MY ACCOUNT
Jack Grealish may have changed the game for England against Germany — but there are no guarantees he will be in Gareth Southgate’s starting XI tonight.
The Manchester City star turned the tide when he was brought on to replace Mason Mount after 72 minutes on Tuesday as the Three Lions roared back to claim a 1-1 draw in Munich.
But Grealish started just four of his last 13 games for England and has not completely won Southgate over in his cameo displays.
Ahead of this evening’s Nations League clash with Italy, we assess the midfield maestro’s current situation for club and country.
Squad game
Southgate was asked after the Germany game whether he viewed Grealish as nothing more than an impact substitute. His response was an emphatic one.
He said: “If we didn’t trust him we wouldn’t put him on the pitch with 20 minutes to go in the belief he can make a difference.
“At the start of the game the challenge for the wide players was to attack, defend and to try and score goals — it’s a high tactical level and you’ve got to be spot on — and that’s an area Jack can get better at.
“What he did do was carry the ball as the game opened up with a little bit more space and opportunity.”
In many ways, Grealish is a victim of having such a proactive manager at international level. Southgate does not have a best XI, he has a preferred line-up for a certain match.
The man with the biggest price tag in English football might not be in that team too often — but he is in the manager’s plans.
Misunderstood
Players may not dictate or determine valuations but they are certainly judged on them.
Manchester City spent £100million to pry Grealish away from Aston Villa last summer and his performances have been placed under the microscope ever since.
A return of three goals and three assists in the Premier League is not what many envisaged when he made the move. However, that is not what he was signed for.
The 26-year-old was recruited to ensure that City are able to get the ball from A to B against compact, organised teams.
And he does just that, ranking in the 99th percentile for progressive carries and in the 96th percentile for shot-creating actions when compared with wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year.
His output might be difficult to quantify but he played his part in City’s 2021-22 title triumph.
Transitional season
Grealish made just 27 starts across the Premier League and Champions League last season as Pep Guardiola managed his minutes and often kept him on the sidelines for big games.
He was a substitute in the top-of-the-table clash against Liverpool in April, as well as in matches against Atletico and Real Madrid.
However, Guardiola tends to handle most new signings in a similar fashion.
He picks and chooses when to use them during their first campaign with the club as they get up to speed with the rigours of his system and the demands he places upon individuals.
We can expect to see a more consistent Grealish next term when he is tasked with supplying new addition Erling Haaland.
High-risk player
Grealish is the definition of chaos. He likes to carry the ball, often tries to execute complicated passes and the likelihood of a turnover with him in possession is high.
City encourage this as an aggressive team with players typically operating in advanced areas and ready to win the ball back quickly if they do lose it.
England are the complete opposite. They are conservative in their approach and the team’s primary objective tends to be to keep a clean sheet.
So there is clearly a clash between Grealish’s natural instincts and what the Three Lions want to do with the ball under Southgate.
It might simply be a case of the 22-cap international only being the right fit for opportune moments, rather than being one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Team game
Under Southgate, England have reached a World Cup semi-final and the final of the European Championship.
The 51-year-old tactician knows what he is doing and is fully aware of how to navigate his way through a knockout competition.
Southgate has a number of talented players at his disposal who can all influence certain situations in different ways.
City’s No10 may only have to play a small part in any success the Three Lions enjoy instead of playing the instrumental role so many onlookers desire.
