know, get on the half-turn. And Jude's not really that player as well. So we've got two number 10s who are probably not suited to that game. Now, when we play against the better teams, we're going to have a go. There's no one better than Rice and Bellingham in them situations. Well, we're playing Congo next. You've seen how they've performed already during this tournament.

23:48They played Portugal and they managed to get a draw out of them. You know, they kept Ronaldo quiet. What team would you play against Congo? Me for the front three I'd go with I'm going to contradict what I said before I'd probably go with Rashford obviously Kane and if Saka's fit enough I'd go with that I'll go strong I'll go the strongest you possibly can and then do you need do you necessarily need two holding I'd go with Rice and I'd go with Maynou and Bellingham because I think Maynou can give you it's almost So you hold it here, Maynou here and Bellingham there so it's a bit scattered because Maynou can give you a bit of both but in tight areas that's Maynou's biggest strength I think.

24:36Very press resistant. His feet in tight areas and then he has got a little pass. I think he's the only one who is capable of doing that in them tight areas. No, I agree. I would have probably gone with Morgan and Bellingham back and understand that one. So you play Morgan Rodgers and Jude Bellingham as two tens? Yeah. With Rice, right? And Rice at the scene. Interesting. Now, if we're looking at our defense, it looks a bit shaky. Who would you go for? Well, it picks itself. I don't mean it. Do you think though? Really? Well, who else are you going to put in? I mean, I'm asking you, you guys are the experts.

25:15Gae and Konza.

25:20Spence, because Kwanzaa is not... because I think they went three when Kwanzaa was, they kind of made it into a three. The only thing when making it into a three, if that winger is not willing to come back, then you're finished. This right centre-back needs to be able to work in the right back space. And being a centre-back, going out wide, no centre-back wants to go out wide. They don't want to be out there. That's why he has a forward. You drag them out there and you try and isolate them 1v1. They don't want to be out there. So really, you need a winger that's going to try and track back and help out in that sense until you can shuffle across.

25:58I'd go Spencer and O 'Reilly at full-backs. This is where I would like to have seen a Lewis Hall or a Luke Shaw because I think O 'Reilly's better from higher positions. But in terms of the squad we've got, I'd go Spencer and O 'Reilly. I think Kwanzaa did the other day. You could see he's not really a right-back in the last game. So I go put players in the positions which they're comfortable with. Are you comfortable with O 'Reilly's defending? No. But you've got to remember, so my boys are playing in the City Academy, so I've watched, he's a number 10. Yeah. Wow. Well, that goes back to the team we said before.

26:44If you're comfortable with the left back, you play O 'Reilly's number 10 against a low block because then you can get the ball out wide and get cross in the box. He's a massive threat from that position. So if I was comfortable and we had the left back who is balanced and is good at defending, put O 'Reilly in Bellingham as the number 10 and then you get the ball wide and then all of a sudden you've got Bellingham, O 'Reilly, Harry Kane making the box. And that's how you break a low block. Absolutely, yeah. But I think going back to O 'Reilly, which is really difficult at times. You're judging him off as a left-back, as a defender, and he's not a defender.

27:25So 1v1, he will do okay at times, but he come up against the wrong forward. So you come up against the French side, Douay, Dembele, Olisse, it'll be a long day. It's interesting that, you know, you guys are saying that he's not a left-back and the reasons that you're giving are probably the same reasons people would give for Trent and Trent's not even in the team. Do you know what I mean? Because people say he's great going forward and he's amazing. He can unlock defences or whatever with some of the balls he's putting in. But he can't defend. It's clearly sort of a bit deeper, isn't it? I think to what it is.