Roy Keane pointed directly at the player who caused England’s bitterness at Euro 2024
2 min read
Roy Keane has expressed concern about an English player at Euro 2024 and issued a warning to coach Gareth Southgate.
On the evening of May 21st, Southgate selected a preliminary squad of 33 players for Euro 2024. The England manager has omitted prominent names such as Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford. Southgate has also included new players in his squad, including Jarell Quansah from Liverpool, Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace, and Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton.
This selection has been warmly received by most English fans compared to previous squads. Southgate has acknowledged that the players included in this squad have simply performed better than their counterparts in their positions.
In the official squad list published by X, eagle-eyed fans have noticed an interesting detail: defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is listed in the midfield position. This can be understood as the 25-year-old player has been experimented with in the midfield position by Southgate lately due to his impressive passing ability.
However, speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football, Keane suggested that using the Liverpool defender in midfield might not be wise. The former Manchester United midfielder explained: “You can’t have him there against one of the top teams. In one or two group stage matches, you won’t have any problems, but if you leave Trent there against one of the top nations when England have to defend, then he won’t cope well. Look at the match against Everton – he wasn’t strong in defensive situations.”
Keane added: “I’ve watched every game he’s played for Liverpool, whether at right-back or in midfield, Trent Alexander-Arnold can’t sense danger.”
Looking at the selected squad, it can be seen that Arnold will be lined up alongside Rice and Bellingham. In terms of attack, the Liverpool star can match anyone in England’s midfield. However, if we consider defense, as Keane mentioned, this could be a question mark for Southgate.
In Arnold’s position, there is still another option that Southgate could consider, namely Mainoo from Manchester United. The 19-year-old star of Manchester United is increasingly mature and shows leadership in the midfield area, both in attack and defense. He would be a good option for Southgate to consider.
