Former England captain Wayne Rooney has expressed disbelief, calling it “mind-boggling” that Trent Alexander-Arnold was not included in manager Thomas Tuchel’s final squad selections before the upcoming World Cup, despite the player’s recent form for Real Madrid. The omission occurred during England’s March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, a period when other right-back options were unavailable due to injury.
Context of the Omission
Alexander-Arnold, a key player for Liverpool, had been sidelined with a thigh injury, but had featured regularly for his club since recovering in January. His absence from the March friendlies, particularly with Chelsea’s Reece James also out injured, raised eyebrows among observers and former players. Ben White of Arsenal started at right-back in both games, even scoring against Uruguay.
Rooney’s Strong Stance
Speaking on the “Wayne Rooney Podcast,” the former Manchester United star was unequivocal in his criticism. “No disrespect to Ben White – I think he’s a fantastic player – but for him to be in the squad and playing ahead of Trent is mind-boggling,” Rooney stated.
The situation is compounded by the fact that Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, Tottenham’s Djed Spence, and Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa were all selected in Tuchel’s extended 35-man squad for those final home friendlies before the World Cup. Alexander-Arnold, who last played for England as a substitute in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra in June of the previous year, has been left out of Tuchel’s last four matchday squads.
Jagielka’s View on Alexander-Arnold
Phil Jagielka, a former teammate of Alexander-Arnold’s at Everton, offered a different perspective, suggesting that the dynamic full-back still deserves a place in the final tournament squad. “I think he probably still makes it,” Jagielka commented. “You need your best players.”
He elaborated, stating, “If [Alexander-Arnold] proves he can play half as well as he played for most of his time at Liverpool, he’s definitely worth taking on the plane. If Reece James is fit, you put him in [at right-back].”
Debate Over Right-Back Options
Even Rooney, who acknowledged James as his preferred choice at right-back, labeled the Chelsea defender as “unreliable” as a pure full-back. “Reece James isn’t the most defensive,” Rooney noted. “In terms of the lads who are there, you wouldn’t say they’re the best defensively anyway, any of them.” This suggests a broader concern about the defensive solidity of England’s full-back options.
Left-Back Conundrum
The discussion also extended to the left-back position, where Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly and Newcastle’s Lewis Hall are considered frontrunners. O’Reilly has enjoyed a stellar season with Manchester City, contributing nine goals and six assists in 50 appearances across all competitions. Hall has been a standout performer for Newcastle, featuring in 44 games and playing a role in their Champions League run.
Jagielka, while admiring O’Reilly’s attacking prowess, believes the Manchester City player needs defensive improvement to secure the starting left-back role. “I really, really enjoy watching O’Reilly, but he gets caught out of defence,” Jagielka observed. “He doesn’t get asked to play left-back when he’s at Manchester City. I’d go O’Reilly at this moment in time, but there’s literally nothing between him and Lewis.”
Rooney, however, favors Manchester United’s Luke Shaw, who was England’s starting left-back at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup. “We don’t need our full-backs to be the most attacking; we need them to defend,” Rooney argued. “Keep the balance and let the attacking player win you the games. Luke Shaw can’t [attack] as much now, but what he can do is defend.”
Tuchel’s Squad Uncertainty
Manager Thomas Tuchel utilized experimental line-ups in the March friendlies, notably fielding Phil Foden as a false nine against Japan in the absence of injured captain Harry Kane. Rooney acknowledged Tuchel’s efforts to assess fringe players but expressed concern over the perceived indecision regarding the core of the squad.
“We’ve created pressure,” Rooney said. “I like what Tuchel has done, but I still think, at this stage, you should be having question marks on one or two players. It seems like he’s still trying to figure out the rest of his squad, and 10 [starting] players.”
Looking Ahead
England is set to begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17th. The team will then face Ghana in Boston on June 23rd, followed by a final group fixture against Panama in New Jersey on June 27th. The ongoing debate surrounding key positions, particularly at full-back, highlights the critical decisions manager Thomas Tuchel faces as he finalizes his squad, with the performances and fitness of players like Alexander-Arnold, James, O’Reilly, and Hall likely to be closely monitored in the lead-up to the tournament.
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