The biggest football tournament in the world, the World Cup, has finally arrived. The prestigious tournament only takes place every four years as the best thirty two national teams from around the world come together and battle it out in an attempt to get their hands on the World Cup trophy.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Danny Welbeck can offer a lot to the England national side, if he is picked for the World Cup in Russia. The 27-year-old has endured an injury-plagued spell during his time at the Emirates, but he has found form at the right time with five goals in as many games for the Gunners.
Fulham teenager Ryan Sessegnon is unfazed by the talk of him representing the England national side during this summer’s World Cup finals in Russia. The 17-year-old has stood out for the Cottagers during the course of the current season, and this recently saw him named the EFL Player of the Year at the London Football Awards.
Despite Sessegnon’s prowess, he has yet to earn his maiden cap with the Gareth Southgate’s side, but he remains hopeful of making the cut for the World Cup, just like compatriots Theo Walcott and Michael Owen in the past, he said: “Who knows? Theo Walcott did it, Michael Owen did it so I could be ready. If I did get the call, it would be a fantastic achievement. I’ll be ready if I get the call. If I don’t, I’ll be cheering them on the TV hoping they do well. It is nice for the gaffer to say that about me. Who knows? Hopefully it will happen.”
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Burnley manager Sean Dyche claims that England boss Gareth Southgate will determine if James Tarkowski is good enough for the England national team. Ben Mee has been in the England over the last couple of months after some impressive performances with Burnley, who have been excellent at the back in the Premier League. Very few teams have been able to score past the clarets this season, as Mee has formed an excellent partnership with Tarkowski at the back. Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are the only three teams to have kept more clean sheets than Burnley in the Premier league this season.
In terms of the headed clearances and blocks made by players over the course of the campaign, Mee and Tarkowski are in the top five list. Speaking with regard to the potential call-ups for the England national team, Dyche says that it is up to Southgate in order to determine the ability of the two players in the next few months. Southgate has major decisions to make with regard to the players who will be traveling with the squad for the World Cup 2018. After a comfortable qualification campaign, England have a major job ahead of the tournament after their failures in recent events.
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Gareth Southgate has revealed that four or five of the young players he gave international debuts to over the last two friendly games are now options for the World Cup squad next year in Russia.
The England boss introduced Jordan Pickford, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Joe Gomez and Harry Maguire to the global stage and all of them impressed during the games against Germany and Brazil. There were also first caps for Tammy Abraham, Dominic Solanke and Jack Cork.
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Arsenal legend-turned-pundit Ian Wright believes Marcus Rashford has the potential to turn out to be a world-class performer for both club and country.
Speaking on ITV, he said: “He’s driven. What he said there, Premier League, Champions League and World Cup. Some people might laugh and scoff at that but when you look at him and look at his dedication and drive, you wouldn’t put that past him. People will say ‘yeah, he’s not going to do it with England’ but if everybody can start having that same drive and vision, anything could happen. It’s great to see.”
Rashford have moved a long way since his debut against Midtjylland in the Europa League in February 2016, and he is now considered as a regular for both club and country. Rashford has already won four titles with the United first-team, and Wright feels that the attacker should feature in a more central role due to his precise movement which often leaves defenders behind, he added: “I would love to see him have a berth right up the centre. His pace, his movement, he’s got I think some of the best movement in the players we’ve got.” (more…)
Watford manager Marco Silva admits that the pressure is off English striker Andre Gray, who arrived from Burnley on a club-record £18m fee.
Gray, who scored nine league goals for Sean Dyche’s Burnley last term, is the Hornets’ seventh signing of the transfer window, and Silva is adamant that there is no added pressure on the striker due to his price tag.
He said: “It’s not the most important for me and it’s not the most important for the player. I want him to play here with normal pressures and not because of the price but because he’s come to Watford to work hard and win his position. I know he’s a player who wanted to come to Watford, which is important as well. He wants to improve in his career and fight for his position in the team and to improve our squad.” (more…)
France hosted and then defeated England in an international friendly game on Tuesday.
Skipper Harry Kane started the night on a brilliant note when he scored a Ryan Bertrand cross in the first ten minutes. The goal forced the French team to go into attack mode. England national team boss Gareth Southgate had experimented with rave of the moment three man defence which suffered in the hands of the quick French attack.
Tom Heaton and Jack Butland played 45 minutes each. The Burnley keeper denied Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele but Samuel Umtiti and DjibrilSidibe got the rebounds that sent France into the lead before the break. The Barcelona defender scored in the 22nd minute while Sidibe added his 21 minutes later.
The video assistant referee was employed in the game when minutes after the break Varane fouled Dele Alli. The referee awarded a penalty which Kane converted for his second of the night.
France kept on with the attacks as the trio of Manchester United star Paul Pogba, Monaco teenage sensation KylianMbappe and Barcelona interest Dembele made England sweat. Twelve minutes from the end of regular play Mbappe and Dembele combined to get the third goal for France. (more…)
Red Devils and Three Lions skipper Wayne Rooney is expected to miss upcoming England game against Scotland and France, Sky Sports claims.
England men’s senior team manager Gareth South is expected to release the list of players that would prosecute the games soonest. England are to play Scotland on June 10 before a friendly against their ally France in Paris three days after the Glasgow fixture.
The Man United star missed the games against Germany and Lithuania in March as Southgate preferred other stars. If the record goalscorer for England misses the games, he might not get another chance this year. There would be calls that he play in Russia if England qualifies for the 2018 World Cup but that would only be a poor end to his illustrious career. (more…)
England midfielder Ross Barkley has told his club Everton FC that he wants to play in the Champions League.
There have been reports that Man United and Chelsea want the native star in their lineup. The Toffees boss Ronald Koeman revealed that Barkley has issues with the current ambitions of his boyhood club.
“I spoke to Ross several weeks ago and he mentioned his ambition, Champions League, and I told him I have the same ambition,”Koeman said.
The Merseyside manager tried convincing the player that the club was on that same path. He said Barkley was a key player and a home grown talent of the club. (more…)