Dear Gareth,
As we Gooners savour our team sitting pretty, 5 points clear at the top of the Premier League, our thoughts, for most of us at least, may turn to the World Cup. We probably don’t want it or approve of it, but we do have several of our stars, although thankfully not as many as some of our rivals, set to grace the global stage.
I am well aware that for the majority of fans, club will always come before country, and many would sooner all the Arsenal players were getting a well-earned rest. I am not in that number and will always tale immense pride in seeing one of our players pull on the 3 Lions shirt. I still recall my teenage pride in 1982 when Rix was selected ahead of Hoddle, and the song that resulted. Who cannot think back to Euro 96 and not think ‘our captain’?
This being the case I was delighted to see Ben White receive the call up he richly deserved, which gave us a magnificent trio of Arsenal boys in Southgate’s England 26. What follows are a few personal thoughts on the prospects for Saka, Ramsdale and White ahead of this weekend’s World Cup kick off. Given Southgate’s perverse loyalty to certain players and odd selections much of what I think is unlikely, but I wanted to get it off my chest – let’s call it an open letter to Gareth!
Bukayo Saka has been regularly utilised by the England Manager, if not always in the position in which he shines for us. In the Euro’s last summer when our right-sided attacker played in that role for England, for example against Germany – the Lions roared. The question I would pose to Southgate, and I hope one he is asking himself, is: why do you see it as a choice between Foden and Saka on the right of your attack?
Aside from Kevin de Bruyne, Foden and Saka are (statistically) and in my opinion the two most exciting creative players in the league. Both can create and score for fun and BOTH must start, where they start for their clubs. Yes Gareth, Pep Guardiola sold his third choice left sided attacker, Sterling this summer because he knew he had Foden and Grealish. So, selecting Raheem Sterling on the left when Phil Foden is starting there for City is madness. Yes, we all know Sterling has never let you down, but the now Chelsea player is yesterday and Foden is our future.
Gareth – it’s Foden AND Saka not one or the other
So, if you insist on playing a back 3, and for the record I hope you don’t, then the front 3 in your 343 MUST be Foden on the left where he dazzles for City and Saka on the right, a position where he is indisputably the best (Englishman) in the league. Stop this either/or nonsense and do what their own managers do and what every England fan wants and play BOTH. Grealish can be first change for Foden, as he is for City and Sterling can cover Saka.
As a PS on this, if you get adventurous Gareth and switch to 4231, then play Phil Foden at 10 and choose between Grealish and Sterling on the left. There is NO reason to shift Bukayo from the right in either formation. Trust us Gooners, he will not let you down.
So, to Benjamin White, quite possibly the most consistent English defender of the club season to date. I know why you have selected him, and it is not just on form, it is because in the absence of the injured Walker, White can cover both right back and right centre back for you as the City man does. I can respect that, and – not being a blinkered Arsenal fan – I would fully respect Trippier being selected ahead of our boy as a right wing back if you do indeed start the tournament with a back three. (Against the MIGHTY IRAN!!!!)
Right Centre back in a 3?
However, we all know that White can play on the right of a three, and with the greatest respect to Conner Coady, and sadly knowing you will start Maguire, then for speed, youth and ball playing ability, White surely must start with Stones and Maguire. Sadly, I fear it will not be White or Coady but Eric Dier who will start with your two favourites. I am sure the whole situation would be made easier for you dear Gareth, had you selected a left footed centre back for balance but why seek a natural leftie when you can pick a right footer, low on confidence and form, who cannot get near the Man United starting 11. Yes, we all know, ‘he has never let you down’!!
Lastly, we turn to our favourite joker and shot stopper, Aaron Ramsdale. I respect that Pickford is England’s Number 1 and let’s face it: being at Everton rather then Arsenal he gets far more practice then Ramsdale. Pickford undoubtedly has great distribution, and we know that you value that quality, and rightly so. Which is why the whole nation was baffled that in the last 2 matches before the tournament, when you had the opportunity to scrutinise both your reserve keepers, Pope and Ramsdale, in action, you declined to. You watched Nick Pope, a fabulous traditional goalkeeper, make errors and presumably learned what we ALL already knew – that Pope will make great saves but cannot pass a football for toffee!
Surely England’s Keeper elect.
Even his own club manager, Eddie Howe, has commented on how his staff are working with Pope, to improve his distribution and footwork under pressure. Do you really know more than the staff at Newcastle who work with him daily Gareth? Without club bias and purely as an England supporter it is Ramsdale who should be challenging Pickford and waiting in the wings if needed. Ramsdale is also capable of impossible saves but also has pinpoint passing under pressure and long ball accuracy that can turn defence into attack for his country, as he does for Arsenal.
In conclusion Gareth, please use your eyes and not your overly loyal and cautious head. Pick the players on their current form, in their club positions and maybe don’t pick a back 5 versus the Mighty Iranians just to fit Harry in!
Thanks,
Dave
(An interested Gooner)
Passionate fifty-something Arsenal supporter who has been making the journey to N5 regularly since the early 1980s – although his first game was in 1976. Always passionate when talking about The Arsenal, Dave decided to send a guest blog to Gunnersphere in the summer of 2011 and has not stopped writing about the Gunners since.
He set up his own site – 1 Nil Down 2 One Up – in February 2012, which he moved on in 2016 to concentrate on freelance writing and building Gunners Town, which he launched with Paul in 2014.
The objective of GT was to be new and fresh and to give a platform for likeminded passionate Arsenal fans wishing to write about their team. Dave still of course, writes for the site himself and advises the ever-changing writing crew.
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