The Sun reported that Roy Walker stated on a program that for England to progress in the FIFA World Cup, Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Saka all need to be in top form.

Roy Walker said on "Proper Football Daily" that Bellingham looked sharp and Harry Kane was playing his usual game. He noted that Bellingham was excellent against Panama, particularly in the second half, constantly pushing the team forward and likely the best player on the field. Harry Kane scored a "typical Harry Kane goal," Walker said.

Walker noted that while these players must perform, other players need to step up as well. He believes Saka will gradually build momentum. Walker explained that Saka made his first substantial start against Panama and needed time to regain match rhythm. He praised Saka as a brilliant player whose performances have stood out despite injuries over recent seasons. As a senior team member, Saka needs to lead matches just as Bellingham and Kane do.

However, Walker said he didn't fully understand Saka's positioning on the field. He noted in his analysis that Saka often played almost like a wing-back. Walker felt both wingers, particularly Rashford on the left, were dropping too deep. After watching England's recent matches against Ghana and Panama, he observed that wingers were taking on too many defensive responsibilities. He recalled telling wingers when he played for England: "Leave the defense to me, focus on attacking." He values defense but wants wingers to always have enough energy to attack when they get the ball. This requires better communication between full-backs and wingers.

Walker also discussed frequent rotation at right-back. He noted that England has been rotating Reece James, Spencer, and Jarrell Quansah at this position, while Tuchel also called up Trevor Chalobah, who isn't a natural right-back, and forced Quansah into the role despite his preference for center-back. Walker believes Tuchel likely saw Quansah as able to contribute to the team's overall function, which is why Trent Alexander-Arnold wasn't selected. Walker acknowledged that managers are paid to make these decisions and must get them right, hoping this proves to be an excellent choice. There's been considerable external discussion about this position, with Trent's name frequently mentioned. Walker thinks it's unfortunate that Trent will miss this FIFA World Cup.

As the FIFA World Cup enters the knockout stage, many top teams are competing for the world championship. England manager Tuchel hopes to end the team's 60-year wait and bring the World Cup trophy home. However, strong teams like France, Spain, Brazil, and Germany are all genuine contenders for the title. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo show no signs of decline, and this may be their final FIFA World Cup.

Walker noted that while players competing in major tournaments must possess exceptional talent, and those at Real Madrid especially so, Tuchel has built this England team in a way he believes is most suitable. He said the team is built for counter-attacking, with pace up front and sufficient impact in midfield. When discussing Palmer and Foden, Walker couldn't help but wonder why they weren't selected. He believes Tuchel is focusing on the team's wide speed and getting the ball forward as quickly as possible—a strategy that could prove advantageous against strong teams like Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Argentina, since England won't have much possession in those matches.

Walker emphasized that England must learn to play as a team quickly, because losing means going home. He stressed that the team can't rely on individual players alone; everyone must contribute, and against stronger opponents, everyone needs to improve by 5-10 percent. England made a good start against Croatia but hit some rough patches after drawing with Ghana. The Panama match wasn't perfect, but the team found form and ultimately topped the group. That was the main objective. Walker stated that the knockout stage is where true winners are decided—you can't win the championship in the group stage, but you can be eliminated there. He emphasized that wearing this uniform means playing with pride, and since the emblem on the chest matters, they must give their all. From here on, England must play their best football because every match will be difficult.

AI翻訳。

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