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4 months ago
26 Ian Wright has slammed Gareth Southgate’s decision to not bring an extra left-back for Euro 2024, with Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka expected to start at left-wing back for England’s quarter-final clash with Switzerland.
Not only have England performed poorly at the European Championship, they’re somehow in the quarter-finals and Luke Shaw has not played one single minute of football since the squad arrived in Germany.
Southgate took a gamble on Shaw’s fitness by naming a left-back, who has not played a competitive match in over four months, in his 26-man England squad.
The 28-year-old has been recovering from a hamstring injury ever since, but Southgate hoped Shaw could return to full fitness in time for England’s knockout games.
Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier has filled in at left-back in Shaw’s absence, but Southgate is set to switch up his formation against Switzerland. We could see Saka deployed as a left-wing-back if Southgate opts to play with a back-three.
Former Arsenal star Ian Wright told The Overlap: “It would be a shame. I mentioned it previously because our manager… it’s so thick not to bring a back-up to Luke Shaw and it [Saka at left wing-back] was something that I mentioned as a solution.”
Wright received stick from Arsenal supporters for suggesting Saka could play at left wing-back, but the BBC pundit is not bothered about what they have to say on the matter.
He added: “I’m not bothered about what they’re saying! The fact is that I put a question to everybody about now we haven’t got a left-back, we’ve got someone who has played there, so you ask the question.
“People can do that [criticise], I’m not bothered about that. I’m more talking about getting that left side going.
“So if it’s Luke Shaw and he can do it then that’s fine. If Gareth now says he’s going to play Saka there then hopefully that will get in going.”
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