Frank Lampard is keen to see Kobbie Mainoo start for England in the group stages (Reuters)
Frank Lampard has urged Gareth Southgate to start Kobbie Mainoo for England’s Euro 2024 clash against Denmark on Thursday.
England currently sit top of Group C following their 1-0 win on Serbia on Sunday night and will secure their place in the knockout stage with another victory against Denmark, who drew 1-1 with Slovenia in their opening game.
Trent Alexander-Arnold started in midfield alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham for the game against Serbia, but questions have been raised over his suitability for the role given his main first-team experience is playing at right-back for Liverpool.
And Lampard says he is keen to see Mainoo given the chance to impress during England’s run in the group stage and believes the 19-year-old midfielder has looked ‘unfazed’ since breaking through at Manchester United this season.
‘There are definitely questions as well, I think the midfield there’s still a question mark about Trent’s position in there,’ Lampard told BBC Sport.
‘I’m a massive fan of his but to come in at this level and play in midfield, there are so many different elements to the game that you have to understand, especially when he ends up higher up the pitch centrally and there’s a lot of pressing coming from behind, I think that’s something that maybe we look at.
Frank Lampard says he has a ‘question mark’ over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s role in midfield (Icon Sport via Getty)
‘And that left side of the pitch, we’ve all seen Phil Foden this year, possibly the best player in the Premier League, we all want to see that in an England shirt but getting that balance on the side of the pitch, until Luke Shaw is fit, as good as Kieran Trippier is, to open out and stretch the game, Phil Foden comes inside, have more possession to find the players between lines, it feels like a bit of a process at the minute that we need to get to quickly.’
Asked who he would play in midfield ahead of Alexander-Arnold, Lampard replied: ‘I think I would look at Kobiee Mainoo and think about putting him in.
‘I just think these kids sometimes come along and they just settle straight into the team. And they just have this awareness.
‘He plays that pass through the lines. You need to be able to find the pass at the right time, Cesc [Fabregas] was brilliant at doing it, through a tight space, through a tight line. I think he sees it, nothing fazes him.
‘I would certainly like to look at him at this stage. I think there’s definitely room for Trent to still be there, that position in midfield where you can get your head up and see a pass, he can out-pass anyone in the team, Trent. It’s just those tighter areas where you’re getting passes away quickly with pressure coming from different directions, you learn it for …read more
Source:: Metro
