The Sun reports that Walker stated on the programme that for England to go far in the FIFA World Cup, Bellingham, Kane and Saka need to be in top form.

Walker said on "Proper Football Daily" that Bellingham appears to be in excellent form and Kane is doing what he always does. Walker said Bellingham was probably the best player on the pitch against Panama, especially in the second half, constantly driving the team forward, while Kane scored a "typical Kane goal".

Walker stated that these players must, of course, perform at a high level, but others also need to step up. He believes Saka will gradually hit his stride now. Walker said Saka had only his first major opportunity as a starter against Panama and needs to regain match rhythm. Walker noted that Saka is an excellent player and, despite injuries in recent seasons, his performances have been outstanding. As one of the team's more experienced members, Saka also needs to take the lead in matches, just like Bellingham and Kane.

However, Walker also mentioned concerns about Saka's positioning on the pitch. He noted in his analysis that Saka was almost playing as a winger. Walker believes both wingers, especially Rashford on the left, have dropped too deep. He said he watched England's last two matches against Ghana and Panama, and the wingers took on too many defensive duties. Walker recalled that when he played for England, whenever there was a winger in front of him, he would always tell them: "Leave the defence to me; you focus on attacking". He values defence highly and expects wingers to maintain plenty of energy on the ball so they can take on opponents. This also requires better communication between full-backs and wingers.

Walker also discussed the frequent rotation at right-back. He said England has rotated Reece James, Spence and Jarell Quansah in that position, and Tuchel has also called up Trevor Chalobah, who is not a natural right-back, while Quansah has also been forced to play there. Walker believes Quansah prefers to play as a centre-back, and Tuchel probably felt that Quansah could better serve the team's overall functionality, which is why he did not select Trent Alexander-Arnold. Walker said the manager is paid to make decisions and must make the right ones, and he hopes this proves to be an excellent choice. There has been much discussion about this position, and Trent's name is frequently mentioned. Walker believes Trent's absence from this FIFA World Cup is very unfortunate.

As the FIFA World Cup enters the knockout stage, many strong teams remain in contention 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 genuine favourites to win the title. Messi and Ronaldo also show no signs of slowing down, and this could be their last FIFA World Cup.

Walker stated that he has participated in many major tournaments and events, and those who can play for Real Madrid certainly have exceptional qualities, but Tuchel is building the team in the way he believes is most suitable for this England squad. He said this team is suited for counter-attacking football, with pace up front and sufficient impact in midfield. When mentioning Palmer and Foden, Walker could not help but wonder why they were not selected. Walker believes Tuchel focused on pace down the wings and getting the ball forward as quickly as possible, an approach that could benefit England when facing strong teams like Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Argentina, since England will likely not have much possession then.

Walker emphasised that England must quickly grasp collective football, because losing means going home. He said the team cannot rely solely on individual players; everyone must contribute. Against stronger opponents, everyone needs to improve by five to ten per cent. England started well against Croatia but encountered a setback after the draw with Ghana. The match against Panama was not perfect, but the team regained form and ultimately topped the group, which was the main objective. Walker stated that the knockout stage is when true winners are decided; a team can win the group stage but be eliminated in the group stage. He said wearing this shirt means pride, and the badge on the chest is fundamental, requiring everyone to play their best. However, from now on, England must play their best football, because every match from here on will be difficult.

Traduzido por IA.

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