Former England midfielder Jermaine Jenas thinks a Chelsea man needs to start for the national team, but Thomas Tuchel will have to change his position.
England have more strength in depth with this current iteration of the squad than we have seen in a long time, but it means Thomas Tuchel has difficult decisions to make all over the pitch.
With the World Cup edging ever closer, the former Chelsea boss has to start shaping the side that will be vying for the biggest trophy in football.
Jenas has a recommendation for Tuchel, which involves starting Chelsea’s talisman out of position.
Jenas says Cole Palmer needs to start on the left wing for England
A national team manager, especially for the strongest nations, often faces an impossible task.
When there’s so much talent in a side, finding a balance is vital, but so is using your most dangerous weapons.
In Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka, you have the best players for two of the best teams in the country. They both deserve to play.
MORE CHELSEA STORIES
Jenas has his own solution for getting the two into the front three. As he explains on the Wildcards Podcast: “Then my front three, Bukayo Saka on the right-hand side. Bagsman up top, Harry Kane.
“And, I’d have Cole Palmer off the left, but working in, getting on the ball and doing stuff because Myles Lewis-Skelly’s going to be exposing that space down there.”
Jenas recognises that playing a left-footer out there isn’t ideal, but he can’t justify leaving Palmer on the bench for another tournament.
Palmer shouldn’t have to be forced in
That the left-wing is supposedly the only place to squeeze in a player of Palmer’s quality doesn’t feel right.
If we’re being honest, Kane, Saka and Bellingham are non-negotiables, but there’s no one else that should get preference over the Chelsea man.
Jude Bellingham talks with Cole Palmer during England's match against Greece in the Nations League.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Palmer can produce pure footballing magic at any moment and consistently shines on the biggest stages. There’s no bigger stage than the World Cup, and leaving Palmer on the bench feels like self-sabotage for England.
He does his best work centrally, and there’s no reason not to start him in the 10 role.
Tuchel will have to figure all this out, and it’s an unenviable task. But it’s what he signed up for.